Save the date

We designed postcards on vistaprint then bought self adhesive magnets from ebay to put on them, Send them out July/August this year for June 2013 wedding.

We designed magnets on vistaprint and only had to pay for 1 lot of 10 large magnets and delivery with an offer that came through by email.

We'll be sending ours out in May 2013 for a May 2014 wedding.

First of all, don't feel like you have to do them. I've been to 36 weddings and I've only ever received one Save the Date. If it's a popular date like a bank holiday, or a week day, then they're a good idea, but they're certainly not essential.

I wouldn't send them out until a year before the wedding because people won't have 2014 diaries/calendars yet so won't be able to mark it anywhere and it'll probably end up in a drawer somewhere.

We'll be taking a photo of us holding a chalkboard with the date and sending it around in physical form, mms message and email. Hopefully it won't be too cheesy and save us some money (only a few physical copies will be needed).

I just made a Facebook group but I started planning less than 6 months before the date so we wanted something instant as invites had to be sent quite soon after. I think if you're getting married in summer it is important to let people know early because some people book their summer holidays a year in advance. But I echo that most people will probably lose the date as there's nowhere to mark it (unless it's a magnet on the fridge!) So you might need to remind people again at the start of the year.

I'm sending ours out this weekend ?

Heres a mockup...

We will be sending ours out a year beforehand. Mainly because we are getting married on a friday which is the last day of half term so some eager beaver may book holidays!

We are sending ours this christmas with the christmas cards (to save on postage!) and then the invites next christmas again with the cards. Ours is June but on a Sunday so people will need to take the Monday off work (well they wont have to but imagine most will)