One of the fun things to do while planning your wedding is to let your family and friends know you’re getting married and they are invited to share your special day.
Save the Date Card Ideas
I think they are a great way to show you off as a couple; too bad they weren’t around back when I got married in the early 90’s. Typically STDC’s are flat postcard style cards with envelopes. They should include the couple’s name, the wedding date and location (i.e. the city) but they don’t have to be basic “just the facts, ma’am.” It’s an opportunity to reflect your personalities and joy together, so have fun with it and don’t worry about your cards matching your wedding invitations or your colors. I’m sure you will have enough to stress out about later.
Classic Save the Date Cards
Classic is always appropriate. You could either go with a pretty script on an quality card stock or use photos from your engagement photo session with a simple, elegant layout.
Destination Cards
If you’re getting married in Hawaii, the wine country or another special locale, you could send cards hinting at things to come so you guests can plan ahead. I saw some cute save the date announcement at Snapfish for Hawaii and other destinations, and My Publisher has some that look like travel documents.
Reflect Your Personality or Wedding Theme
If you are getting married on the beach, your card could hint at the theme: include a photo of a heart drawn in the sand with the date in the center, like in this photo below.
Photo Booth or Photo Strip
Photo booths are all the rage for wedding receptions. Why not show off your fun side with an announcement card featuring a photo booth style strip of images. You could hold up a chalkboard sign with your wedding date, like in the left-hand image below, or put the details below the images like the card from Mixbook on the right.
Top Five Dates
I saw this idea on Shutterfly. Do a Top 5 countdown of your best times together as a couple, leading up to #1, your engagement. Give a brief synopsis of where and how he popped the question.
How to Create Your Cards
Once you have your wedding date and the photos you plan to use, making your card is the easy part. There are many sites, such as the ones I have mentioned in this post, offering online card creation and a choice of card stocks. There are cards in a variety of price ranges and most major companies have frequent sales and promos to help you stay in budget. I keep tabs on sales and deals, so be sure to check out my deals page frequently.
Tips for Sending Your Cards
It has become popular to send out Save the Date Cards about six months in advance so guests can mark their calendars. If you’re planning a destination wedding or have lots of out-of-town guests, it’s a good idea to get them out as soon as possible so they have plenty of time to plan their trip to your big event. While save-the-date cards aren’t mandatory, they are becoming part of good etiquette and they are more personal than sending out a mass email. It certainly makes sense to send them if you are planning a destination wedding or full weekend of events because you want to give everyone as much of a heads-up as possible so they’ll have the best opportunity to attend.
Only send cards to people you actually plan on inviting to your wedding and reception. Even though your parents and siblings and closest friends already know about your wedding, you should send them a card too. Now is a good time to make clear who exactly is invited. For instance you should address the envelope with the exact names of the people you plan to invite so you don’t end up with expectations that cousin Mary’s six kids will be invited as well.
