Save the Date: everything you need to know
Are you already busy with the planning your wedding And have you figured out when you would like to get married? Congratulations! The big day is now getting closer and closer.
Although many people probably already know that you are getting married and perhaps when, it is still good to have these pre-invitation to send, so guests can put it in their diaries. In this article, read all you need to know about save the date cards.
Example
Here is an example of a save the date:
"Dear family and friends,
We would like to let you know that we are getting married! The big day will take place on [date] at [location]. We hope you can all be there to witness this special occasion with us.
Keep this date free and keep us posted if you can come. We look forward to seeing you all and celebrating this special day with you.
With love, [your name] and [your partner's name]"
What is a save the date card?
A save the date card is not the same as the invitation before the wedding. It serves as a kind of pre-invitation, to let your guests know you are getting married. The save the date card gives the necessary information to the guests so they can take this into account. Not everyone knows the difference between the save the date card and the real invitation, so clearly put on the map that the real invitation yet to follow.
When to send the save the date card?
A first important step is to think about when you will send the save the date cards. This depends on the kind of wedding you are giving. If you are hosting a wedding close to home, about 4 to 6 months in advance is enough to send the pre-invitation send.
This gives enough room for your guests to already keep the date free, but you don't have to give any further information yet, such as a theme. However, if you are planning a wedding abroad, it is important to give notice earlier. The minimum is six months, but the earlier the better. This is due to the fact that guests often also need to arrange their tickets and accommodation and this gives them enough time for this. The real invitation Then send you about 2 months before the wedding.
Who do you send the save the date card to?
The next important question to think about is who you send the save the date card to. Basically, you send the pre-invitation to everyone you want to invite to your wedding. Think carefully about this, because once you have sent these, you can't afford not to then actually invite the person in question.
Even the people you already know are attending should get a card. This way, no one feels left out and you also have a clear overview of who is coming. So send the cards when you have completed the guest list.
What's in a save the date card?
Another important point is what exactly is on the save the date card. As the name suggests, this contains the date of the wedding. Furthermore, it contains all the information guests need to get ready for the big day.
Besides the date, the venue is very important in this regard. When the wedding takes place close to home, guests can see how to get there and what to consider. For example, if the wedding is at the beach takes place in summer, guests can take into account bringing sunscreen or their choice of shoes.
However, you don't have to put down the exact wedding venue yet, this only comes at the actual invitation. Also, you don't have to have a theme or dress code. The save the date card is purely to inform your guests about when you are getting married and whether they should allow for travel time.
a wedding abroad
When giving a wedding abroad, it is a good idea to mention the specific venue if there is one. For example, guests can arrange accommodation close to the wedding location, so they don't have to travel even far from there.
A website
Nowadays, many people have a website for their wedding. This is used to display the invitation set up, as well as further updates, the menu and pictures of the wedding on it. If you have a wedding website, it is useful to put the link on the save the date card as well.
You can choose to create a secure website where each guest has their own login details. If you go for this option, you put on the save the date card the login details of the respective guest so that they can find further information on the website. So this does mean that each invitation should be different.
What does the save the date card look like?
Once you know all this, you can start designing the save the date card. The great thing about the save the date card is that you can play around with different themes and colour styles. This pre-invitation after all, does not have to be in the same theme to be like the actual wedding. This gives you space to try out different things if you are unsure about which theme you want for your wedding. Play with different colours and patterns.
Do it your way
If you have the time and inclination, you can make each save the date card differently. Be creative. Don't feel like doing this? It is also fine to send one simple version to everyone. You can send the card either by mail or by post.
The risk of sending the save the date card by mail is that it may end up in spam, which means people won't see it. Therefore, make sure guests are informed or choose to send both a paper and electronic version.
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About the Author: Justin Manders
