Sending save the date cards is one of the newest phenomena in the world of wedding planning, which may account for some of the questions couples may have. The practice of sending these cards can be quite confusing with couples asking who they should send them to, what information should be included, and when to send them. These are just a few concerns that people have with save the date cards.
Primarily, save the date cards are the first step in informing your wedding guests of the big event. Their main purpose is to allow guests to mark your wedding date on their calendar and to clear their schedules. While save the date cards are not a requirement, they are often appreciated greatly.
Do not let all the questions you have impede the plans you have for your wedding. Simply read these tips on proper save the date card etiquette and you are sure to have success in planning your wedding. You do not have to be a wedding planner to properly send save the date cards to your guests.
Are Save the Date Cards Always a Good Idea?
It is not always required to send out save the date cards for your wedding, but there are a few cases in which doing so is ideal. If many of your guests may be traveling to attend your wedding, save the date cards are an excellent idea. If your wedding takes place on or around a holiday, it is also a good idea to use them. Other situations in which sending save the date cards is recommended include if your wedding is taking place in another country or if your wedding going to occur in a major city.
Who to Send Save the Date Cards To
Plainly put, send save the date cards only to guests you plan to invite to the wedding. You should not send save the dates to anyone who that is not being invited to the wedding. This is important because your guests need to mark their calendar with the date of the wedding so they do not make any plans on that day.
When to Send Save the Date Cards
In most cases, save the date cards should be sent four to six months before your wedding. If you are planning a destination wedding, however, plan to send them out even before that, a year in advance, if you can. Giving your guests as much notice as possible can help them plan any necessary travel arrangements or vacation time off from work for your big day.
What Information to Include
Save the date cards are not wedding invitations, so you do not need to include everything you normally would within the invites themselves. The information that you need to include is limited to your names, the date of the wedding, and the city, town and state in which the wedding is going to take place. You do not have to include the venue at this time, save that information for the wedding invitation. If you have a wedding website, be sure to include it now.
It is also important to remember that save the date cards are a new idea and many guests may have not received them in the past. Because of this, it is a good idea to include something on the card that lets guests understand that this is not the invitation. An option would be, “invitation to follow” neatly printed at the bottom center of the card.
Formal or Informal
There is no strict guideline as to how formal or informal your wedding save the date cards should be. A good rule of thumb is to stick to the theme and style of your wedding. If your wedding is going to be formal, go ahead and design your save the date cards accordingly. If you are having a casual wedding, you can use fun save the date cards are just as good since it is an informal wedding. Just remember, as long as you like the style of the cards, nothing is wrong.
Save the Date Design Options
The design options for the save the date cards really have no limit. By the time save the date cards are ready to go out, many couples have already decided on the basic design and layout of their invitations. So, if you already have a theme or style in mind, go with that for continuity purposes. Many couples like to tie everything together with one theme, color scheme, and style throughout the entire planning process.
Save the date cards do not need to be “postcards” as many people assume. Couples can get very creative in letting their guests know when and where the wedding is going to be. Popular formats for save the date cards include magnets, posters, emails, calendars, and even coffee mugs.
Jennifer Bailey is a freelance writer who writes about family, correspondence and family events such as weddings, often focusing on one specific aspect of a wedding, such as save the date cards.