The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Memorable Save-the-Date Announcement Online
So, you’ve decided to tie the knot with the person of your dreams. It doesn’t matter who proposed because you’ve both decided to spend the rest of your days together. Now, you’re in the middle of planning the wedding, one of the most hectic tasks you can take on.
A save-the-date is pretty much a mandatory aspect of a wedding unless you’ve decided to elope. But if you did, you wouldn’t be reading this post. So, a save-the-date it is. Thankfully there are many great resources online that can make planning your wedding a breeze. From creating a sleek save-the-date and wedding registry to invitations and RSVPs, you can read more about the various aspects of planning your dream wedding.
This post will explore what a save-the-date announcement is, how you can craft a stunning one, and, most importantly, how you can do it all online with the help of awesome websites like Say I Do.
What Is a Save-the-Date Announcement?
Simply put, a save-the-date is a special invitation to tell your loved ones that you’re getting hitched. Essentially, a save-the-date tells your friends and family, “Hey, mark this date on your calendar,” or, “Don’t make plans, save the date.”
Imagine the save-the-date announcement as offering a glimpse of what your wedding day will be like. It’s usually a pretty card or message that includes your wedding date and sometimes a hint of where it will be. It’s a way to make sure your friends and family keep that day free so they can be there to celebrate with you.
Here’s a lovely example of a save-the-date video announcement:
The practice of sending save-the-date announcements before a wedding has a relatively modern history dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Apparently, people used to send out announcements via newspapers in the 19th century. Those who didn’t take the newspaper route used to send mail by hand as a formal form of invitation.
The Basics of an Impressive Save-the-Date
As this is supposed to be a formal notification of your impending nuptials, you should put in extra care to make it memorable. While the stylistic choices will vary depending on you and your partner’s personalities, you can derive an outline of how an ideal save-the-date should look.
Design and Wording
Choose a design that reflects both of your personalities or the wedding theme. Personalization is key because you want the save-the-date to be impactful. It could include a photo of you two, an artistic illustration of two hearts becoming one, or even a quirky theme that matches your style.
Whatever approach you take for the design, make sure to use playful and catchy wording. You can add a cute rhyme, a fun quote, or a short history of your love story. The idea is to make it sound exciting and personal.
For a personal touch, consider handwriting a short note on each save-the-date. This helps show you care about each individual guest.
Clear Date and Location
Besides announcing that you’re getting married, you’re also inviting friends and family to accompany you on the big day. So, it’s crucial that you don’t forget important information, such as your wedding date and venue location. Some people want to keep the venue a surprise, or they simply haven’t found the right venue by the time they send out save-the-dates.
In that case, at least try to add hints about where the celebration might take place. After all, some guests will need to plan their travel arrangements as well.
Visuals Are Key
Whenever possible, include pictures or illustrations that tell a story. Maybe a snapshot of you two, a map of the wedding location, or some cute icons related to your love story.
Of course, you need to choose colors and fonts that match your wedding theme. This helps tie everything together and gives it a cohesive look. If you’re not sure what color palette to go with or how to make the design more compelling, you can always consult a graphics designer.
Watch this video for some more inspiration:
Online Save-the-Dates: Modern Solutions for Modern-Day Weddings
Nowadays, we’re doing pretty much everything online. So, why not save the dates, too? Let’s explore how you can create and manage save-the-dates online and apply the tips we’ve learned so far.
- Choose a Platform: First up, choose an online platform or website builder that specializes in digital invitations, particularly weddings. Popular options include Canva, Evite, or even wedding-specific sites like Riley and Grey.
- Create Your Design: Use the available tools and templates to design your save-the-date. Customize the colors, fonts and layout to match your wedding theme or personal style.
- Add Photos or Graphics: Upload photos of you and your partner or any graphics that are meaningful to your relationship or wedding theme. Crop and arrange them to your liking. Again, a graphics designer can help you outline the color palette and illustrations.
- Catchy Text: Keep the text catchy and concise as the sentiment behind save-the-dates is the same for physical cards.
- Choose Interactive Features: The best part about online save-the-date platforms is that they offer interactive features like animations, music, or video. Consider adding these to make your announcement more engaging.
- Preview and Edit: Before finalizing, preview your digital save-the-date to check for any errors or adjustments needed. You have the unique option to edit infinite times to make sure everything looks perfect.
- Collect Email Addresses: Gather the email addresses of your guests. You can do this by creating a guest list or sending a link to a Google form where they can enter their info.
- Send Them Out: Once your save-the-date is ready and your guest list is set, send it electronically via the platform’s built-in feature. Sharing it on social media is another option.
- Track RSVPs: Most platforms offer an RSVP tracking feature that can keep tabs on who can make it. This makes it easy to manage your guest list as the responses come in. You can also include the vendors on the platform to keep them updated on the progress.
- Follow-up: Don’t forget to follow up with your guests closer to the wedding date with more details and the official invitation.
Wrapping Up
Migrating your save-the-date online can save you a lot of time and hassle in terms of management. If you are looking for a convenient and cost-effective way to share the exciting news with your loved ones, consider trying an online platform first.