Well hello there! It’s been a while, but in that time, everything seems to have changed! How are you? Sincerely, how are you coping? It’s been a total roller coaster for everyone, hasn’t it? Not least some of our wonderful clients, who have had to make the difficult decision to postpone their weddings.
It’s a tough one, but as we keep hearing and seeing and witnessing everyday, you can’t postpone love. Or friendship. Or kindness. Or courage. Keep going lovely readers, we’ll get there!
Today we’re talking save the dates, or change the dates as we’ve seen over the past couple of months. We’ve talked about it before but what with all the confusion and ever changing timescales, we have been receiving more and more questions about when the right time is to send stationery!
Your save the dates are the first sight your guests will have of your big day and the perfect way to get everyone excited about your upcoming nuptials. Now more than ever, we’re sure your guests will be beyond excited about the prospect of getting together, eating together (wow) What a celebration these weddings will be! Some may not feel the need to order save the dates, skipping straight to the invitation stage, however if you are planning to get married in the busy summer months, when guests may be rebooking holidays or juggling childcare, or are thinking of heading to warmer climes to tie the knot (we can’t wait until we’re allowed to hop on a plane to seek out the sunshine), then we would certainly suggest sending out save the dates, to inform guests of your date and plans.
We recommend contemplating the kind of aesthetic you are aiming for on your big day and seek out companies whose design ethos aligns with your ideas. There are so many styles available, each as individual as the couple who creates them, so a head start on who and what you are looking for will prove infinitely useful later on in the process.
Consider that this is the first glimpse of your day that your guests will see, and so try and make sure it reflects the feel you are aiming to achieve and the style that you are hoping to emulate for your wedding.
We know a lot of our clients are still finalising the details at this point, so don’t panic if you’re undecided on your overall colour palette, keep it simple and stunning with a touch of personality. Many of our recent clients have taken this opportunity to test out textures and tones, creating save the dates on stunning vellum paper, or adding delicious details such as gilded edges (our absolute fave!) for an uber luxe finish.
We would suggest to our clients that the 12 months to go mark is the perfect time to send save the dates. It may feel like organisational overkill, however people’s lives are busier than they ever have been and a year to plan what could be a substantial cost and time commitment around existing arrangements is becoming a bare necessity and a much appreciated consideration.
Being this prepared may also help you in the long run, to establish how many of your guests will be able to be present to celebrate with you. Although adding an RSVP to save the dates isn’t a common occurrence, a heads up from those who may have other plans in place will make planning for your day a whole lot simpler! Don’t panic though, if your plans have changed and the year mark has inadvertently passed you by. Although 12 months is a guideline, many clients still send out save the dates up to 6 months before the day, to allow guests to be organised (and excited!) about attending.
So there you have it, lovely readers, a little insight into the early stages of wedding stationery! We really hope this piece has been helpful; with so many elements to think about, we know it can feel stressful, so take advantage of hints and tips as you go, and if you’d like to, give us a shout! We’ve also been helping both clients and lovely new faces to design, free of charge, ways to let their guests know of changes to their plans.
We know this is an unprecedented time, and just want to be there, any way we can, to lend a hand. So do send us an email, or a message if you need anything; if there’s any way we can help make this turbulent time a little easier. Let’s all have a cuppa once this is done, okay? Stay safe and stay strong.
Jack, Lorna & the (remote) E.Y.I.LOVE team xxx
