When to send save the date for destination wedding?

[countryroad12]

Getting married in 2027. Booking the venue soon as it gets booked very quickly. It will be in Italy, all friends and family in UK.
When should we send save the date? We will be inviting around 50-60 but want to let them know in advance so they have time to save and think about it.

Thank you

I would have conversations with all the crucial people now. (Parents, siblings, potential wedding party people), and get a clear feeling for how many of them are able / willing to come.

Less crucial people, I don't think there is much point in sending them out more than 12 - 15 months beforehand. They aren't going to put their life on hold for it, and, as a pp said, there will be lots of changes in circumstance between now and 2027 - new babies, new relationships, relationships that seem new now becoming deeper, people splitting up, people drifting away that you currently are close to, people will become close that might not be at the moment, people's financial circumstances changing, etc.
If people don't want to commit their money, their time, their annual leave, etc to your wedding, giving them more notice isn't going to change that.

Ahhh thanks to those who answered my question! I got a 'save the date' a while ago, but no actual invitation so I didn't get the point of them! Clearly not on the A list!

How long since the STD and how long till the date on it?

As soon as you have booked the venue.

What a great idea to have the save the date as a magnet for the fridge!
Give your guests an indication of who will be invited (kids?) and the time of day as well as the date and venue.
Indicate whether they will be booked into the accommodation by you, etc. Give out all info.

We announced our wedding a year ago , get married in August 2025 so over 18 months in advance and we choose to send wedding invites 2 weeks after we announced . 100 people about 50 people will have to travel there ( abroad wedding in Europe ) . Most already booked stay and flights so give them lots of time . Thankfully we didn’t have anyone refusing the invite but we ask them to let us know by December 2024 so if they are not coming we could invite someone else .

We got married in Spain (my home country) and we sent the save the dates 13 months before which was as soon as we had secured the date and venue.
During that time, some people got in relationships and we were asked if they could come and we said yes.

To add an alternative viewpoint out with friends in the 60s and 70s last night, big family, lots of nieces and nephews, sons, daughters and grandchildren . They are really hoping the next ones who have just got engaged will have a destination wedding as they all fancy a holiday and want a bit of time to save up for it.

Send them as soon as you have details as the more time to plan the better but just be aware that people probably won’t commit until the actual invite - pregnancies, work, illness, general life will all be unknown so far out!

ASAP I like fridge magnets so it keeps it front of mind. The last two save the dates we received were these.

My brother got married in Italy. Save the dates and invitations went out about 9 months in advance. It was a maximum of 40 people. They also had a save the date for a garden party a little later in the summer for those who could not make it. The venue was a couple of giant villas. It was for a weeks holiday and it worked fine. Good luck