Sending your save the dates about 6 months before the wedding is a good timeline for most celebrations. If you're planning a destination wedding, you'll want to give the guests lots of time to plan — aim for sending the announcements between 6 and 12 months or more before the date. This gives your invitees time to make travel arrangements, budget for the trip and handle things such as pet sitters. For local weddings, where most people live nearby, you can send the save the dates about 4 to 6 months before the big day. If you're already closer to your wedding day, you can still send announcements to ask people to save the date. Wedding invitations usually go out 6 to 8 weeks before the ceremony date. As long as you're still beyond that timeframe, go ahead and send save the dates to get your guests excited about the celebration. If you're getting close to sending your invitations, you might not need to spend the extra money on save the dates.

The amount of money you spend on save the dates can vary significantly depending on your design and the number of announcements you need. Ideas for save the dates can range from simple printed cards to extravagant gifts with the details printed on them with corresponding price ranges. Setting your budget first and exploring the options helps you choose a design you love that doesn't blow your wedding budget. Elegant save the dates with photos offer a personal touch while keeping the costs under control.

You can purchase engagement announcements anywhere that you can get other wedding stationery, such as invitations and programs. CVS Photo offers lots of engagement announcement template options you can customize with your details. They come in a range of styles with pretty background designs that let you choose your desired look. You can add a photo and customize the wording on the announcements to share the details you want your friends and family to know. Some of the templates also let you change details, such as the background colors.