SAVE THE DATE -

THE WHO, WHAT, WHY AND WHEN TO SEND BY EINVITE.COM

A wedding save the date is an early announcement of your wedding day. It gives your guests a chance to mark their calendars months before formal invitations arrive. Wedding save the dates also provide the location of the ceremony, allowing your guests to make travel plans in advance. Most couples send out wedding save the date cards about 6 months before the wedding day, but your own timeline may vary. Feel free to send a save the date as late as 4 months prior for a local ceremony or as early as 8 months if planning a destination wedding.

STYLES OF SAVE THE DATE CARDS

Pocket Invitations

Pocket Invitations are very popular and some varieties include Save the Date cards, or even Save the Date pockets!

A Save the Date card in a Pocket Invitation (or in a Save the Date pocket) makes an incredible impact. It is the paper equivalent of a bento box. Anything that is wrapped individually is like a little present. They bring just a little extra air of excitement and can really help build the anticipation for your ceremony.

WHY SEND OUT SAVE THE DATE CARDS?

You want your guests to be able to share in your wedding day. With hectic work schedules and differing social commitments, why not give your guests a chance to plan early? A Wedding Save the Date is for the convenience of your guests and to set the tone of your wedding. They can be traditional cards, magnets, luggage tags, or anything in between. Choose something that suits your wedding and your personalities as a couple.

WHEN TO SEND OUT SAVE THE DATE CARDS?

Around six months before your ceremony is the perfect time to send a Save the Date. However, depending on the wedding, you may want to consider sending them sooner rather than later. Here are some guidelines to consider:

Planning a destination wedding? You may want to give guests 6 to 8 months to book airfare and hotel.
Having a more intimate backyard affair? Anywhere from 4 to 6 months will be long enough for travel plans.
Going global with your invites? If many of your family and friends are traveling a long distance to attend also consider giving them 6 to 8 months notice.

WHO SHOULD BE INCLUDED?

Send a Wedding Save the Date card to everyone on your guest list, even your parents and the bridal party. It may seem unnecessary, but including everyone right away prevents confusion and gives you a head start on your address list. Save the Date etiquette suggests keeping the name and address exactly the same as will be on the invitation: don't use nicknames and include all "and guest" phrases on your Save the Date.

WHAT ELSE TO CONSIDER?

A Wedding Save the Date can be a fun and creative way to start the exciting process of including guests in your wedding. Keep in mind a few do's and don'ts before mailing:

Do not include a gift registry on your Save the Dates.
Do include your names, the date, the city, and the state/country where the ceremony will take place.
If you have a wedding website, also put that address on your Save the Date to start sharing wedding updates with friends and family.
Including the simple phrase "invitation to follow" can prevent any potential confusion as to why your save the date doesn't include all the details normally found on an invitation.
Have fun with it! Save the Date etiquette requirements are minimal. The most important thing to consider is clarity when communicating with your guests.

Pocket Invitations

Pocket Invitations are very popular and some varieties include Save the Date cards, or even Save the Date pockets!

Save the Date with Handwork

"Handwork" is a trade term that describes creating the finished invitation by hand. It costs a bit more but the results are fabulous and the impact is palpable.

Handwork is very popular both with mass manufacturers of wedding invitations and with independent producers, like the artists featured on Etsy.com.

If you and your partner like the idea of a personal touch, then handwork is quite literally the choice for you.

Make a Statement with Texture

This is an example of thermographic printing on a modern Save the Date card. Themographic printing is a more affordable alternative to engraving and it preserves the tactile qualities of raised print.

Raised print (both engraving and thermography) makes an immediate impact on your recipient because it stands out from every-day communication. Think about the print you see on a daily basis. Have often do you see letters that seem to float upon the page?

Informal Save the Date

Here is a gorgeous example of an informal Save the Date card that incorporates motifs from the other ensemble elements to come later.

This Save the Date card is from Checkerboard's Merry Occasion series. Checkerboard specializes in modernizing the concept of the "ensemble", which means that your Save the Date cards will match your other invitation pieces, without appearing gaudy or gauche.

Photo Save the Date Cards

Photo Save the Date cards are a fun way to communicate to your friends and family, particularly if you have distant relations.

This is a photo Save the Date card by Rita Renning for William Arthur. This particular example is printed in "one pass" meaning the photo is printed at the same time as every other element. Some photo Save the Date cards are "photo applique" meaning the photo must be hand applied.

The Modern Save The Date

This gorgeous, engraved Save the Date card is part of the Paper Collection by Kate Spade for Crane & Co.

Save The Date cards set the tone for your wedding and this particular card combines a modern interpretation of a flower, using bold colors and brushstrokes, with a traditional type layout in the center of the card. The gold foil applied during engraving gives a sense of luxury and echos the beautiful gold lined envelope.