Your save the date invitations set the tone for your wedding and serve as the first glimpse into the event. Designing these invitations involves more than just mentioning the wedding date and the couple’s names on a card, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming or time-consuming.
Let’s take a look at the four essential steps for creating DIY save the dates that not only inform the guests about the upcoming wedding but also celebrate your relationship and reflect your vision for the wedding.
Use a professionally designed template
Creating the save dates yourself is convenient, budget-friendly, and great for couples with a specific vision for their wedding stationery. This option gives you full creative freedom and the ability to send your save the dates digitally through text, email, or social media.
You don’t have to make the save the date invitations from scratch. With online graphic design platforms such as PosterMyWall, you can create the perfect save the dates for your wedding in minutes by customizing professionally designed save the date templates. You can personalize any or all elements of the template, from the color palette to the font, according to your vision.
Match the save the date templates to the rest of your wedding stationery. Just choose a design that resonates with you and your partner. It could be a design that centers on an engagement picture or reflects any of your hobbies (e.g., travel).
Include all important details
You don’t have to explain your entire ceremony and reception plan on your save-the-date card but do make sure that it has all the important details they would need to plan to attend your big day.
The bare minimum information to add includes your name, wedding date and time, and the city you’re getting married in. This is what the guests would need to create space for the event on their calendar. Beyond this, consider adding details that may change based on how guests plan. For example, if it’s an adults-only event, clearly mention this in the invite so that families know and can organize child care accordingly. The same goes for bringing plus ones or if you’re having a morning ceremony followed by brunch instead of an evening ceremony and dinner; the guests would need to know this to decide who they can and can’t bring.
Keep the invites concise
When it comes to saving the dates, the more is not the merrier. Resist the idea that more is always better. Some types of information simply have no purpose being on the save the date. This includes the following:
- RSVP details: save the dates are not the formal invitations for the wedding, so it doesn’t make sense to include RSVP information to them, especially if you plan to send them far in advance of the event. An RSVP count that early won’t be accurate, as many people may not be able to attend due to other commitments or they might change their mind close to the event.
- Gift registries: you should avoid sharing your registry anywhere other than your website. Gifts are voluntary and shouldn’t be viewed as a prerequisite for attending the event. Adding your registry information to the save the date is especially inappropriate, as it is not even an official invitation.
- Anything you’re not sure about: If you haven’t been able to put a deposit on your first choice venue or confirmed with the hotel that your wedding party will get discounts on the rooms, don’t mention it on the save the dates. Wait until you have everything in writing before you share these details.
Send the invites early
We recommend designing and sending the save the dates at least 6-8 months before your actual wedding. This might seem too early, but keep in mind that people usually plan their vacations well in advance and their calendars can fill up easily.
Make sure to send out save the dates well in advance, especially for weddings that require more planning for attending, e.g., destination weddings. You can even share the save the dates with just a date and city, and inform the guests about the exact venue and timing when these details are confirmed.
Final thoughts
Designing save the date invitations yourself is fun, convenient, and budget-friendly. It allows you the creative license to showcase your unique style and vision for your event. They don’t have to include everything about the wedding, but they should give your guests a glimpse of what’s to come, and when, so they prepare accordingly.
By customizing save the date templates, incorporating meaningful details, and sending them out early, you can easily create save the dates that resonate with you and your spouse-to-be and set the stage for a memorable celebration.
