You've found the ideal venue for your wedding, with the town hall and your place of worship booked, so now all you have to do is make the date of your union official with your friends and family. The official announcement is traditionally made by sending a wedding announcement. However, a new trend is emerging for announcing the date of your wedding: a Save-The-Date card. Less formal and more modern, the Save-The-Date card lets you tell your nearest and dearest the date of the ceremony so they can get organised. Afterwards, you can send a more traditional announcement to your loved ones. Here are the steps to follow for a successful wedding announcement.
Make a list of your guests
Who should I invite to my wedding? Are your parents and in-laws insisting on inviting friends you don't even know? How do you deal with your distant cousin whom you haven't seen for years, or your office colleagues whom you can't imagine sitting next to your uncle? Drawing up your guest list can be a real headache when you're preparing, and a source of conflict with your family or your partner!
To avoid offending anyone, send your wedding announcement to your business contacts and old acquaintances. This way, they can witness the exchange of your consent at the town hall or place of worship. If you are organising a vin d'honneur, you can also use this medium to inform them. On the other hand, if your budget doesn't allow you to invite everyone you know to your reception, don't panic, just send an invitation card to those invited only to the wedding meal.
Choose your wedding invitation
Forget the overly traditional image of the announcement of yesteryear! Nowadays, invitations should reflect the image of the bride and groom: original, humorous, graphic and, above all, personalised! Professionals offer creative, colourful designs in a wide range of formats. The hardest part for the bride and groom will be choosing! Your invitation announces the theme of your wedding, so don't hesitate to draw inspiration from it: colours, atmosphere - immerse your loved ones in the mood you want to give to your ceremony! Illustrate your design with a photo of your couple to give them a foretaste of the happiness you're about to share with them!
When it comes to writing, some information is still essential: your first names, contact details, details of the D-day with the addresses and times of the venues. An access map or a list of accommodation will also be useful. Finally, if you've opted for an invitation with a reply card, don't forget to include a confirmation deadline.
Allow enough time
When should I send my invitations? The production of invitations varies from one couple to another. Some want to receive a sample before placing their final order, while others make their choice quickly on a mutual crush! The production time also varies depending on the method of production: home-made, printers, online shops. Once the choice and personalisation stage has been completed, you then need to allow time for dispatch and receipt. During the production process, start listing the postal addresses of your guests.
We recommend that you send your invitation at least three months before the big day. However, if you are organising your ceremony abroad or if some of your guests are geographically distant, it is preferable to inform them as early as possible.