Where Should I Buy My Save
If youre ready to start browsing save-the-dates, there are a few places to look. Local stationers and stationery designers allow you to see many save-the-date samples in person and you can completely customize your save-the-dates, if desired. However, online stationery retailers like Minted, Shutterfly, and Etsy, have tons of options to choose from and are definitely convenient when it comes to purchasing.
Sending Them Too Late
As a general rule, it’s best to send Save the Dates 8 to 12 months prior to your wedding . Given enough notice, you may be surprised by the distance that family and friends will come from to be able to attend! The more time your guests have, all the more opportunity to ask for time off work, confirm travel plans, save money and organise. Any later than this and they won’t have enough lead time. Given that the only information you need on your Save the Dates are your names, wedding date and location – just the city and state – you don’t even need to have your venue booked yet – it should be relatively easy to create your Save the dates. Including your wedding website is a nice touch, but not necessary.
When Is The Latest To Send The Save The Date
Setting up a timeline is the first and most important part of planning your wedding. Once youve got a schedule, everything will feel less overwhelming. You and your spouse can do things step by step. A good timeline will help you keep the process stress-free.
So when do you save the dates enter your schedule? And do you even need to send them?
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Before Sending Your Save
You don’t have to invite anyone to your wedding that you don’t want there, but there are conventions around who you’re expected to welcome on your day. For a traditional wedding, the guest list typically includes your immediate family, close relatives, and friends, Chertoff said.
Even if you know a loved one has a conflict with the date and won’t be able to make it, you should still send them an invitation. The gesture of inviting them is important even if they can’t attend.
“They will formally RSVP that they cannot attend, and perhaps include a lovely note, too, for you to have as a keepsake,” Chertoff said.
She also recommends that couples coordinate with their parents about who should be invited to the wedding, particularly if they’re paying for the event. Couples can give their parents a number to tell them how many of their friends and relatives they can invite.
If your parents want someone there that you’d rather not invite, you should be open about it.
“If the bride or groom has a strong reason as to why someone should not be invited to their wedding, it’s important to calmly and clearly explain to parents your thoughts and feelings around it,” Chertoff said.
When a couple pays for a wedding themselves, they may not have to worry about who their parents want at the event but Chertoff still thinks it’s a good idea to include parents in the process so they don’t feel alienated.
Include A Return Address
Theres one last thing to feature on the envelopes for your save the dates your return address. While this isnt essential, it helps prevent stray invitations from getting lost in the post. Its also a sneak peek at who the correspondence is from, which is exciting.
If you add a return address to your save the date envelopes, write it on the front left corner of your envelope. Or, you can add it to the back of your envelope instead.
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The Dos And Donts Of Save The Date Etiquette
Save the Dates are a relatively modern invention in the world of weddings. Theyre a great way to announce your wedding in a fun and personal way, and to keep your guests informed. But Save the Date etiquette can be a little confusing for the uninitiated. These dos and dont will get you up to speed, so you can cross this item off the To Do list, and do it right.
DO send out Save the Dates. Sending a Save the Date isnt mandatory, but I highly recommend it. If youre planning a destination wedding or weekend-long celebration, youll be doing both yourselves and your guests a disservice by not letting them know as early as possible. Save the Dates give them time to plan their schedules and make travel plans, which makes it more likely they will attend.
DONT send them too earlyor too late! Six to seven months before the wedding is a good time to send Save the Dates. For destination weddings, you can send them up to nine months ahead, although I wouldnt recommend any earlier. On the other hand, sending them just a few months before the big day wont give your guests enough notice, and that defeats the whole purpose.
DO include your names, the location and the exact wedding date. Save the venue as a surprise for the actual invitation and just include the city, state .
DONT include reply cards. Unlike invitations, theres no need to include RSVP cards with your Save the Dates. Guests arent expected to respond until they receive the invitation, although some may.
xoxo,
Wedding Save The Date Ideas
Now that you have the info on wedding save the dates proper etiquette, how to address save the dates, and what to include on the wedding websites, its time to talk wedding save the dates ideas. Here at Zola we have plenty of creative ideas to suit every couple and their personal style. Lets get started.
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Be Prepared For Your Wedding Stationery To Take Up More Of Your Budget Than You’re Anticipating
Invitations and save-the-dates are pricier than you might expect.
According to a study conducted by The Knot, the average cost of wedding stationery was $590 in 2019. Save-the-dates took up about $150 of that amount, and invitations and RSVP cards were $280 on average. Other paper needs, like thank-you notes and place cards, are also included in the cost of wedding stationery.
If you opt to work with a calligrapher to create custom invites, it could cost between $5,000 and $8,000, according to Brides. The price doesn’t vary that much based on how many guests you invite. Rather, the cost changes based on the type of paper you choose and how you get the items printed, as Brides reported.
Although some invitations require large chunks of change, you can find invitations that fit your budget.
It’s a good idea to mentally prepare yourself to spend close to $1,000 on your stationery, and be sure to shop around before committing to one package.
What Information Should I Include
Your names – If within your circle of friends and family you are known by just your first names or even nicknames, it’s a nice personal touch to use these. Otherwise use both your first and surname.
The date – this can be written in full or can be written in numeric form.
Venue – this is helpful for planning how to get there.
Destination – This allows your guests book flights, book a hotel and hire a car etc.
Using coloured envelopes can intrigue your guests from the moment it hits the doormat, from bright and bold colours to pastel or even metallic.
Having a guest list typed up can be really useful to know who you have already sent your save the dates to so you can be sure to send them the invitation. Using an excel spreadsheet is a handy tool or even in a word document. I must say though I do love a list. Once you have sent you save the dates your invitations can be sent around the 4-6 month mark.
If you have any other questions please contact me via the contact page or if you would like to enquire about creating your own save the date designs. Or if you are now ready to order your save the dates and follow the link.
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Save The Date Etiquette: Addressing
We mentioned one of the save the date DOs and DONTs is to address the save the dates properly, but you dont need to be overly formal about it. If you shop save the dates at Minted, you get a huge bonus: free addressing on your envelopes.
This will help you to know exactly how proper save the date etiquette should be followed for addressing, given the examples provided. As a plus, the envelope addressing matches your save the date styles perfectly. One less thing youll need to worry about!
Be Consistent About Titles
Theres no rule that says you need to use titles when addressing your save the dates the level of formality is up to you. If you forego titles here, you can still use them on invitations. For formal save the dates, youll want to reference any formal titles of address of your guests.
If you choose to use titles, keep this consistent for all adult guests throughout your save the dates and wedding invitations. You could also think about whether you want to use titles for children .
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When To Send Save The Date Cards
Design: National Park Foundation
After completing your guest list, the first step in any wedding plan is to send out a save the date card. The purpose of a save the date is exactly what the name entails to tell friends, family members, and other loved ones to reserve that particular day for your wedding.
Sooner Is Better Than Later
Its easy to lose track of time with all the hustle and bustle of wedding planning, but making sure your guests have your wedding date on their calendar is a high priority. Use this handy infographic to help you create a timeline of all your tasks and important deadlines, and enlist the help of your wedding party to make sure nothing gets overlooked. Browse through our collection of modern, fun, and romantic save the date cards to get a little inspiration.
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When To Send Save The Dates For Your Wedding
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One of the first wedding-planning tasks you must take on is sending save the dates. But, many questions come to mind when tackling this project. Specifically, you’re probably wondering when to send save-the-date cards. This particular announcement will be your initial segue into the world of wedding stationery suites, so we’ve done all the research to get you prepared.
Read on to get answers to all your questions about etiquette concerning the first piece of wedding stationery you’ll send out.
Addressing Save The Dates: A Guide
Getting ready to send out wedding save the dates? Heres a guide on addressing save the dates, etiquette to remember, and more.
Once you book your venue and settle on your wedding guest list, its time to send out save the dates. Save the dates are an important part of wedding planning as they give guests the heads-up that your big day is coming up, and they let them know that youd love for them to be part of the fun.
There are so many creative and gorgeous save the date designs, so deciding on one option may be hard. But, once you do, its important that you know how to address wedding save the dates, and understand all the wedding etiquette behind them.
This guide includes:
- Part 4: Wedding Save the Date Ideas
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Shutterfly Save The Dates
Create personalized and stylish save the date cards with Shutterfly. Our easy-to-use templates allow you to design your save the dates with your selected photographs and important nuptial details. We can even address, stamp and send your cards! Make sure to keep a copy of your save the dates to save for a wedding .
As you consider your save the date ideas, explore countless pages of inspiration with wedding ideas for themes and dream wedding looksfrom going for a holiday look for a Christmas wedding or choosing a bright and summery theme. Get inspired to design elegant wedding stationery that reflects your unique love story and visions of your big day.
Let Postable Help Make Your Wedding Planning Life Easier
With all of that said, Postable can help take some of the wedding planning weight off of your shoulders. Gather your guests mailing addresses, send out your save the dates and wedding invites all in a matter of minutes and without ever leaving your couch. Seriously, the easiest part of planning your wedding. Then theres the part where you can write all of your wedding thank you notes without developing carpal tunnel.
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When To Send Save The Dates For Destination Wedding
Destination weddings require you to give guests ample notice so they can make the proper travel arrangements. Go ahead and send save the date cards for destination weddings as soon as you lock in your date. Donât worry about any of the other details, that is what the invitation to follow is for. Sending early ensures youâll give guests more time to plan and also lets them look forward to their upcoming vacation!
From beachside and tropical ceremonies to city and European receptions, build excitement by adding information about the location to your save the date cards. Sending a digital save the date also allows you to include a link to your wedding website, registry, or your accommodation suggestion or hotel block.
What To Include On Your Save The Date
There are a lot of options for save the date wording, but we recommend keeping it short and sweet. There are three things your save the dates must include:
- Your names. Its traditional to list the brides name first for same-sex couples, consider alphabetizing.
- The wedding location. Youve likely booked the venue at this point, but dont include the address just yet. City and state are all thats needed for now.
- The wedding date.
It can be tempting to provide all of the details youve worked hard to arrange so far, but details are best suited for the actual invitation. Some couples opt to include a personal website, linking to wedding information such as hotel accommodations, venue, and registry. If you have a website, feel free to include the URL near the bottom of the save the date. Another option is to add, Formal invitation to follow, reassuring guests that details are on their way.
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