In a hurry, and just want to get your destination save the dates ordered? We can work quickly to create something beautiful for you. We have a huge library of designs and artwork from our nearly 15 years in the wedding invitation industry.
If you’re interested in some of our most custom wedding save the date card designs, request a quote and you’ll hear back from us the next business day as well. We’re happy to work with you in whatever way suits your needs!
Destination Save the Dates
If you’re looking for a stationer for your destination wedding, look no further. Designing destination wedding save the dates and invitations is our specialty because we live and work in Charleston, SC, one of the biggest wedding destinations in the country. From helping guests understand travel to getting them excited about the location you’ve chosen, we are the experts in all things wedding paper!
As wedding stationers with well over 10 years of experience, we get a lot of questions about destination save the dates. We’ve answered a few of the most common ones below to help guide you in your wedding stationery journey!
Why bother with a save the date? I’m just going to send invitations.
There are very, very few circumstances where we would recommend going this route. The only time that makes sense is if you are planning on an extremely short timeline (6 months or less). Because of the compressed time, you would be sending save the dates and invitations right out on top of each other, so we can understand the reasoning there.
We often hear couples stating the opposite – I want to give my guests plenty of time to plan, so I’m just sending invitations 18 months out!” Or 12 months, or even 6 months. For most people, it’s awfully unlikely that you can send them something a year and a half in advance and expect that they will keep up with it + remember what it said + not need a refresher much closer to the actual date. That is the reason for the save the date!
Send that out with plenty of time to plan (6 to 12 months) and then send the invitation closer to the date (6 – 10 weeks) so they get the reminder they need. Also, on the flip side, it’s not a good idea on your end to be sending out all that info too far in advance – what if you need to change a time or location (it happens, a lot)? No reason to pin yourself down sooner than is necessary!
What should I put on the save the date?
Typically a save the date is the sort of “overview” of the wedding. You should include:
Why not the wedding venue? We usually save this for the wedding invitation, especially if there are two venues (church & reception). That said, it’s not wrong to include it.
Who’s getting married (first names or first & last – we very rarely do middle names on a save the date as they are usually a bit more casual)
Wedding City / Country (important to know for travel)
Date (we strongly recommend if your date is not a Saturday that you write the weekday in. Also, occasionally when you are planning a true weekend of events, we might write the dates out [i.e. May 25-27, 2022])
Wedding Website (a lot of smaller weddings omit the website, but to be honest, we think it’s pretty helpful no matter the wedding size. It’s a great place for your registry and for all the information in case they – heaven forbid – misplace something. Usually the couple’s names can be Googled so the info is found rather easily)
Hotels or Travel Info (especially in Charleston, blocks usually expire well before wedding invitations go out. It can be helpful to include those here along with any other pertinent information if you don’t have a website or worry your guests won’t get there)
Formal invitation to follow (this denotes it officially as a save the date / not an invitation yet)
Does Dodeline Design do photo save the dates?
Absolutely we do! To be perfectly honest, we’re a small team and we just don’t do the best job getting those photographed and onto our website. We work with many couples to create a custom photo save the date design, like this really cool one pictured above…and we also have clients who would like to go a more standard route and play with the layout and fonts on their own. We offer that option here.
How much time do we need for design?
That depends a lot on what you’re planning to do and also personalities / personal schedules. We find a lot of our clients are in med school or law school and just don’t have much extra bandwidth, so allowing for more time for the design process is smart. In general, the design process for save the dates can be anywhere from 1 week to a month or so. Once the design is complete, remember that there is also production time to account for, which can be two to four weeks as well depending on the time of year.
Who does the addressing?
We are happy to take care of this part for our custom clients! You will submit the addresses (pay attention to our format guide here) once you have approved your save the dates for production. Keep in mind that getting the guest list together is the absolute hardest part about the save the dates!
FAQs
What information is essential to include on a destination save the date?
For a destination save the date, include the couple’s names, the wedding city or country, the date (with the day of the week if it’s not a Saturday), your wedding website for more details, and hotel or travel information. This provides guests with the key details they need to start planning their trip. Remember to note that a formal invitation will follow.
Can Dodeline Design create photo-based save the dates?
Yes, we absolutely create custom photo save the dates. While we might not showcase all our work on our website, we have a vast experience in crafting unique photo save the dates tailored to each couple’s preferences. Whether you’re looking for something highly customized or prefer a more standard layout, we can accommodate your needs.
How long does the design process for save the dates take?
The timeline can vary from 1 week to a month, depending on the complexity of the design and your personal schedule. It’s important to factor in additional time for production, which can take another 2 to 4 weeks. Planning ahead is crucial, especially if you or your partner have demanding schedules.
Who handles the addressing of save the dates?
Addressing for save-the-dates is available to all our clients as an additional service. You’ll need to provide us with your guest list in the specified format. Gathering and formatting your guest list is often one of the more challenging steps, so it’s good to start this early.
How customizable are the save the dates for custom clients?
As a custom client, you’ll enjoy complete flexibility to alter text, design elements, or even create something entirely new and unique for your wedding. This includes custom illustrations, venue depictions, and more. You’ll also gain access to our wedding day paper services, adding a cohesive touch to your event.
How early should we send out our destination save the dates?
For a destination wedding, we recommend sending out save the dates 6 to 12 months in advance. This timeframe gives your guests plenty of time to make travel arrangements and ensure they can attend your special day.
What’s the difference in cost between readymade and custom save the dates?
Currently, we focus exclusively on custom save-the-dates, tailored to each couple’s unique style and wedding theme. This personalized approach allows for complete customization, offering a distinctive touch to your wedding preparations. While we are not offering readymade options at this time, our custom designs cater to a range of budgets and preferences.
What is the best way to get our save the dates started?
Reach out to us! We always think a phone call or a chat is the ideal place to begin. That way we can share more about our process and we can both figure out if it’s a good fit. Use the form below to get in touch…