So you are newly engaged! You may not have all the fine details laid out. Matter of fact, you’re just getting started. But since you’re at the beginning of the wedding planning process, you do know exactly when and exactly where. Well, that’s the perfect information needed to tell the people you’re going to invite to mark their calendars and save the date. As getting a save the date is nice in itself, here are some ways to make your announcements special.
When to Send Them
First things first, in order to make sure the save the dates are special, you must be sure to follow proper etiquette when sending them out. Note that the announcements should be sent out at least five months in advance, especially if it will be a destination wedding. (The actual invitations go out 3 to 2 months outs.) Getting save the dates out in respectable timing gives guests adequate time to request off work if needed, make travel arrangements or secure hotel reservations.
What to Include
Remember that the save the date is not the invitation. The only information you need to include is the name of the bride and groom, the date and the location of the wedding (city and state would suffice). If you have a website, you can include this as well. Although, you could withhold the information until the invites are mailed out.
The Delivery
There are different ways that you could inform people about your approaching day. One way is to have an engagement party. That way you can reveal the date to everyone at one time as they join in on a little pre celebration fun. However, everyone may not be present, and you may need to rely on word of mouth or send out additional notifications. Another way is to email announcements. These can be creative and come with music. Although, one downfall to this method is that the emails tend to get deleted or toppled by a bunch of newer emails and could be quickly forgotten.
The old fashioned mail in announcements may be more traditional, but can definitely carry a more sentiment touch.
Be Creative
Having something tangible gives a person something to hold on to. Yet, even still, how do you prevent a standard postcard from being easily misplaced or from ending up under a pile of mail. This is where being creative can make the save the date announcements extra special. You can send out something different like save the date magnets. These are nice because most people hang these up on their refrigerator right away, and they serve as a constant reminder. Not to mention the duel function aspect. It may be something that your guests consider a keepsake.
Keep the Design Simple
Don’t be afraid to keep it simple, while still being creative. Spend time to find a design that represents your style and ties in with the theme of your wedding. Give your future guest a preview of what’s to come. Lead them wanting more and looking forward to receiving the actual invitation in the months to come. Believe it or not, going over the top with a design may cause over-stimulation. It may cause one to be genuinely excited about the event, but the reminder may get set to the side and forgotten about until it is too late.
Personalize It
It is common to have a tasteful picture of the engaged couple on the save the date. You want to select as image that is modest, but enduring, to capture the hearts of the recipients. Stay away from anything that may even appear to be too risky or intimate. It’ll be something that they would want to hang up and put on display.
Conclusion
Save the dates let your friends and loved ones know to expect a celebration in the new future. It is a sentiment surprise, but gives them enough time to prepare. These tips will get you on your way to create a save the date that will not only be informative, but will give your guest something that they will want to hold on to.
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