These days lives are hectic, schedules are packed and people are busy.  Weddings that take place near holidays or during the summer months may be difficult for guests to include on their calendar unless given plenty of notice.  Most people schedule vacations for the summer months and may not want to, or be able to, change their plans to attend your wedding.  Three day weekends such as Labor Day, Memorial Day, and Columbus Day, aren’t considered major holidays but are often used as an opportunity for a long weekend getaway.  A save the date card allows guests to plan their vacation and getaways so your wedding is part of their travel itinerary.

Wedding invitations are traditionally sent out six to eight weeks before the event.  That may not be enough time to book airfare at a reasonable price or find a hotel room close to the wedding and reception sites.  Save the date cards let guest do exactly that “save the date” on their calendars and start to make travel and lodging accommodations. It is critical for a destination wedding to send save the date cards.

The first step is to make sure the date and city of the wedding is firm (and of course you’ve chosen the right groom). It’s not necessary to have the location chosen although Saturdays in June and July fill up fast at prime wedding sites.

When compiling your list for sending save the date cards, remember you’re actually compiling the guest list.  An invitation will be sent to each one.  Save the date cards aren’t wedding or engagement announcements.  The more guests at the wedding reception, the higher the cost, once you’ve sent the card you can’t change your mind and un-invite the person to attend.

Everyone who is invited should receive a save the date card, not just out of town guests.  Hurt feelings can arise if someone who expected to be invited doesn’t receive the card.  No amount of explanation will convince them they really were invited you just didn’t think they needed a save the date card because they’re in town.  Don’t risk hurt feelings because you want to pinch a few pennies. One advantage of save the date cards is that guests may decline early which opens up a spot for someone else on the guest list.

The cards are personalized of course with the names of he bride and groom, the date and the city and sate. Inks and envelope liner colors can be chosen as well.

Weddings can be formal and informal, whimsical or modern, fun or reverent.  And so can save the date cards.  There are no hard and fast rules.  It’s not necessary to coordinate these cards with the wedding invitations as you would with response cards, thank you notes, and menu or wedding program cards.

Formal Save the Date Cards

“Simple Save-The-Date Card” is classy and elegant on bright white cardstock. The font is in a script that looks like calligraphy.  “Twin Hearts Save-The-Date Card” has interlocking hearts at the top.  The information is in a font that looks like it’s handwriting on bright white cardstock.  “Forever and ever” is a little brighter with a bright pink paisley design on the right hand of the card on white cardstock. The font is a cursive script.

Whimsical Save the Date Cards

There are no rules for save the date cards so why not have a little fun?  “Couple” card has a fun bride and groom drawn as cartoons on either side of the information.  The ink is mostly black with red hearts and flourishes on a white card. “Flower” card has the same feeling but instead of a bride and groom it features a bouquet of stylized flowers in shades of pink and purple. Save the Date is written in purple underlined by a green flourish. If your wedding will be at the beach then “Beach Themed” is perfect with hand drawn seashells in pink, blue and yellow on a sandy beach.

Modern Save the Date Cards

“Double Hearts” design shows two overlapping pink hearts on the left hand side of the card with the information on the right hand side on pink and white stripes. A more modern approach to the beach themed card is the “Seashell Hearts” featuring a card with a blue background showing off a photo of a sandy beach and wave with “save the date” written in the sand.  “In Love” has the word love printed with each letter in a different color of pink, yellow, aqua, and blue. “Pink and Green” is exactly that a two toned green card with pink horizontal stripes setting off the middle.

Save the date cards make sure guests won’t schedule something else for your very important wedding day.

Dee Power is a freelance writer who writes about weddings and save the date cards.

Wedding stationary is the first impression your friends and family will have of your wedding.  Before the showers, before the ceremony, and before the reception, save the date cards set the tone and theme for your wedding.  Since the cards are more informal than the invitations they can be selected before you have made your final choice for your wedding stationary. Of course, it is always a good idea to send them out as soon as you have completed the guest list and chosen the date.

Just to be clear: save the date cards are sent to individuals you are inviting to the wedding. That may be obvious, but a save the date card is not an announcement of your engagement or the fact you are getting married.  Those who receive the save the date card will expect to receive an invitation in the coming weeks.  Feel free to send out an engagement announcement that does not include the wedding date to those you will not be inviting or are not sure you will be inviting. You can follow up later with an invitation if a spot on the guest list opens up.

In addition to the save the date card other wedding stationary includes: the invitation, reception card (separate from wedding invitation), place card, announcement, response card, program, menu card, multi purpose cards (directions, accommodations) and thank you card.

Many couples decide on the date but have not booked the location of either the ceremony or reception.  It is a courtesy to your guests to let them know as far in advance when your wedding will be so they can make arrangements for travel, pet sitting, and taking vacation days from work. Save the date cards save the day.

Informal fun

“Save-The-Date Cards Green Card with Pink Accents,” these playful cards announce your wedding day in a sweet but not saccharin way.   Other more informal choices are the “Couple,” with a hand drawn bride and groom popping up to announce the date. The “Flower Bouquet,” says it with flowers in pink, green, and lilac.  “In Love” is bordered with a green band on the bottom of the card and L O V E with each letter in a different color, yellow, bright pink, green, and aqua.

Are you having a beach theme or beach wedding? If so, choose “Seashell Hearts Save-The-Date” cards with a photo of an incoming wave on the sandy shore, complete with the words “Save the Date” written in the sand. Another choice is the “Beach Theme” with hand drawn sea shells in yellow, blue, and pink on the sand.

If you have a photograph of the two of you, that photo can be scanned into a digital file and used as the background of a save the date card printed on your own computer printer.  Print the card on standard size note card stock and buy envelopes separately.  If you are on a tight budget print on card stock and use the back of the card to address as a postcard.  You will wind up saving money on postage and on envelopes.

Formal But Fun

If you haven’t chosen the theme of your wedding yet simple, save the date cards with classic font on grey card stock look perfect. A more contemporary look are the “Double Hearts” Design of pale pink on white and the “Forever and Ever” of bright pink on white and “Twin Hearts” a simplistic design on light grey card stock.

Personalization

Of course the save the date cards are personalized with the names of the bride and groom and the date.  The city and state can be included on the card as well if you know the wedding will be held in that city.

Personalization can go much farther with a selection of 33 colored inks and 36 solid color envelope liners and five prints.

Since the backs of the cards are blank why not take a few extra minutes and write a note on each card with a short message about how much you are looking forward to having them join you on your special day.

If you are one of those couples who have everything organized and chosen right from the get go, make the save the date cards part of your wedding stationary package.

Kick Off the Wedding Festivities

Save the date cards are fun, creative, and start you on your way to a wonderful wedding day.

1. SHOP SALES RACKS. This is a no-brainer. Retail stores will discount up to 70% of the original price of the mother of the bride dress, depending on how desperately they want to clear the racks of the current season’s clothing to make way for the new season. Spring/summer lines start showing up on the racks from January through April, while fall/winter dresses are introduced between June and September. Therefore, you will get bargains around these times as well for the last season’s mother of the bride apparel.

2. SHOP EARLY. The mother of the bride should start shopping for her mother of the bride outfit as soon as she knows the colors of the wedding. All too often she takes care of all the details that go into the wedding, while forgetting her own needs. She should spend this time with the bride going over styles, fabrics, accents, accessories, etc. Late shopping only brings on more stress and possibly more money spent on things that were purchased in haste and then returned with “buyer’s remorse”. Quite a few bridal shops do not take back returns or offer refunds once the mother of the bride walks out of the store with her dress.

3. SHOP ONLINE STORES. There are tons of reputable and traditional bridal boutiques out there that have an online store on the immense “world wide web” nowadays. The costs of running and upkeeping a brick-and-mortar store are escalating and definitely cut into profits. Any savvy shop owner knows full well that they will have to own a “web store” to fully maximize their sales and therefore, profits. Check their Better Business Bureau record or see if the site has a BBB online reliability logo, if you are still not comfortable shopping online. Once you start using your fingers to do the shopping, you will never stop!

4. SHOP BRIDESMAID DRESSES. The “youthful” mother of the bride can opt for a bridesmaid dress which are normally priced less expensively than a mother of the bride gown. Seek the tailoring expertise of a bridal dress seamstress to add on beads, sequins, and other exotic trimmings to create a uniquely appealing look.

5. SEARCH FOR “DISCOUNT” DRESSES ONLINE. The mother of the bride can open up more options for herself if she is computer literate and able to do a search using the keywords “discount” or “cheap”. Example, search for “discount mother of the bride dresses”. These words can conjure up an image of herself in a cheesy, polyester dress but you will be surprised what will show up online that are not quite cheesy despite being made of polyester. By the way, there are 40 blends of polyester and almost all synthetic fabrics for special occasion wear are made of some type of polyester.

6. SHOP REGULAR EVENING WEAR. Add on a shawl or jacket or buy fabric to make a unique, one-of-a-kind jacket to cover the shoulders and arms for modesty or for providing warmth.

7. WEAR A TEALENGTH OR COCKTAIL DRESS. These are priced less than the floor-length gowns and are more versatile, as you can surely wear them again at another special occasion.

On how the bride saw a saint speaking to God about a woman who was being terribly afflicted by the devil and who was later delivered through the prayers of the glorious Virgin. SAINT BRIDGET PATRON SAINT OF EUROPE BOOK 1 Chapter 16 PART II And the Virgin Mary said to him: “Inasmuch as her previous intention led her to hell, tell me, in what direction does her present intention of keeping from sin tend?” The devil answered her reluctantly: “The intention of keeping from sin leads her toward heaven.” The Virgin Mary said: “Because you accepted that it was your just right to lead her away from the path of the Holy Church due to her previous intention, then it is now a matter of justice that she be led back to the church on account of her present intention. Now, devil, I will put another question to you: Tell me, what intention does she have in her present state of conscience?” The devil answered: “In her mind she is terribly contrite and sorry about the things she has done, and she resolves never to commit such sins anymore but wants to improve as far as she is able.” The Virgin then asked the devil: “Would you tell me if the three sins of sensuality, gluttony, and greed can exist in a heart at the same time as the three good dispositions of contrition, sorrow, and the purpose of amendment?” The devil answered: “No.” And the Blessed Virgin said: “Would you tell me, then, which of these should shrink away and vanish from her heart, the three virtues or the three vices that …

In recent years, save the date cards have emerged as an essential element in the wedding planning process, alerting guests to the date of the upcoming event well in advance of the actual wedding. While an ideal complement to any wedding planning program, save the date cards are especially critical if you are planning to have your wedding around the holiday season, when other plans and events may well be competing with your ceremony. By allowing your guests ample notice of your wedding date, you ensure they will be able to place your wedding on their calendars long before the crush of holiday parties.

Save the date cards are also especially important when inviting guests from out of town. Even when you have verbal confirmation that these guests will be in attendance, it is a good idea to send them a card to make sure you wind up on their calendars. Letting these guests know your wedding date well in advance also gives them plenty of time to make flight and other travel and accommodation arrangements.

In fact, the only time when you would not send a save the date card in either of these two instances is if you are unsure whether or not you will include a guest on your guest list.

For guests who live nearby, sending a save the date card is considered an optional, though still thoughtful, practice.

Once you have determined to whom you will send your cards, it is time to choose your card design. Todays save the date cards are as individual as you are, and offer plenty of options for setting the tone of your nuptials. Unlike invitations which are sent to all of your guests, save the date cards can be more casual in design, serving as a reminder to certain guests.

The Simple Save the Date Card is an understated yet elegant card design, with information printed clearly and in the font of your choice on the single-sided white stock. Of course, you can still select your envelope lining and ink colors.

For more formal events, the Pearl Shimmer Border save the date card is also elegant, and slightly more reserved. Offered in a unique square design, the card is enhanced by an intricate filigree border highlighted by a sparkling opalescent shimmer.

The Twin Hearts save the date card is romance in its purest form. The simple, elegant format is surmounted by two intertwined hearts, symbolizing the couple’s eternal union. While couples can select from a wide range of ink colors, red ink on white stock works especially well, and highlights the card’s romantic overtones.

Also featuring a romantic double heart-shaped imprint, the Double Hearts Design is slightly more casual, offering a playful, less formal feel. With the words “save the date” in flowing script on one side, your wedding information is highlighted by a series of vertical stripes that coordinate with the ink color you select.

And romance grows graphic with the In Love save the date card design, featuring the letters “L-O-V-E” in an apple-green border, and highlighted by two butterflies hovering over your imprinted date information.

The aptly named Forever and Ever save the date cards feature a stylized floral stencil along the side of the card, reminiscent of Victorian stationery. The romantic yet light-hearted design is an ideal way to remind your guests of your upcoming ceremony.

Equally romantic, yet slightly more contemporary, the Green Card with Pink Accents save the date design is both fresh and playful, featuring a pale apple green center flanked by deeper apple green borders. Buffering these areas is a contrasting and highly appealing pink border, drawing attention to your special information.

If you’re planning to have your wedding near the seashore, or are using an ocean theme for your reception, you can continue that theme with Beach Themed save the date cards. Playfully inscribed with “save the date” along the top border of the card, the bottom border is strewn with hand drawn seashells on a sand-colored background.

Or, for a slightly more formal beach theme, the blue and white Seashell Hearts cards feature a beach photo centered within a bold blue-and-white striped accent. The pale blue background featured on the upper two-thirds of the card is highlighted by a starfish accent, while wedding information is included in the lower third of the card, featuring a white background.

Looking for a touch of whimsy? The Flower Bouquet save the date card offers a playful yet sweetly charming hand-drawn rendition of a bride’s bouquet, and the stylized script reinforces the overall appeal of the card’s design.

Another playful design, the Couple save the date card is a fun way for both bride and groom to get in on the act. Flanked by highly stylized, cartoon depictions of a bride and groom, the card’s design also features an equally playful font, making this a lighthearted reminder your loved ones will appreciate.

No matter which design you choose, your guests will appreciate knowing your plans ahead of time, and you’ll enjoy knowing that even far-flung loved ones will be sending good wishes your way on your special day.