Save-the-date announcements have risen in popularity due to longer engagement periods, a growing number of destination weddings and a shrinking world in which couples want to celebrate with guests from all over the globe.

Letting relatives and friends know is thoughtful. It says you care enough to give them adequate time to plan advance business trips, vacations and other excursions to coincide with this wonderful occasion. The result? More people decide to attend your wedding.

The announcement itself varies. It may be a postcard. Magnets are popular to keep on a refrigerator or cabinet door for handy reference. It often complements in print an excited verbal announcement. Plus, it lets people anticipate an invitation to the main event.

When the early arrival matches wedding invitations, a cohesive theme lets guests know the tenor of the jubilation and celebration – cozy and intimate or elegantly styled. A save-the-date also may veer off the themed path or even precede it. Selecting its form at the same time as wedding invitations ensures consistency in pattern, fonts, colors and style. Guests use them as clues to judge the event’s formality.

_________________________________________________________

Save-the-Date tells

¦ Your names

¦ Wedding time, date and location

¦ Website information to check for updates

¦ Promise of formal invitation to follow later

_________________________________________________________

As a general rule, it is wise to mail cards six months before a standard wedding close to home. If the wedding requires travel or extended overnight accommodations, it is wise to allow eight months to a year so guests have time to investigate flight and hotel information in advance.

Because everyone who receives one knows an invitation will follow, the guest list must be complete before sending save-the-date notices. Include members of the planned wedding party in the list of recipients.

Just because a person verbally commits to attending does not preclude him or her from further announcements. Treating everyone equally avoids hurt feelings and lowers the drama potential beforehand. Courteously worded intentions, especially about bringing children or perhaps a close friend, also clear the air for smoother planning later.