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C H I C A G O W E D D I N G & P A R T Y R E S O U R C E
W W W . C H I C A G O W E D D I N G R E S O U R C E . C O M
78
I N V I T A T I O N S , S T A T I O N E R Y , P R O G R A M S , G I F T S & F L O W E R S
You’ve just gotten engaged and now you have a wedding to
plan: ceremony, dress, dinner, flowers, cake, music, favors,
hotel blocks ... the only thing you think about is your
wedding. However, as special as it is, your wedding is not
the only thing your guests will be thinking about, which is
why it’s important to send a save-the-date.
People’s schedules are extremely busy and travel is extra
expensive right now, so save-the-dates sent with ample
time will allow them to get you on their calendar and plan
ahead. They are usually sent out about nine months before
the big day, but can even be sent a year in advance if you
are planning a destination event or your wedding will take
place during the peak wedding months of May through
October. You just need names, the date, the city and, ideally,
the URL for your wedding Web site which provides guests
with information regarding travel and hotels so that they
can get started right away and maybe save themselves some
money.
But as simple as the information is, try not to think of these
little reminders as just another item to check off on your to-
do list. From origami fortune tellers that open to reveal the
details for an urban extravaganza, to a packet of real flower
seeds with a customized label for a country wedding, clever
save-the-dates set the tone for your wedding and get your
guests excited.
HOW TO FASHIONABLY
Unique ideas that will have your guests
not just marking their calendars
but anxiously awaiting your big day
By Anna T. Hirsh
It’s fun to match your save-the-date to the season in which
it takes place, which usually makes for a memorable
contrast to the season in which it is sent. For example,
if you are having a December wedding, you can have
“Christmas in July” by sending an ornament that has
been embossed with the save-the-date info. Or, for a July
wedding, send something bright and cheerful during the
cold winter months, such as a pair of plastic sunglasses
from the dollar store that have the wedding info printed on
the lenses. Or, for a destination wedding at a warm-weather
locale, send a small, travel-size bottle of sunscreen with a
personalized label.
Craft stores and label makers make it easy to assemble all
sorts of personalized reminders, but if you’re feeling really
creative and have a little extra time, put today’s technology
to good use. If you and your sweetie are movie buffs, make
a short film about your engagement and then send out
copies of the DVD. Or, make a mixed CD of dance hits
and tell your guests that they better get ready to party. You
could even assemble a “secret mission” spy kit, using a
voice recorder to create individual tapes with the message
that the guest’s mission is to attend your wedding, and
then provide them with a secret password and tell them to
destroy the tape. The kit could also include a pen or a pair
of cheap, dark sunglasses that direct the guest to your Web
site.
But there are other clever ideas that won’t take nearly so
much time or money.
For instance, you can send a bookmark; make it yourself
with heavy paper and a silk ribbon at the top. You also can
DIY the classic save-the-date refrigerator magnetic with
three-dimensional clear, plastic bubbles behind which you
affix a picture and your text with Mod Podge, a smooth glue
that dries clear. The same method works for paperweights
or even coasters - practical items that will keep your
wedding info in plain sight.
Other fun, quirky ideas include assembling miniature
passports with a blank space that says “Your Picture Here”
for a destination wedding, sending little boxes with fortune
cookies that contain the wedding info inside along with
a line like “Come help us share in our good fortune,” and
stocking up on dollar bills and spending an hour at a photo
booth, taking pictures while holding up a save-the-date
sign.
The options really are endless, especially when you consider
the more traditional and pretty reminder route, as well, so
take a little time and think about it. In fact, although you
want to get your save-the-dates out as early as possible
to make attending easier on your guests, it’s extremely
important to hold back until you’re location is secured and
your guest list is finalized, as you may end up needing to
change your initial guest list due to budget constraints or
location limitations.
It is extremely poor etiquette not to invite someone to your
wedding after you sent them a save-the-date. Once the
save-the-dates are out, you no longer get to cut people out;
you simply have to start cutting plans.
So take a serious, focused look at that guest list and then let
your imagination run wild.
© CTW Features