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Congratulations, you’re engaged! Now it’s time to tell the world in a way that’s a little more formal than the social media posts and text-based shoutouts you’ve probably already sent.
Once you decide to get married, the decision-making process begins. First on that list: choosing a date and sharing it with the people you want by your side on your special day.
Save the Dates are a fantastic way to get potential guests in the loop, but Save the Date Magnets can be especially beneficial. Here’s everything you need to know about this all-important piece of wedding stationery and why there’s more to this humble magnet than meets the eye.
1. They're one version of a wedding planning must-have
Save the Dates are notices you send to potential wedding guests to let them know you’re engaged and that you’ve picked a specific day to be THE day. It’s basically a heads up to friends, family, and other assorted would-be guests to block off their calendars in anticipation of the actual Wedding Invitation.
Since Wedding Invitations aren’t typically mailed until a few months before the big day, it’s easy to come up against conflicts. People often book vacations months or even a year out. There are also holiday events, personal and professional obligations, and schoolwork that’s difficult to get out of unless there’s ample notice. Your Save the Date Magnets are that notice.
Browse our Save the Date Magnets and you’ll see that the majority of the designs include the same core pieces of essential information:
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Your names
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A short announcement like “We’re Getting Married!” or “She Said Yes!”
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The date of your wedding, including month, day, and year
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The approximate location — maybe you and your fiancé grew up in a different state than the one where the wedding’s being held, or maybe you met while you were away at college halfway across the country! Even if you haven’t picked a venue yet, be sure to include the city and state where you’re getting married to clear up any confusion or assumptions about where you’ll be wed.
Our official wedding planning checklist recommends exploring Save the Date designs about a year before your proposed wedding date. You’ll order your Save the Dates soon after and mail them approximately 10-11 months before your wedding.
Of course, that timeline changes if you’re planning on a very short engagement or if you’re having a destination wedding. For destination weddings, the amount of planning involved calls for as much lead time as possible, so send out your Save the Dates as close to 12-14 months before the big day as you can.
As for why Save the Dates are so beneficial, we have more than a few ideas.
2. They give guests a much-needed heads up
As mentioned above, Save the Dates put your guests on notice that you’re getting married and that they’ll eventually receive an invitation. Getting word out early ensures everyone you care about has time to make plans.
Some people can fly at a moment’s notice. Others have to arrange a house sitter or dog walker, request time off from work, rearrange their vacation time, take school exams early to avoid double-booking, and so on. Save the Dates give you and your guests the benefit of time. Instead of springing a Wedding Invitation on them, they know one is on the way and can start exploring flights and hotel rooms or get their visas for international travel while you’re still working out the details necessary to flush out a full invitation.
3. They keep your wedding info front and center
Save the Date Magnets come with a handy magnetic backing that ensures the reminder will stick to everything from guests’ home refrigerators to lockers at work.
That means that every time future guests go to make a sandwich, grab a drink, or clock in for a shift, they’ll see your wedding details and be reminded that there are plans to be made. It’s like you’re there tapping them on the shoulder several times a day.
Plus, the magnet stays put until someone consciously chooses to move it. Major bonus!
4. It’s a functional keepsake
There are so many beautiful Save the Date Magnet designs available, it’s easy to choose one that would look lovely in someone’s kitchen long after you’ve already said your vows. Many templates look like photo collages, with multiple spaces to share photos of you and your beloved.
It’s like giving guests a new photo of their favorite couple (that’s you guys, of course!) and they don’t even have to find shelf space to accommodate it. Paper Save the Dates are wonderful in their own way, but to be preserved, they must be framed or tucked into a photo album or scrapbook.
Magnets are sturdy and designed to last on the freezer door for as long as guests like. For some guests, like a distant aunt and uncle or your college professor, this may be the first time they’ve seen your future spouse. It could very well be their only picture of the two of you — at least until wedding photos come in and you’re ready to share. Designing and mailing a functional memento isn’t only smart — it’s thoughtful.
5. They’re harder to misplace
Let’s face it — most people aren’t super organized with their mail. You bring in your USPS bounty, perhaps do a quick sift to see if there’s anything urgent to take care of, and the stack gets tossed on the table or your desk until you have time to go through it properly.
Too often, that means a paper Save the Date can get stuck in with the grocery store ads or tucked into a drawer and never seen again. Not so with Save the Date Magnets.
Most guests are so tickled to get a custom-made magnet in the mail that they’ll stick it on something metal immediately. That’s probably going to be a kitchen appliance, though your Save the Date magnet would look just as lovely on a magnetized whiteboard, desk lamp, or even parts of a car interior. Instead of being misplaced, your magnets stay front and center, right where they belong.
6. You can use them to hint at your theme
Think of a theme. Any theme. No really, just dream up any theme you’d like for your wedding stationery. Guess what? There’s a Save the Date design that fits.
Shop by existing themes, and you’ll find everything from Beach and Floral designs to Watercolor and Art Deco. Or shop by collection and browse through a wide range of categories, including Classic, Destination, Modern, Rustic, Simple, Traditional, and Unique.
Choose an elegant Save the Date Magnet that points guests toward a black-tie event fit for royalty. Go for a beachy theme to get guests excited about a destination wedding. Or go full floral in advance of the outdoor summer reception you’ve always wanted.
Remember, though, that your Save the Dates don’t have to match your Wedding Invitations. It’s perfectly fine to choose a Save the Date motif that’s fun and casual even if your wedding and coordinating invite will be upscale and romantic. It’s fine to send out a traditional Save the Date and later decide on a beach wedding. Just go with whatever design resonates with you most and everything else will fall into place.
7. They’re full of personality
Because Save the Date Magnets are considered a less formal alternative to traditional paper Save the Dates, they often incorporate more creative design elements. For couples who love to think outside the box, a magnet could be exactly what’s needed to convey an extra dose of whimsy or suggest to guests that your upcoming wedding will be anything but a stuffy, regimented affair.
Depending on the template you choose, your Save the Date Magnet could include photos, quirky fonts, cartoons, geometric designs, Art Deco flourishes, countless variations of a calendar or date stamp, color blocking, and/or eye-catching frames. Even the photos themselves can be as formal or casual as you want.
Use pictures taken during a professional engagement photo session or opt for candid photos and selfies amassed over years of adventures together. Include a photo of your pets, your kids, or your favorite spot discovered on a recent vacation. What’s most important is that your Save the Date reflects your personalities and joint exploits. The right Save the Date design gives you the freedom to express yourselves and share a glimpse of your life with the people who love you and cheer you on when you promise your futures to each other in just a few short months.
None of the templates seem quite right? You can upload your own design, something you’ve made from scratch or had commissioned. Then you have a magnet that’s completely unique to you and still professionally printed for a final look and feel that can’t be beat.
Save the Date Magnets are a wonderful option for both formal and informal weddings, delivering a multitude of benefits that extend far beyond letting guests know that you’re tying the knot. From serving as an aesthetically pleasing introduction to your other half to staying visible 24/7, Save the Date Magnets are one piece of the wedding pie always worth the investment.