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Just Engaged: How to Plan a Wedding
Mark Your Calendar
Share your wedding plans with guests by sending one of these creative save-the-date cards
After picking your wedding date and location, sending a save-the-date card to guests is at the top of your wedding to-do list. In addition to informing friends and family where and when the wedding will be, you can also include registry information, travel details and any pre and post-wedding events guests need to know about. Brides planning a destination wedding should be sure to include all relevant travel information including discount codes you’ve arranged with hotels and airlines. Here are some of our favorite save-the-date cards from funky to formal. —Anne Chertoff
The Paper Poppies save-the-date card featured here is from Wedding Paper Divas.
This sweet "love bird" design by iomoi is quite romantic. The company has dozens of icons and monogram options in a rainbow of colors so you and your fiancé can create a very personalized card. After you’ve selected your save-the-date card design, you can order coordinating thank you note cards for all the engagement gifts you’ve begun receiving.
If something more traditional is what you’re looking for then visit online stationery company, Gryphon Stationers. This modern design company creates invitations, personal stationery and other wedding accessories using either engraved or letterpress techniques. View their portfolio to see the wide range of design options available, or contact them about their Gryphon Bespoke program for a custom design.
To ensure that your guests don’t forget your wedding date, send them a magnet card to post on the fridge. Cluu Designs’ designer Cindy Luu can illustrate locations, themes and cultural icons so you can give your friends and family a sneak peek at what they can expect to see on the big day.
If you don’t have time to take a professional engagement portrait, but still want your image or likeness on your save-the-date card, you can have a custom illustration of the two of you commissioned. Artist Britt Benjamin can create a drawing of you and your groom in wedding day or everyday attire. There’s a one-time illustration fee of $55 and each card is $4.25. Exclusively at RedStamp.com.
This simply put declaration, designed by simplyput, is as simple as it gets. You can choose from 22 ink colors and seven type styles as well as personalize the card by adding your monogram or a motif that matches your wedding theme or destination. Price dependent on quantity ordered. Available at FineStationery.com.
Whether you’re getting hitched in the city, by the sea or in the mountains, the Bonnie Marcus Collection has the perfect save-the-date card to let guests know where your wedding will be held. Each design can be custom printed by the retailer or you can order them blank and print them out on your home printer. A set of 25, including envelopes, is sold for $37.50 at BonnieMarcus.com.
Many stationery companies offer the option to personalize your save-the-date card with a photo of you and your fiancé. The picture you choose can be your formal engagement portrait or it can be a more casual/candid shot. The two cards featured here are from Wedding Paper Divas (Candy Stripes on left and Simply Spring on right). The company has a variety of photo cards you can choose from and you can select a specific palette that matches your wedding colors. Price dependent on quantity ordered.
If you consider yourself more of a DIY bride, why not design your own save-the-date card? With Mountaincow Invitation Software, you can easily create all of your wedding stationery. The company’s web site features hundreds of designs to help inspire you. The software programs start at $29.99 and can be used well after your wedding – moving announcements, baby announcements, birthday parties and any other event you can think of. In addition to creating your own save-the-date card you can also create a customized U.S. postage stamp so your stationery and stamps complement each other.
If you’re planning on ordering a traditional black and white wedding invitation, get a little creative with your save-the-date card. You can select a design that has a lot or a little amount of color. By the time you are ordering your save-the-date cards you may or may not know what your final wedding color palette will be. If you do know, you can choose a design featuring those colors. And if you don’t know, pick a design that both you and your fiancé like. Both of these colorful cards ( Engraved Brushstroke shown on left, Melon Color Trio on right, ) are from the Kate Spade Wedding Ensembles at Crane & Co.
To see more save-the-date cards and wedding invitations, visit our Stationery Gallery.
[ more Just Engaged: How to Plan a Wedding features ]
Where to Begin
Wedding planning from A to Z
Your essential guide to your engagement
Stylish products to keep you organized
Our 75 favorite wedding-planning Web sites
When to create your registry
Why you should hire a wedding planner
7 wedding mistakes to avoid
Wedding Dresses 101
Gowns that flatter every figure
Wedding gown shopping tips
What's in store for 2009
Style advice from Amsale
How to find the right veil
Getting in Shape
Create a wedding day workout program
Stress-free planning tips
How to tone your body
6 simple arm exercises
A strapless dress workout
Budget Basics
40 cost-cutting tips
Find out who pays for what
Manage your wedding budget
Protect yourself from these wedding scams
Reception Style
75 ways to personalize your wedding
Creative floral ideas
Pick the perfect location
Beach wedding basics
Eco-wedding ideas
Groom To-Dos
How to get your groom involved
His duties in detail
Avoid these 5 tuxedo-shopping mistakes
Getting dad's approval
Organize your groomsmen
Spreading the News
Fun ideas for your engagement party
Look great in your engagement portrait


