Proper Etiquette for Sending out Save the Date Cards

Proper Etiquette for Sending out Save the Date Cards

Sending save the date cards is one of the newest phenomena in the world of wedding planning, which may account for some of the questions couples may have. The practice of sending these cards can be quite confusing with couples asking who they should send them to, what information should be included, and when to send them. These are just a few concerns that people have with save the date cards.

Primarily, save the date cards are the first step in informing your wedding guests of the big event. Their main purpose is to allow guests to mark your wedding date on their calendar and to clear their schedules. While save the date cards are not a requirement, they are often appreciated greatly.

Do not let all the questions you have impede the plans you have for your wedding. Simply read these tips on proper save the date card etiquette and you are sure to have success in planning your wedding. You do not have to be a wedding planner to properly send save the date cards to your guests.

Are Save the Date Cards Always a Good Idea?

It is not always required to send out save the date cards for your wedding, but there are a few cases in which doing so is ideal. If many of your guests may be traveling to attend your wedding, save the date cards are an excellent idea. If your wedding takes place on or around a holiday, it is also a good idea to use them. Other situations in which sending save the date cards is recommended include if your wedding is taking place in another country or if your wedding going to occur in a major city.

Who to Send Save the Date Cards To

Plainly put, send save the date cards only to guests you plan to invite to the wedding. You should not send save the dates to anyone who that is not being invited to the wedding. This is important because your guests need to mark their calendar with the date of the wedding so they do not make any plans on that day.

When to Send Save the Date Cards

In most cases, save the date cards should be sent four to six months before your wedding. If you are planning a destination wedding, however, plan to send them out even before that, a year in advance, if you can. Giving your guests as much notice as possible can help them plan any necessary travel arrangements or vacation time off from work for your big day.

What Information to Include

Save the date cards are not wedding invitations, so you do not need to include everything you normally would within the invites themselves. The information that you need to include is limited to your names, the date of the wedding, and the city, town and state in which the wedding is going to take place. You do not have to include the venue at this time, save that information for the wedding invitation. If you have a wedding website, be sure to include it now.

It is also important to remember that save the date cards are a new idea and many guests may have not received them in the past. Because of this, it is a good idea to include something on the card that lets guests understand that this is not the invitation. An option would be, “invitation to follow” neatly printed at the bottom center of the card.

Formal or Informal

There is no strict guideline as to how formal or informal your wedding save the date cards should be. A good rule of thumb is to stick to the theme and style of your wedding. If your wedding is going to be formal, go ahead and design your save the date cards accordingly. If you are having a casual wedding, you can use fun save the date cards are just as good since it is an informal wedding. Just remember, as long as you like the style of the cards, nothing is wrong.

Save the Date Design Options

The design options for the save the date cards really have no limit. By the time save the date cards are ready to go out, many couples have already decided on the basic design and layout of their invitations. So, if you already have a theme or style in mind, go with that for continuity purposes. Many couples like to tie everything together with one theme, color scheme, and style throughout the entire planning process.

Save the date cards do not need to be “postcards” as many people assume. Couples can get very creative in letting their guests know when and where the wedding is going to be. Popular formats for save the date cards include magnets, posters, emails, calendars, and even coffee mugs.

By: Jennifer Bailey



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Popular Bridesmaid Dresses: Styles and Colors

Popular Bridesmaid Dresses: Styles And Colors
by: Lucinda Jones

You are getting married, and could not be more excited. The hardest part may be over since you have already found the man of your dreams, but that is not to say that all of the tough wedding day decisions are behind you. Second in difficulty to finding the perfect bridal gown is the selection of attire for the bridal party. Your bridesmaids mean the world to you and you want them to look and feel as beautiful as you do on your special day. To assist you as you begin your quest for the perfect dresses, below are some of the most popular colors and styles for bridesmaid dresses today.

A chief concern of many brides is finding a dress color that will look good on all their bridesmaids. Style, on the other hand, has become less of a concern in recent years as coordinating dress styles in the same color has become a trend of increasing popularity. One way to get around the color dilemma is to choose two colors for your bridal party and intersperse them among the ladies to maximize everyone’s appeal.

Hot Colors

When you think of the hottest colors of the season, let your mind imagine all of the colors that make you think of heat and fire. Persimmon, which is the fiery cross between orange and salmon, will look great on all of your bridesmaids whether they have fair skin or an amazing tan fresh from a day at the beach. This color is sure to brighten up any bridal party regardless of the style, cut, length or neckline of the gown.

Saffron is another color that is popular this season. Its bold hues are sure to make a statement on your big day. While the pastel and daisy yellows are beautiful shades, saffron has that little something extra that trendsetters crave. This shade will look amazing on all of your bridesmaids whether they have brunette, blonde, or red hair.

Daring Colors

Some of the colors that have traditionally been thought of as taboo are becoming increasingly popular with the modern bride. In fact, the only rule when it comes to dressing your wedding that should be recognized is that there are no rules. Feel free to break any and all of them, but remember that the following colors are not for the faint of heart.

The days of only the bride walking down the aisle in white are a thing of the past. Actually, sometimes the bride chooses to forego this tradition herself. If you happen to be one of the trail-blazing brides opting to wear her favorite color in lieu of the traditional white, then nothing will make your daring choice stand out more quite like you against a backdrop of bridesmaids in white in your gorgeous wedding photos.

Another color often overlooked by brides is black. This color may once have been a definite no for bridesmaids, but weddings of today are featuring this more and more often. While no one is suggesting that you walk down the aisle in a black bridal gown, consider the striking contrast between your white gown and jet black bridesmaid dresses. While the men of your wedding party are already looking handsome in their black tuxedos, your bridesmaids can coordinate perfectly with them in their gorgeous little black dresses, enabling you to be the center of attention in pure white, like an angel.

Classic Styles

As far as style goes, the “goddess” look for bridesmaids is definitely in fashion this season, as it has been for many years. This one shoulder dress with its long flowing skirt and cascade back will evoke images of Gladiators and Coliseums in the minds of all of your guests in attendance. Add a tasteful garland of small flowers to your bridesmaids’ ensembles to complete the look with grace.

Strapless is another style that never goes out of style. If your bridesmaids are able to pull off this bold neckline then consider a chiffon skirt that hits at the knees with a satin bodice and gorgeous metallic embroidery and beading. Pairing this dress with a bright an airy color such as cornflower blue, or watermelon, will ensure your bridesmaids look as fun and fancy as they feel.

If neither of those styles works just right with your bridal party, then do not forget about the v-neck short-sleeved dress in satin. Long or short, any style of skirt will look perfect with this flattering neckline. Selecting a dress with a ruched organza sash will provide all of the ladies of your bridal party with that little something extra to accentuate or create their curves.

Browse Wedding Dresses - Browse Bridesmaid Dresses

Wedding Photography - Leave it to the professionals

Photo by: Emotion Media Services

Article By: Timory Koch

Choosing a wedding photographer is not an everyday event, , nor is your wedding. Your wedding day is one of the most memorable days of your life. And photographs are the medium which beautifully witnesses these wonderful and magical moments for the lifetime. You put your best possible effort in every field , be it your valuable time or your money on the ceremonies like engagement, wedding reception etc and the wedding album is the only medium which preserves this forever. And that is why the wedding album should be unique and outstanding. So that later on in your life whenever you look at your wedding photographs ,those heart-whelming and beautiful moments of your life spontaneously get alive, adding the spark of love and romance in your life.

Moreover, when we talk about a Hawaiian wedding, it is really very interesting and full of life. There are a number of ceremonies that happen in a Hawaiian wedding and everybody who is part of it including the couple - enjoy it to the fullest. However, since we know that the wedding day is a day which remains alive in memories for a lifetime. And it also lives in the pictures captured throughout the wedding ceremony. Hence, wedding photography is equivalently as important as the wedding - as it is to keep the wedding alive forever and spark the feeling of love and romance whenever you look at the wedding photographs.

Your wedding is a onetime event. Hence special care and intuitive sensitivity is required by its every aspect. To make the wedding unforgettable, choosing a professional wedding photographer is one of the most important tasks. So, one should not scrimp on the budget while hiring a photographer. The idea is that make sure you are looking for a photographer who is capable enough to capture those precious moments with the correct feelings and sentiments related to your marriage. And as a result you will adore viewing the wedding photographs time and again and cherish these memories forever.

Following are a few suggestions about choosing a wedding photographer:

Search on the Internet:
First and the foremost thing are to research about wedding photographers in your area, and gather information from their website. In fact, start searching for a professional wedding photographer several months prior to your wedding as the best professional photographers usually do their bookings a year in advance.

Check out the portfolio :
Before finalizing a wedding photographer, it is mandatory to check a single portfolio. This would help you to get an idea about what exactly the wedding album would look like. Then ask yourself, is this what you looking for?. It is advisable to decide if the sample looks appealing and real.

Examine the features of the photographs:
Be sure to examine the color, composition, clarity and exposure of the photographs captured by the photographers. With this you will get to know about the photographer’s style of taking pictures.

Check wedding photography equipment:
It is very important to discuss the wedding photography equipments. You should be aware about the type of camera and equipment used by the photographers during the wedding.

To check for backup equipment carried by the wedding photographer:
If in case the original equipment all of a sudden stops working properly, during the wedding is going on, the wedding photographer will need a back up equipment. Hence, make sure the wedding photographer carries the back up equipment.

Therefore, it can be concluded from the above discussion that instead of worrying about your wedding photography, , just hire a professional photographer who would capture the right pictures in the right order. Moreover, you can enjoy the real essence of the day and can concentrate on each other and give up the worries of wedding photography on a professional wedding photographer who would make your wedding a lifetime unforgettable experience with everlasting beautiful series of moods and moments captured in his/her camera.

Shop Fresno Wedding Photographers !

My Fair Wedding TV Show, A MUST SEE For All Brides!

Host: David Tutera
Show: My Fair Wedding






As a wedding professional who has worked in the industry since 1991, I can honestly say that Central California is behind in wedding style. No offense to anyone who may read this, and don't get me wrong, , , I've seen a fair number of what I would refer to as "high-end" weddings, , , ,however, overall, the weddings I've seen and have worked at in Central California are quite lacking in the "style" department.

Often, when I learn about how much a couple spent on their wedding, I expect to see the most fabulous wedding ever. This expectation however, is almost always a big let down, when I finally arrive at the ceremony location, only to see little to no decorations for the ceremony, , and then the most simple, plain (even boring) decor for the reception.

Granted, the economy has not been great, however, surprisingly, wedding spending has been affected very little according to third party statistics. So, where's all the money going?, one might say! Although this is not a question that any one person can answer, , , , through the years, I've seen some (in my opinion), very petty wedding spending.

Petty wedding spending? Yes, and I'm NOT referring to money well spent on a wedding photographer, or a wedding florist, or a fabulous wedding cake. I'm referring to money, that has been spent without in depth research. By that, I'm referring to couples who may simply and quickly spend money on (for example) a local memorial building in order to save money on their overall wedding costs. My experience has taught me that in the long run this type of thinking can actually end up costing the couple as much, or more than they would have spent on a much nicer, prettier, all inclusive venue that specializes in weddings.

Imagination!!!!!
Imagination is (for me), the best way to stretch your wedding budget. Engaged couples today, may be too busy, or stressed to even imagine having an imagination. Believe me when I say this, , , , some of the most memorable, visually stunning, and gorgeous weddings I've had the pleasure of working at, have been of the couples who not only budgeted for a fabulous wedding, but also used their imaginations to make the most of every dollar spent. Use your creative abilities, or that of your friends and family to help you come up with, or even create the most fabulous visuals, and decor for you and your guests to remember forever!

Color Your Wedding Beautiful!

Choosing the right colors for your wedding ceremony and reception decor are very important early on.

My thinking is that you should choose your colors and theme before you do anything else. Not only should you make your colors decision, but you should stick to it as well. Many brides bounce from one idea to another and this accomplishes nothing but killing time.

One of my favorite color selecting ideas is to visit a fabric store and browse their fabrics. Play with the fabrics and swatches while there, and if the fabric store has crafts and silk flowers play with them as well to come up with accent or centerpiece ideas.

Popular fabrics for decor items are:

Tulle which is an afforable way to make chair sashes and bowes, or simply hide things that are unattractive.

Organza (more expensive), which can be used for ceiling drapings, back drops, table runners, or full table linens.

Taffeta (usually more expensive than organza), can be used for accents, or decorative table runners, wrapping for the bridal bouquet stems, and more.

Another great way to pick your colors is to browse stationary, or better yet wedding invitations. There are new chick styles that allow couples to show off their personality. Pick your invitations, and match everything after that to them!

CLICK HERE TO BROWSE WEDDING INVITATION IDEAS!

Good luck with your wedding planning! Charish ;-)

Jill and Kevin's Unique Wedding Entrance Dance!

This is no boring wedding ceremony entrance! I believe this may be the beginning of a new trend. Why not?!

Some New Top Wedding Dance Songs & Ideas - by: Linda Dunkelberger

"Lucky" by Jason Mraz featuring Colbie Caillet

"Viva La Vida" by Coldplay (great for during the cocktail hour or between dinner courses.)

"Good Time" by Alan Jackson (great song for right after Dinner)

"The Way I Am" by Ingrid Michaelson (great song for the cake cutting)

"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" by Beyonce (great for the bouquet toss)

"Beautiful" by Akon

"So What" by Pink (great song to play to get people out on the dance floor after a slow song)

"Just Dance" by Lady GaGa (great song to get the party started)

"Green Light" by John Legend (great song to play toward the end of the night)

"When the Night Comes" by Dan Auerbach (great as a last slow song for the night)

Wedding Ceremony Pew Decoration Ideas

Wedding Ceremony Pew Decoration Ideas

by: Jevans



Another great way to add some color and class to your church or ceremony location decorations is to have pew decorations. Now, I wanted to have pew decorations as part of my wedding decorations, because I just think it adds so much to the overall look and transformation of a church or chapel into a beautiful and elegant place to have a wedding. I chose to have pew bows for my pew decorations and go into a little more extensive detail about it in previous articles such as Do I need Church Decorations and How to Make Pew Bows. I knew there were lots of ideas for pew decorations that I could go with and any one of them would be beautiful, but I thought that pew bows with sparkle ribbon and lots of tulle would look best in our church, and would create the look that I was going for. But, if you don't like pew bows or perhaps are just looking for different ideas for pew decorations, then here are some other popular ideas to help you out.



Pew Decorations With Flowers:



One great and popular way to add some color and style to your pew decorations is to use flowers. The flowers can be real or face, or even a mixture of both to help save on costs. I remember I tried to have real flowers for all of my pew decorations, and the cost from a local florist was not within my budget. So you can consider, only having arrangements on the first few pews to help save on costs, or you can integrate fake flowers to help stretch your dollar and still give you some beautiful pew decorations. Or, you can attach a single flower to the end of each pew, simple and elegant. Another popular idea for pew decorations with flowers is to use flower balls. I'm not sure if this is what they are called, but if you've looked at any pictures on the Internet, then you know what I'm talking about. attach a ribbon to these flower balls and hang them from the ends of the pews, or even every other pew, you've got an elegant pew decoration that is sure to have your guests take notice. Find a local wedding florist.



Pew Decorations with Candles:



If you are having a themed wedding, then look for pew decorations that will go along with your theme. For example, a friend of mine had a beach wedding, and they attached tall tiki torches to each pew. They didn't light them (for safety reasons) - but the sight was enough. If you are having a western wedding theme, then you could hang cowboy hats to the end of your pews or bandannas tied around some simple white daisies are pretty as well.



There are lots of different ideas that you can use as your pew decorations. Get creative and try them out in your wedding location to make sure they'll hold or give the look that you want them to give. One thing is for sure, the right pew decorations will really help your guests get excited about the transformation of the church as well as being excited about your wedding!