Your Wedding Save The Date: The 4 W’s

Scratch Off Save The Date, MyScratchOffs.com

Since the first recorded marriage ceremony took place in 2350 BCE in Mesopotamia, wedding traditions have evolved over generations to become a rite of passage that marries (pardon my pun) deep-rooted cultural heritage with au courant trends. One of the newest wedding trends to have quickly established itself as commonplace is the Save The Date. First popularized in the mid-2000s, the Save The Date card might be a rather modern addition to the wedding timeline but it has proved itself to be a rather handy and impactful staple, none-the-less.

Your wedding Save The Date is your guests’ first introduction to your big day! Use this opportunity to create a dynamite first impression and set the stage for your dream nuptials. Whether you’re planning a fairytale dream day full of fancy frills or a quirky and fun themed wedding, your Save The Date is the perfect chance to impart a little fun and creativity into your wedding planning process. To help you navigate the ins-and-outs of Save The Date etiquette, I’ve done all of the legwork, so you can do all of the fun stuff. Read on for the who/what/where/when/why of it all…

Why Send A Save The Date?

At its core, a wedding Save The Date is quite simple. It is a formal (or in some cases not so formal) request for your guests to kindly mark their calendars and save the date for your upcoming wedding. Pretty simple, right? While a bride and groom may choose to send a Save The Date for any number of reasons, there are two instances that make a Save The Date a must: holiday weddings and destination weddings. Since holiday schedules fill up fast and long distance travel plans require months of coordination and planning, both situations require that you provide your prospective attendees with ample lead-time for prep (or else you risk eliminating the option for some guests to attend). There are no rules that dictate when not to send a Save The Date, so if it feels right…do it! Just remember, for certain guests (especially for those out-of-towners) the sooner they know what date to save, the better.

What Information To Include?

Your Save The Date should contain as much (or as little) information as is necessary for your guests to start making their arrangements to attend. Conventionally, the Save The Date will contain the following information:

• Bride and Groom’s Names
• Date
• Location (If your venue has not yet been firmed up, then geographical location will do!)
• Wedding Website
• Travel/Lodging Information (Especially appropriate for destination weddings.)
• “Formal Invitation To Follow”… (Just to avoid any confusion!)

When To Send Them Out?

The Save The Date is customarily sent months (or even up to a year) in advance of your big day. It is also sent in addition to a formal invitation. Save The Date timeline etiquette varies by the source, but for good measure I would suggest sending your Save The Date approximately six months in advance of your big day, except in the case of a destination or holiday wedding; then up to a 12-month notice can be appropriate. 

Want To Get Creative?

From classy to sassy, your Save The Date is an opportunity for you to show your creativity while conveying important wedding day information. Why not consider sending an off-the-beat announcement? Some of my favorite unconventional wedding Save The Date ideas include:

• The ultra-modern Video Save The Date
• The Save The Date that “Sticks” (Instagram Stickers)
• The Interactive Save The Date
• The Scratch Off Save The Date
• The Edible Save The Date

Do You Need a Save the Date?

While a wedding Save The Date may not be absolutely necessary, they can be both a fun and functional tool in the wedding planning process.  Your wedding is likely to be the biggest celebration of your life, so have fun with all the little details leading up to your day!  When you express your creativity and couple-style with your Save The Dates and Wedding Invitations, it will help your guests get to know the personalities of the bride and groom, building anticipation before they come to celebrate with you.

At My Scratch Offs, weddings are one of our specialties!  In addition to Save The Dates, we also offer “Marry Me” Scratch Off Proposal Cards, Wedding Shower Game Cards, and Custom Game Cards that can be created for anything from asking people to be part of your wedding party, to Bachelor and Bachelorette party invitations and games.

Have a unique idea for one of our Scratch Off Labels?  We’d love to hear from you!  Feel free to comment below or share with us on Facebook!