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Save the date cards vs sending out the invites

With the dress and the venue both found, it dawned on Chris and I this week we should probably think about actually inviting people to the wedding. Announcing the date on Facebook doesn't count.

Priding ourselves on our organisation, we wanted to send out 'Save the date' cards to everyone ahead of the actual invites, which would follow with accommodation details, maps, and all that kind of thing.

So that was my next project, and I searched high and low for cards that were 'us' - not too formal but which didn't look like something a five-year-old had knocked up. Nothing jumped out so I got Lisa on the case as well. Still no luck.

Last night Chris and I sat down after work and searched online together. Bearing in mind most people want these type of cards in bulk, there really aren't many options on the market. It seems that magnets are the way forward, which was an idea I was warming to, but one that Chris immediately ruled out.

We came across a website which offered a create-your-own postcards service so we spent about an hour having a go at that. Actually an hour might be generous; we uploaded a photo and wrote maybe ten words of text.

Having previewed the finished product a few times and repeatedly jiggled the wording up and down, we hit the checkout button. You see while we liked it, we obviously didn't love it, a fact that became evident when it came to paying... we didn't want to. Closing the tab we agreed to sleep on it and finish tomorrow.

With the morning, also came our senses. Well his at least. As Chris headed out the door this morning, he said: "You know, I was thinking. Maybe we should just do invitations. We can still send them out soon and then forward on further details nearer the time."

And that I think is what we are going to do. It will save us a good £80 - not including postage - and I am excited to get going with the invites, despite the fact most of my friends say its one of the worst parts of organising a wedding. So now we have some brand new stationary decisions to make. Chris is thrilled!

July 22, 2009 3:21 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

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hi

I just wanted to say that i really enjoyed reading your blog, i like how honest and personal it is. im very much like you in that ive always dreamt about my big day i even have a wedding book with all my plans despite not being engaged!! ive been with my boyfriend for six and a half years and we talk about marriage all the time. So i particularly enjoyed reading your story, a thumbs up to your finacee as your proposal was nice and romantic.

I wish i had read your blog a while back as i have taken my passion for weddings to the next level in becoming a wedding planner. Ive just incorporated my own company and planned my first wedding. all this is on hold for now as im sitting my law bar finals (huge departure i know!) but after that its full steam ahead. If there is anything u need tips ideas etc feel free to email me. But most of all i wish you all the best with your upcoming nuptuals

Kind Regards,

Timi

By Timi on July 23, 2009 5:49 PM

save the 80.00 and just send out wedding invites- they are more personal- and people will respond! why pay someone else to do what you were going to do anyway ?
x

By Anonymous on August 3, 2009 7:05 PM

I think it is good that you tried to do it yourself. However, it looks like that after going through the process of designing the save the date yourself; you found out that there is some value on have a predesigned save the date.

Some examples of some nice designs are everywhere on the web. A site that has nice save the date magnets is save-date-magnets.com.

By Marco on August 18, 2009 2:32 AM

We had our photograph used as a design for our wedding invitations which were "magnetic" cost less than most of the normal wedding invitation prices we looked at.
All our guests were thrilled with them and It's our wedding so having the invitations so personalised is fantastic.
Get personal go magnetic invitations we used i4image couk

By Duncan on August 22, 2009 1:55 AM

Magnets are really popular now instead of sending Save the Date cards and there are some great companies out there that can create them for little cost.

If you have booked a wedding with less than 4 months to plan it, Save the Date cards are a really good idea, as your guests may already be thinking of planning a holiday or attending another event on that day. To cut costs you could send the cards to only those people that "must be there".

I know I would have been disappointed if some of my closest guests could't make it.

By Pam Wallin on January 21, 2010 5:12 PM

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All comments/opinions expressed below are those of readers, not of hellomagazine.com

Name: Gemma Hollingsworth
Age: 25
Job: hellomagazine.com staff writer
Relationship status: Engaged... finally! And soon to be Mrs Christopher Strong
Time taken to be proposed to: Nine years! Although sometimes it feels longer.
Wedding experience: None, although I went to three last year...
How it all began... In 2000 I was a pupil at the Duke Of York's Royal Military School and Chris was a sixth former, two years above than me. He's the only boy I've ever asked out, and I'm embarrassed to say I did it by text message! An experience I'm thankful I'll never have to repeat! Our first real milestone was four months into the relationship when I introduced the new love of my life to my dad and step mum. It went well, though it did take about 18 months for us to repeat the experience with his parents! Having lost my mum when I was 13, it was incredibly important to me that Chris knew my dad; and bless him he really put up with a lot for the cause. A major in the Royal Artillery, my father was very traditional and had set views on pretty much everything. I adored him; but, bringing home a boy who's had more changes to his hair cut and colour than David Beckham and a grungy Nirvana-esque fashion sense was always going to be a tricky sell. In the end their relationship was characterised by Sunday afternoons spent watching Formula One or football on TV over a beer, or three, accompanied by the sort of light-hearted banter that still allowed my dad to make his feelings known. More than anything I wish my dad was still alive to walk me down the aisle next summer. But he officially gave his blessing to Chris at around the seven year mark - something pretty amazing in itself!