Monday, 5 Nov 2007
What exactly are “Save the Date” cards? A rather modern idea on the wedding scene, this is an informal announcement that is sent a few months prior to the wedding. They precede your official wedding invitation and are meant to give your guests a “heads up!”
The only hard and fast rule about Save the Date is to include the basics! Name, Date, Time and Location! There are currently no other “official” rules regarding these cards. Indeed, many people aren’t aware of them until they get involved in ordering their stationary and invitations. Save the Dates can be as elegant or as whacky as you wish! You could tie them back to the theme of your wedding invitations or give them their own distinct look.
Some couples on a tighter budget have chosen to forego elaborate invitations in favor of these cards. They can run even a dollar cheaper than more elaborate invitations. If you go that route, please remember to include RSVP instructions on your cards.
Keep in mind if you are planning a destination wedding, you will want to use Save the Dates to give your guests plenty of advance notice for travel arrangements, etc. Also if your wedding takes place around a major holiday, definitely get these cards out in a goodly amount of time for your friends and family to make the proper plans.
Save the Date Card Tips:
- Simpler versions could be a picture of the two of you printed on card paper with all the pertinent information – a postcard if you will.
- Chocolate is a hot color right now.
- If you’re printing or hand writing them – stay consistent for cards and envelopes! It’s a nicer look to keep the fonts or styles the same.
If you’re doing this yourself, mind you, there is a bit of a debate about printing computer generated labels for your envelopes. It may look a bit tacky to use those labels even if they are the clear ones. Stick to an envelope size you can run directly through your printer if you want those fun fonts. Also, be sure when printing either envelopes or cards yourself that your ink won’t smudge easily.
Here are a few places for samples and ideas:
There are some wonderfully creative ideas out there! If you are using a unique idea for your wedding, share it with us.