Save the Date--Save Some Headaches!
At Doug Forner Photography, we work with a lot of brides who want or need to do "Save the Date" mailings". And we love dreaming up great custom designs! Maybe you've already thought about a Save the Date notice and whether it would fit into your wedding budget. Maybe you're not really sure what the benefits are. Here are some thoughts about why a Save the Date notice might be a good idea for both your guests and YOU! A Save the Date mailing can also make things easier for you! Invitees who know they won't
be able to attend are likely to let you know soon after receiving the notice, which will be a big help with your head count while you're in the early planning stages. It might also prompt guests who have questions or feedback to contact you early, rather than waiting 'til those last few weeks when you're really feeling the crunch. That's especially true if your Save the Dates provide information about travel arrangements and hotel accomodations, saving you from having to notify everyone about those matters closer to your big day. Getting the Save the Date notice to your invitees is the next major
consideration. US mail is still the preferred method of delivery, etiquette-wise, and there is almost an endless array of styles to choose from, including postcards, which will save the budget-conscious bride about one-third on postage. If you're thinking email might be the way to go, don't forget your
guests who aren't Internet-active. Be sure to have enough cards
printed up to mail to them, or plan to call or write a personal
note. If your guest list is short, personal phone calls to everyone wouldn't be out of the question, but you'd be well-advised not to rely on answering machines or voice mail. This is the kind of news you want to make sure friends and family receive. 
If you decide to proceed with mailed Save the Date cards, you can be as traditional or non-traditional as you like. Some brides select a style to coordinate with their wedding theme, as this couple did in the example at right. Others choose a style that captures a certain "feel" for their wedding, whether it's an air of elegance or a sense of fun (above left). Some brides opt for to make their own Save the Date cards by hand, thanks to the growing trend toward more personalized weddings.
As you might expect, most of Doug Forner Photography brides choose styles that showcase their engagement portrait, or several of their favorite poses (left). It's a great way to share your engagement portrait with all of your family and friends. Couples find
many pre-designed Save the Date styles to select from, or we can dream
up a custom design for the ultimate personalized Save the Date
statement. 
Some couples arrive for their engagement portrait session with a Save the Date mailing already in mind. One bride and groom-to-be I photographed brought large sheets of paper with the words printed on them, and they ended up choosing a photo booth-style card that had information about their wedding date and location printed on the back. Other couples choose a single image and a simple the Save the Date overlay (below).
There are also many Save the Date card designs available which include the pertinent information but no portrait.
For brides who have decided to email their Save the Date notices, we can adapt any of our
print card designs to be delivered electronically, a real time saver for busy couples. As an added convenience, the desired number of matching printed cards can be ordered for guests who don't have email addresses. Today's engaged couples also have other interesting Save the Date options, such as newsletters -- which not only alert guests to a date but can also deliver other helpful information such as the location of the wedding, the plans that have been made so far, how the couple met, and so on -- and booklets (containing the same type of information as a newsletter) as well as web pages. In the case of the latter, again, you don't want to forget friends and family who are not Internet-active.
Seems like there are many advantages to sending out a Save the Date notice, not just for your guests but for yourself. And with the wide variety of options available, it doesn't have to be a time consuming or expensive process. NEXT BLOG: A professional photographer is a MUST if you want to keep the wedding photography session managable and get to your reception in a timely manner. Some wedding photographers work hard to persuade couples to have all of these portraits done before the ceremony. It's definately a break from tradition and I'll share my thoughts on the trend. For more great wedding images and Doug Forner Photography's first-ever HALF PRICE deal, check out http://www.dougforner.com
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