Save The Dates Combined with Invites

In this case, I'd send save the dates out only (totally understand the securing your date with your guests). And then hold off on the actual invitations with all the formal info until like probably March/April at the earliest. I only say that, because looking at last year, you don't want to send out the formal invites with all the info only to have to backtrack and basically "uninvite" people because you have to cut your list number down (thinking of brides last summer who thought they may have a normal May 2021 wedding, only for that to be dashed). As we've seen, things can change rapidly, and it's probably better to see where things are at closer to the date to assess.

Unless you have a bunch of people coming from out of town, a Save the Date is kind of moot in my opinion since they're primarily used to help people schedule any necessary travel and accommodation without the host needing to provide details of the event until closer to the date. I feel like people try to send these out to "claim" their guests. Like, "they got my STD first, therefore they can't come to your event!" But most guests if presented with conflicting events will choose based on which one they want to go to, not by order of receiving an invite.

There's no harm in sending one super early, but because it's not an invite and it doesn't prompt action from your guests, people will forget about the date until presented with an invite anyway.

Edit: I just realized how funny it looks if you read this without context - they got my STD first, therefore they can't come to your event!

Save the Date can be sent out now leaving the invitations for next year until its closer to the day. You don't want to confuse your guests by having both sent unless you were just doing the invitation alone. I have had guests losing their invitations to ask for a copy sent by social media when they misplaced it or lost it if they moved. This was 9 months prior the wedding date which you may experience if thinking of sending out too early. 3 months is a good time period when you are ready to send out the invitation.

STD's early is fine. I'm sending mine by email/text and it's a nice way to get mailing addresses. If you're emailing, use the BCC line so that people don't get dozens of replies they don't need.

As mentioned before, I wouldn't send actual invites earlier than 4-5 months as people will forget and not reply. I received an invite 6 months before (pre-covid) and forgot to reply.

I would send out save the dates now but not actual invites. I just sent out my save the dates for May 2022. Our save the dates have the date, location and our wedding website information. I have the RSVP feature turned off right now as I feel like it way too early for people to be RSVPing. I will send out actual invites about 4 months in advance

Sending a STD this early is totally fine. Its job is to let people know the date so they can plan accordingly. But don't send your invites until much later. If you try to send invites now, I guarantee that people are going to forget about RSVPing and you're going to have to do a ton of tracking people down to find out what they're doing.

I would send the save the dates as soon as possible so your guests know what date to save! Especially now with covid. It's never to early in my opinion. My fiance and I had sent out our save the dates a year in advance since we're getting married in a different province and all of our guests are having to travel so they need accommodations and such.

For actual invites, usually 3-4 months before your wedding is good to send them out. Usually you will need a final count of how many people are attending a few weeks to a month before depending on your caterer and venue's request.