When planning a wedding, you are going to get a lot of advice about what you should and should not do in every aspect of your wedding, including the invitations. Here are three things that you may be told you have to do as a matter of etiquette that are really not true.

Save the Date Cards

It has become a huge trend to send out save-the-date cards regardless of the location of your wedding or when it is being held. Save-the-date cards have become another expense that many couples feel that they have to go through. Often times, these save the date cards involve a photo session so a photo of the happy couple can be incorporated onto the card.

However, save the date cards are not necessary for your wedding. It is perfectly acceptable to send out wedding invitations six to eight weeks in advance of your wedding without any advance save-the-date notification. That is more than enough time for most people to plan on attending your wedding.

If you have any friends or relatives who live far enough away that they would need to fly in for your wedding, you can personally let them know in advance when you are planning your wedding so they can budget for the expense; however, you don't need to send out save-the-dates to everyone on your guest list.

The only except to this is if you are throwing a destination wedding where you are asking people not to only attend your wedding, but to take a vacation with you. In that instance, you are going to want to send out save-the-date cards or destination itineraries in advance so that your family and friends can budget their vacation time.

Additional Guests

Many couples wrongly feel pressured into allowing all of their guests to bring a date with them. However, you don't have to add a "plus one" or "and guest" to all of your invitations. Base whether or not you include the optional plus one on your budget and the space that you have for your wedding. Most individuals understand that weddings are expensive, and allowing every single individual on the list to bring a guest may be more than you can afford.

Make it clear on each invitation if the invitee is allowed to bring a guest or whomever they are dating to your wedding.

Wedding Registry

Some people consider it impolite to include information about the wedding registry on the invitation as it implies that one is begging for or courting gifts from their guests. However, it really depends on how formal your invitations are and the dynamic you have with your friends and family members.

Although it is probably best to not print where you are registered on the formal invitation itself, it is perfectly okay to include an additional piece of paper within the invitation envelope that lets guest know where you are registered for your wedding or that provides a link to your wedding website where this information will be provided.

You don't have to follow all the etiquette rules when it comes to your wedding invitations or your wedding. Follow the rules that make sense to you and adapt etiquette rules to fit your unique situation and personality.