Creative Save-the-Date Cards By Bridget Mora

With peoples' lives fuller than ever these days, it has become more and more important to give them advance notice of your wedding. While of course your immediate family will know what day your wedding will be, to spread the word far and wide, most couples send out save-the-date cards. These are a great way to give your guests a preview of your wedding style, but they can also be as fun and creative as you like.

No matter how formal your wedding will be, cleverness and creativity are the name of the game when it comes to designing save-the-date cards. Even the most traditional brides will often decide to do something a little more fun for her save-the-date cards. Unlike the rest of your wedding stationary, it really isn't necessary that they match with the invitations.

One of the most popular types of save-the-date notices are magnets. The nice thing about a magnet is that your guests will stick them to their fridges, and never lose them. What goes on the magnet is entirely up to you. At the minimum, be sure to include the who, what, when and where of your wedding (the "why" should be pretty self-explanatory!). For the minimalist, the details printed in an interesting color combination may be enough, but many couples like to get creative with imagery, as well.

I once received a great save-the-date magnet from a couple who was having a winter wedding. The winter before their wedding, they made a snowman, and put a sign in his hands announcing their wedding date. (These folks not only had great ideas, they were great advance planners.) It was the perfect way to let their guests know about their Winter Wonderland wedding.

Another incredible idea for a winter wedding would be to make the save-the-date announcement out of an ornament. You could print all of the details on a round glass ball in your wedding colors. The packaging could get pretty expensive, but it would certainly make an impression.

Let's say that you are having a destination wedding. To set the tone for your casual event on the sand, you will want a save-the-date card that invokes the image of a barefoot bride in a flowing gown and beachy bridal jewelry. What about sending a message in a bottle of sand? Or, if you are looking for a more affordable option, you could get postcards from your destination and print them with the details of your upcoming nuptials.

If you are having a theme wedding, then your save-the-date card is a great way to introduce your theme to your wedding guests. There are lots of ways to go about this. For instance, if you are having a Breakfast at Tiffany's themed wedding, your save-the-date card could feature a shot of you done up in a chic black dress and a big strand of pearls (which you can wear for your bridal jewelry when the time comes). Use your imagination, and create something unique.

Whatever you choose for your save-the-date cards, be sure to send them out many months in advance. You want to make sure that your announcements are not only fantastic, but also effective. That way, when you mail out the official invitations before your wedding, you can be assured that most of the response cards will be marked "yes".

Let us know if you need assistance in any area of planning your wedding.Take advantage of Bridget's experience helping clients select jewelry and accessories. Bridal jewelry can be as affordable as it is beautiful when it is handcrafted from Swarovksi crystals and freshwater pearls.