Save the Date Announcements

What better way to start off our "Budget Wedding Tips" than with the Save the Date announcement cards!  Here are our picks for $ave, Splurge and Skip:  

Our choice to $ave:  Vistaprint.com

 



Photo previews from Vistaprint.com

  This site has it all!  Save the Dates, Invitations, Thank You Cards, even T-Shirts and Magnets.  There are lots of template choices in very pretty and modern designs and more than likely you can get all of your items in a matching pattern.  Everything is customizable and super easy to do.  They have several "Free" offers,  shipping is quick, reasonably priced and you can track your order until it arrives.  Save the Dates from about .80 each with envelopes, and the more you buy the less you pay.  Vistaprint = Your best bet to $ave!  

Want them for free?  Another option is a Save the Date Email, create your own or templates are available online.  Definitely a more contemporary way to do things, but just about everyone has an email address, even Grandma!  Make it fun and creative by emailing a photo or video of you and your fiance in the video Ecards available from The Knot

Have you got a little more to spend?  Save the Date magnets are quickly becoming popular, especially when you can add a photo of the two of you to make it even more memorable.  Why not Splurge on some of these pretty designs available from Wedding Paper Divas:

Previews from WeddingPaperDivas.com

Wedding Paper Divas has many design options and the magnets start at about 3.79 each. 

What to skip... 

 Anything you find on a "Free Printable Designs" website.  This is probably a no brainer, but I thought I'd bring it up anyway.  On these sites your options will be limited, designs are usually a little cheesy,  and you will still end up spending on paper, ink and envelopes what you could've spent on a nicer version done professionally.  Now, if you have the software and design skills to DIY your Save the Dates and make them look great, I say go for it! 

A few extra tips for you:

Choose postcards and you will save on postage stamps because they cost less to mail.
Be creative, since its not the formal invite you can make them as fun or as fancy as you'd like.
Do not include gift registry info on the Save the Date, it's not considered polite.  
Try to include the city/area you will be holding the wedding so out of town guests can start making arrangements as soon as possible.
Include your wedding website info so they can stay up to date until your big day
Make sure you truly want to invite a person before you send the announcement, once you mail it you can't un-invite them when your guest list grows too large!

Thanks for reading!
~Becky