Engagement Announcements, Save the Dates, RSVPs, Oh My! What Are They, and When to Send Them All

January 16, 2026
Weddings

Photography credit: Tina Joiner Photography

Congratulations—you're engaged! Between celebrating with champagne and admiring that beautiful ring, you're probably realizing there's a lot more to wedding planning than you initially thought. One of the first confusing aspects many newly engaged couples face? Understanding the difference between engagement announcements, save the dates, and wedding invitations—plus figuring out when to send each one.

Don't worry. We're breaking down everything you need to know about these essential wedding communications, from what they are to who receives them and whether you should go digital or stick with traditional paper.

Engagement Announcements: Sharing Your Joy

What They Do: Engagement announcements are exactly what they sound like—a formal way to share your engagement news with loved ones who weren't present when you got engaged or among the first phone calls you made.

Who Gets Them: Your inner circle should already know about your engagement (ideally, they were among your first excited phone calls!). Engagement announcements are appropriate for extended family members, distant friends, colleagues, and anyone in your life who would want to celebrate with you but might not make your wedding guest list.

When to Send Them: Typically within a few weeks to a couple of months after getting engaged, though there's no strict timeline.

How to Send Them: Nowadays, most engagement announcements are immediate and digital—shared via text, email, or social media posts featuring those gorgeous proposal photos. Many local newspapers also publish engagement announcements in their lifestyle sections if you want a traditional touch.

Physical engagement announcements aren't as common anymore, but they serve specific purposes beautifully. They're helpful if you're planning a longer engagement and want to let people know wedding details won't be coming for a while. They're also perfect for elderly relatives or others who aren't active on social media. If you're planning an elopement but still want loved ones to feel included in your celebration, engagement announcements help maintain that connection.

Important Note: Never include wedding date or location details on engagement announcements—this confuses recipients and creates awkward assumptions about invitations. The exception? If you're sending announcements that double as engagement party invitations, those obviously need party details included.

Save-the-Dates: Giving Guests a Heads-Up

What They Do: Save-the-dates serve as your wedding's "coming attraction," giving guests advance notice to block off your wedding date on their calendars before formal invitations arrive.

Who Gets Them: Only send save the dates to people who will definitely receive wedding invitations. This isn't the time to be generous—if someone gets a save-the-date but not an invitation later, it creates hurt feelings and awkward situations.

When to Send Them: Typically, 6-12 months before your wedding date. Longer timelines (closer to 12 months) are especially important for destination weddings or celebrations requiring significant guest travel, giving people time to plan for expenses and time off work. If most guests are local, 6-10 months advance notice usually suffices.

How to Send Them: Save-the-dates are traditionally physical cards, though digital versions are becoming increasingly acceptable, especially for casual weddings or tech-savvy guest lists. Physical cards feel more formal and create tangible excitement, while digital options offer cost savings and environmental benefits.

What to Include: Your wedding date, general location (city and state—no specific venue address yet), and the couple's names. You might also include your wedding website URL if you've created one. This will help guests stay up to date with the latest wedding information.

Important Note: Save-the-dates don't require any response from recipients. They're purely informational, letting guests know to expect detailed information later.

Wedding Invitations and RSVPs: The Official Details

What They Do: Wedding invitations are your formal request for guests to attend your celebration, containing all the specific details they need to participate.

Who Gets Them: Everyone on your final guest list receives a wedding invitation, typically sent 6-8 weeks before your wedding date (or 8-12 weeks for destination weddings).

How to Send Them: Wedding invitations are almost always physical, mailed in beautiful envelopes that create anticipation when they arrive. While digital invitations exist, traditional etiquette strongly favors physical invitations for weddings, regardless of how casual or formal your celebration might be.

What to Include: Much more detailed than save-the-dates, invitations must include:

Full names of both partners (traditionally, your complete legal names)
Complete venue address
Specific ceremony and reception times
RSVP instructions (how to respond and deadline for responses)
Dress code, if applicable
Hotel block information, if you've reserved rooms
Registry information or wedding website URL

The RSVP Component: Unlike save-the-dates, invitations require guest responses. Traditional RSVPs include a response card that guests fill out and mail back. Modern alternatives include digital RSVPs through your wedding website or event management platforms.

RSVP cards should collect: acceptance or regret, entrée selections for your meal, number of guests attending (if plus-ones are offered), and any dietary restrictions or special needs.

For guests with children, you may receive multiple responses on a single invitation, depending on how you've addressed the envelope and extended the invitation.

Digital vs. Physical: Making Your Choice

Digital Advantages: Cost savings, environmental benefits, instant delivery, easy tracking of responses, ability to update information quickly.

Physical Advantages: Traditional and formal, tangible keepsake quality, doesn't depend on technology or email deliverability, feels more special and intentional.

Our Recommendation: Engagement announcements work beautifully in digital format. Save-the-dates can go either way, depending on your wedding style. Wedding invitations should almost always be physical—they're keepsakes your guests will treasure and display, and they convey the significance of your celebration in a way digital simply cannot match.

Planning Your Communication Timeline

Getting these communications right sets the tone for your entire wedding planning journey and keeps your guests informed without overwhelming them. At Spruce Mountain Ranch, we love helping couples navigate these details during venue tours and planning consultations.

Ready to start planning your Colorado mountain wedding? Schedule your complimentary venue tour and let us help you create the celebration—and the communications—of your dreams.