Save the Date Etiquette

Nowadays, it's extremely common for engaged couples to send save the dates to their friends and family members. These reminders can be done with beautiful images, graphics and fonts, and they can come in many forms like post cards and magnets. There are many important decisions that go into crafting your wedding reminder. Here is your guide to save the date etiquette.

Sending on Time
No matter how big or small a wedding is, there's a lot of preparation involved in throwing this celebration. Your guests need to be given some information ahead of time. Why? For some weddings, guests will have to plan for things like buying plane tickets, making hotel reservations and requesting vacation time. The farther in advance you give them notice, the better off it is for everyone. These reminders are usually sent 6-8 months before the wedding date. 

You should send a save the date to everyone you're planning to invite to your wedding. However, f you're looking to cut costs, only send these postcards to guests you know are traveling. Your close friends and relatives will forgive you if you opt out of sending one to them for budget reasons. Although, everyone should receive a formal invitation.

Choosing the Style
Save the dates can come in various different styles. Some are formal and elegant while others are more personal and relaxed. When choosing the kind of save the date you want, think about the kind of wedding you're having. Are you sticking with tradition or doing things a little bit differently? Your reminder should match the overall vibe of your wedding. For classic weddings, try a save the date card with fancy paper, fonts and colors schemes like red, white and black. On the other hand, if your wedding is more relaxed, try a magnetic card with a photo on it. That way, your guests and anyone who walks into their home can see your smiling faces up on their refrigerator.

Using a Photo
Over the past decade, adding a photo of the engaged couple to a save the date has become increasingly popular. There are plenty of positives to having a photo accompany your text. First, it will showcase you and your partner in a loving and creative light. Some couples have weddings that are extremely large, and they choose to invite friends and relatives who they haven't seen in several year. This is a good opportunity for couples to share more recent photos with those long-distance loved ones. Second, it also means you can get more usage out of your engagement photos if you choose one of the pictures from your professional session. Lastly, it's said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Sometimes a photo is the best way to encapsulate the excitement for the upcoming wedding.

Deciding on a Photo
If you've decided to use a photo, you may have a hard time choosing the perfect one. As mentioned above engagement photos can be used for this exact purpose. But don't limit yourself – use a photo that embodies the love you and your partner have. It doesn't have to be professionally taken, but it should be one that isn't too low resolution or it could appear pixelated or warped. Try and do a test run before printing all of them to see if the photo you choose will look good. 

Matching the Theme
A great way to keep continuity in your wedding is to match the save the dates to the overall theme. If your wedding has certain colors or images that are going to be used, be sure to add those to the save the date. Coordination is a great way to ensure that your wedding will be one to remember.