If your wedding is next spring or summer, it’s just never too early to send out a ‘save the date’ card or email, which is sure to start a conversation between you and your invited friends and family. It will help your guests plan to join you, or let you know that they can’t. Having a grip on your estimated guestlist can help you with your budget and planning. Possibly you’ll have space for some of the friends you thought you couldn’t invite.

Guests who are coming to “destination” weddings (as in the Jersey shore in July), will also need to think about making reservations very early and maybe tacking on a couple of days to enjoy the setting.