Congrats Kim7799 on your destination wedding! you're sure to find great info at this BDW thread......http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/f/86/wedding-etiquette-traditions-to-dos From our experience, it's best to get everything booked that you can asap...when you have a firm date. ....ie we often book reservations a year or more in advance. A good rule of thumb is what would you like - if you were the recipient? personally, I'd like as much advance notice as possible (ie for "save the date" notices) to be able to prepare with as much lead time as possible. That being said, it depends a lot on the person.....some work well with last minute plans and make more impulsive decisions with "last-minute" reminders. I guess the bottom line is to do what works best for you......as is so often the case Enjoy your planning process and fantastic journey ahead.......all the best!