You’ve picked a date and your wedding binder is overflowing with the ideas you are getting ready to plan. Before you start hitting your inner party planner too hard, the first thing you want to handle is your save the date cards. This affords friends and family, both near and (especially) far, the knowledge that they are on your official guest list and should start to make plans to come to your Lansdale wedding venue for your special day.

Here are a few things that you should consider when getting ready to design, print, and send out your save the date cards.

There Is a Best Time

The timeline for planning and the location of your wedding should be taken into account when determining when save the date cards should be sent to those on your guest list. For local weddings, cards should be ordered six to 12 months before your wedding date and sent out four to six months ahead of the big day. When planning a destination wedding, save the dates need to be sent out six to 12 months in advance to allow appropriate travel plans and possible passport updates. (Pro tip: Bear in mind large seasonal events that may impact save the date cards – or invitations – from getting where they need to go, such as the Thanksgiving and holiday season.)

There Are Things That Need to Included

While super specifics can be left for the actual invitation, you need to give your guests a general sense of where and when your wedding will be. Your save the date card should include essential information, such as the date or the weekend of the wedding, the city of the event, and your names, whether formal or just first names. Other things you can include, but are not required, are notification that a formal invitation will follow, you wedding website, and hotel information that is within a short distance of your wedding venue.

There Are Specific People It Should Go To

While that may seem obvious, your save the date cards need to go to everyone on your guest list, which includes members of the wedding party and immediate family members. Use appropriate etiquette when addressing the envelopes to keep the labels as organized as possible.

There Are Endless Designs That You Can Choose From

For the save the date card design, your choices are limitless. You can choose to go with a picture from your engagement photo shoot or have a caricature image created. You can give it floral accents, decorate it with pictures of your Lansdale wedding venue, or make it hint at what your wedding theme is going to be. Other style options from various printers will also allow you to choose from select sizes, paper weight, and even magnet options that allow for immediate fridge hanging. Whatever works for you and your perfect match!