It used to be that wedding invitations, though lovely, came in very few varieties.  The main choices that the bride and groom were presented with were the weight of the stock, whether they wanted white or cream colored paper, what style of the four or five options of script they wanted, and whether they wanted gold or silver embossing.  Those days are long gone! 

There are a myriad of choices available now in commercial invitations and programs, from theme styles to creative folds to gorgeous graphic design.  Still, if none of these appeal to you and you are aiming for a truly one of a kind experience, or if you simply are opting for the do-it-yourself route due to budget constraints, making your own invitations and programs can be a fun, personal, and affordable option.

One way that you can personalize your invitations and programs is with original art or photography.  If you or your significant other is artistically inclined, that is fantastic – it makes the programs and invitations TRULY your own.  However, if that is not the case, all is not lost!  Ask friends and family members if they know of anyone who is an amateur artist or photographer, or you can even purchase graphic files from a stock photo site.  If you go that route, it won’t be entirely unique, as the art will not have been created by you and yours - but it will have been chosen by you, and incorporated into the design of the invitation by you.

Additionally, even if you have not previously taken artistic photos, you might want to give it a try.  When objects are photographed at interesting angles, close up, and in black and white, it’s amazing how special even ordinary, everyday items like candles, flowers, and seashells can seem.

If you have a small enough guest list that manually assembling invitations and programs is feasible, then craft stores like Michael’s can be a wonderland for sparking creativity.  They generally have an entire section with ribbons and papers and stickers devoted entirely to weddings, but here’s the secret – DON’T STICK TO THAT SECTION!  Venture outside into the rest of the store and create a mindset of seeing things outside of their usual box. Stationery stores and some party stores, have books of wedding invitation samples you can look through for design inspiration, and for some ideas on wording that may appeal to you.

Fabric also makes a pretty addition, and adds lots of texture and color to your creations.  The great thing about fabric is that even very expensive fabrics like silk are affordable because you will only be using a small amount on each invitation or program.  You can use fabric that matches the colors of your wedding theme, and you might even use swatches from the material that your bridesmaids’ gowns are made of.  Joann’s Fabric and Craft Store offers a wide variety of fabric and usually has great sales.

So, if you’ve found yourself scrolling through page after page of invitations online with no reaction aside from the occasional frustrated sigh, all is not lost! With creativity and an open mind, your invitations and programs can be custom-made creations that perfectly complement your custom-made wedding!

Save the Date cards are a relatively new innovation in the wedding-planning sequence.  They are a kind of pre-invitation invitation, which just lets people know that they should, as the name implies, save the date!  They are generally mailed out approximately six months in advance of the wedding, and sometimes are only mailed to out of town guests that are going to need to make travel arrangements to attend the wedding.  They are not entirely necessary – but they can be a lot of fun!

Remember, you do not need to include any details except the date in this message – things like location, time, directions, etc. will all come in the official invitation.

Because they are a fairly new innovation, save the dates take all kinds of forms and methods, and there is no real tradition surrounding them.  Here are a few ideas about what people are doing, though, so that you can get some ideas of your own.

MAGNETS – This is the most common kind of save the date, and it is a particularly useful idea, because people can put it right up on their refrigerator where it will be sure to be seen and remembered.  Another fun aspect of this idea is that sheets of magnet paper can be purchased at office supply stores, so you can create the save the dates yourself on your computer to match your theme, and simply print them out and cut them to size!

CARDS – These cards can be as simple as blank cards that have the save the date message handwritten on the inside, or they can be as elaborate as custom-printed postcards with a picture of the couple along with the save the date information adorning the front!

SAVE THE DATES FOR DESTINATION WEDDINGS – You can get particularly creative with these.  Some ideas are cards made to look like boarding passes or passports, or even sending things like a pair of sunglasses or a bottle of sunscreen with the save the date attached as a note.

A PUZZLE – Having your save the date information printed on puzzle pieces is a very cute idea, but make sure the information is on the cover of the box just like a completed picture is on the cover of a real puzzle, because many people will not take the time to put the puzzle together!

CALENDAR – This is an idea that is adorable as well as useful for the recipient.  Have personal-size calendars printed up which have your save the date information on the cover, as well as noted inside on the actual date on the calendar.

LUGGAGE TAGS – If most of your guests are going to need to be traveling, this can be a fun theme for your save the date cards.  You can include three luggage tags – one with the save the date information and two pre-printed with the guests’ names and addresses.

Save the dates are a fun and useful addition to your wedding planning that gives you an opportunity to be creative and lets your guests know well in advance of travel plans they need to make.