Destination Weddings Discussions

Timelines

I have read so many things and timelines for requirements vary often.  Our wedding is in October 2016 in Mexico, just slightly less than a year away.  I have already booked the resort and found a travel agent and have begun securing room blocks.  I am wondering what everyone's opinions are on the timing of Save the Date, Invitations and RSVP requests should be.  With our room block they need to book no later than 65 days before the wedding or I will be penalized for any unreserved room in the block.  Do I take that into consideration with timeline for RSVPs?  Or do I still make that 4-6 weeks before the wedding to provide my destination a final headcount?  I was planning on save the dates sooner than later to allow people to save for the wedding December 2015 giving them 10 months notice...too early??  Invitation when??

The timeframes since travel is involved confuses me, thank you for your help!!

Re: Timelines

  • STD - 10-12 months.  We did a bit longer even, to allow for planning and saving money
    Invites - 4-6 weeks, giving you time to follow up to the venue with numbers.  

    As for the room block, spread that info by word of mouth or on a wedding website.  Most people will book earlier, but you might still get some last minutes.  If you are going to be penalized, I might look at dropping some rooms before the date.  

  • OP, no matter what anyone says, send your actual invitations as soon as you can.  For people who are going to another country, they will need more time than one normally does to plan their trip. Some people may need travel documents or to request time off from work. It is not the same as driving four hours to go to a wedding on a Sunday afternoon.

    Save the Dates are not useful for destination weddings because people need to know exactly where the wedding and reception are going to be held. This will be useful to help them plan their trip.
  • edited October 2015
    T19103 said:

    OP, no matter what anyone says, send your actual invitations as soon as you can.  For people who are going to another country, they will need more time than one normally does to plan their trip. Some people may need travel documents or to request time off from work. It is not the same as driving four hours to go to a wedding on a Sunday afternoon.

    Save the Dates are not useful for destination weddings because people need to know exactly where the wedding and reception are going to be held. This will be useful to help them plan their trip.

    Wrong. Invitations go out 6-8 weeks before the wedding. If sending them internationally, someone could send a week earlier to make sure, but months in advance is ridiculous.

    STDs are enough to book a trip. They have the city and often a website with additional info. That's the whole point.
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  • OP, no matter what anyone says, send your actual invitations as soon as you can.  For people who are going to another country, they will need more time than one normally does to plan their trip. Some people may need travel documents or to request time off from work. It is not the same as driving four hours to go to a wedding on a Sunday afternoon.

    Save the Dates are not useful for destination weddings because people need to know exactly where the wedding and reception are going to be held. This will be useful to help them plan their trip.
    Wrong. Invitations go out 6-8 weeks before the wedding. If sending them internationally, someone could send a week earlier to make sure, but months in advance is ridiculous. STDs are enough to book a trip. They have the city and often a website with additional info. That's the whole point.

    This^. And when they receive their STD your guests will know they are for sure invited and can contact you if they have additional questions.
    image
  • T19103 said:
    OP, no matter what anyone says, send your actual invitations as soon as you can.  For people who are going to another country, they will need more time than one normally does to plan their trip. Some people may need travel documents or to request time off from work. It is not the same as driving four hours to go to a wedding on a Sunday afternoon.

    Save the Dates are not useful for destination weddings because people need to know exactly where the wedding and reception are going to be held. This will be useful to help them plan their trip.
    This is bad advice, OP.  


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  • lyndausvi said:
    Yeah, I had an 100% OOT wedding at a busy resort town.  My STD were sent out 9 months out and had the date and location.  That is the whole point of the STD.  

    I sent out my invites 9 weeks out.     6-8 weeks is standard.  I say even up to 10 weeks if it's OOT or even a DW.  My RSVP date was only a week out.



    Question:  Do people not talk to family and friends anymore?  Sure I sent out STDs, but most of my guest list knew the wedding was at the location before that just from normal conversations.
    The bolded is why I didn't do STDs.  Our date and location (ours was local) spread so fast via word of mouth that sending STDs would have been pointless.

  • T19103 said:
    OP, no matter what anyone says, send your actual invitations as soon as you can.  For people who are going to another country, they will need more time than one normally does to plan their trip. Some people may need travel documents or to request time off from work. It is not the same as driving four hours to go to a wedding on a Sunday afternoon.

    Save the Dates are not useful for destination weddings because people need to know exactly where the wedding and reception are going to be held. This will be useful to help them plan their trip.


    BOXES

    When planning a traditional church wedding, we always tell posters they have to have the church booked first before officially setting the date. For a DW, the "church" is whatever resort the couple chooses. If you randomly choose some destination on a specific date, send out STDs, and then try to book a resort on said date, that is a completely idiotic move.

    In addition, as the couple getting married has to travel and secure their date and space at a resort (which may only do one wedding a day), they will need to book pretty far in advance. So, what is the harm in sending out STDs after the couple has booked?  



     







  • 6-8 weeks is standard, but for guests who travel internationally, it is acceptable to send them out a few weeks earlier (10-12), especially if you are dealing with international mail.  Does the hotel send you updates on how many rooms have been booked/ who has booked rooms?  If it does, try using that as your gauge for how early everything needs to be sent out.   If you are coming up to the 12 week out mark, and only one guest has booked under your block, I would send them out at 11-12 weeks.  I would include everything on a website and/or back of the save the date. I would send the STD out after Christmas/New Year's, as you don't want them getting mixed up or lost with Christmas cards.  You probably will already have an idea of how many people will be using your room block shortly after your guests receive your STD.  People will talk to you about your wedding, so you can at least get an idea of who is coming.

    We are doing a DW, and our coordinator recommended we do invites 10-12 weeks out, with an RSVP of 6-7 weeks out.  Granted, we have to have everything confirmed with catering at 5 weeks, and our room block is released then too.  They send us a monthly update of who has booked rooms, how many are left overall, and how many until we are in our "safe" area.  It allows us to see if someone has booked  a room, but has not RSVP'd. 

    I'd also recommend talking to the hotel about releasing a certain number of rooms if you anticipate not needing as many as you originally thought.  We are allowed to release up to a certain number of rooms without penalty no later than 90 days prior to the ceremony.
  • Thank you everyone, all helpful advice!

    I was concerned about the release of our room block which is 60 days prior to the wedding, but I think word of mouth will help with that and we are doing a website as well. 

    Thanks!!

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