Notifying Guests?

Photo by: Monica Buck

Q. How far in advance should we send out our save-the-dates, and what information do we need to include?

A. Eight months before—or even earlier—is the right time. "As soon as you put the deposit down," says Jeffrey Best, "start telling people, and then follow up with a save-the-date card." On the card, suggests Jung Lee, list the airlines that fly to your location and the hotels where your guests can stay, plus the average temperature for that time of year and the basic itinerary for the weekend. JoAnn Gregoli recommends creating a personal wedding Web site as well, to make it easy for Internet-savvy guests to look up details about the celebration and check for any updates to the schedule or hotel information. After you send the invitations and find out exactly who is planning to attend, Gregoli says, make two copies of a welcome letter to remind guests about the attire and itinerary. Mail one to each guest before the wedding; place the other copy in the welcome baskets you provide for your guests, in case they forget to bring the letter with them.

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