3 Tips for Wedding Save-the-Date Cards

A wedding save-the-date card is sent out after a formal engagement announcement and before a formal wedding invitation. So, the save-the-date card is a way for couples to be creative and have some fun without all the regulations and fussiness of the other two communications.

These handy little reminders will help wedding guests budget for travel and block out vacation time from work if necessary. Save the dates will also guarantee that all the couples' friends and family will be free for the celebration. Check out these save-the-date design tips and ideas below: 1. Choose from a variety of formats Printing vendors offer a variety of formats that can work for a save-the-date card. For an exceptionally sporty couple or a couple interested in music or theater, an event ticket is a fun way to let guests know about the big day. Bookmarks also make elegant save-the-date vehicles, because they can be customized with a variety of colorful ribbons, beautiful foil stamping and thick paper stocks. There is also the classic greeting card and envelope format, which can carry a simple black and white design on matte paper, or a romantic design, accented with metallic foil stamping or even intricate die cuts that let the card's interior design or typography peek through. 2. Include the necessary information It's crucial to have the guest list, wedding date and preferably the general location set before sending out a save-the-date card. Remember that, especially for a larger celebration, there's a chance some of the save-the-date recipients will be hearing news of the couples' engagement for the first time. It's always wise to include vital background information, such as the couples' full names and maybe even their parents' full names. If known, include the town or city where the celebration will be held, so that out-of-town guests can begin to think about traveling there or perhaps arranging to stay with friends or family in that area. 3. Plan ahead Save-the-date cards sent out with first class postage can help you clean your wedding invitation mailing list. Any undelivered save-the-date cards will be sent back to the return address on the save-the-date carrier. Update any bad addresses to be sure that all guests receive both the save-the-date and the wedding invitation itself. It also helps to let guests know to expect an invitation in the coming months, because some recipients may not be familiar with a save-the-date card, and they'll see the name and date and feel they have no further information about where and when to show up!