Fun Ways to Save the Date!
Thought I’d do a fun post today to celebrate the New Year. I am looking forward to all the wonderful weddings I have scheduled for 2012. Each wedding is for a special and lovely couple and I’m truly excited to be a part of each of their unique and fun days!
One thing that sometimes gets overlooked in wedding planning is sending out “Save-the-Dates.” Though these are not required, a lot of brides choose to send them. If you are thinking about it or have decided to do Save-the-Dates, keep reading for some tips and some fun ideas you can try.
- What is a Save-the-Date?
An announcement of your wedding date that precedes your formal wedding invitation. - Why Should I send a Save-the-Date?
It is imperative to send advance notice of your wedding date if you are planning a destination wedding, a wedding weekend, during holiday seasons or busy travel times. - When should I mail them?
You will want to order your formal invitations around 6-7 months prior to your wedding date. This is generally the time to send out save-the-dates, since they are typically done in conjunction with the formal invites. Plus, the more you order, the bigger discount they will give you. If you’re planning on doing save-the-dates yourself, they should still be sent out 6-7 months prior to the wedding. If you are having a destination wedding, make it 7-8 months prior. - Should I include “& Guest” on the save-the-date?
I think you should always be clear about who you are inviting to your wedding. Don’t want your distant relatives to bring their girlfriend of the month? Don’t put “& Guest,” just address it to your relative. However, if you are encouraging friends to bring their significant others, include their full names on the envelopes (no & Guest for people you know or are close to you!)
Here are some fun ideas for Save-the-Dates:
Sidewalk chalk isn't just for kids!
I love this idea. Get someone to photograph you from above (your professional photographer you’ve hired for your wedding will be perfect and you can add this to your engagement session).
You don’t need to add too much text, just the date and your names.
Here’s another clever use of photography from ISWP.
Match books are fun and small. They won’t require much postage!
Twig & Thistle Etsy shop
A current trend is to take a picture of the bride and groom and either spell out the date (left), “Save-the-Date” (right), or include some personal photos with a message (below). I love the creative use of cut out letters and numbers. You will also want to start your color theme here.
Because I’m such a book lover, I especially love the creative use of books and words from books in Save-the-Dates. It is especially nice if you can include your favorite books and authors. Add a nice literary quote to the bottom with the date and your names.
This is good if you’re well-known readers, or if you’re having a literary-themed wedding. A literary quote is nice if your family is not particularly religious, or if there are multiple religions represented and you don’t wish to offend anyone.
Poetry from Pablo Neruda (left) or someone like Shakespeare appeals to everyone world-wide.
Here’s another clever idea that you can make yourself. Print out a postcard size card with the date and details you want. Then cut it into a puzzle pattern and mail.
