September’s creative post is designed to help inspire you to create your own wedding stationery – or at least,  your own stylish homemade ‘save the date’ cards.  ‘Save the date’ cards seem to be relatively unknown in the UK, but they are popular in the US.

For anyone who’s not sure what a ‘save the date’ card is, you send them out to your guests with the date of your wedding and your names, and perhaps the location of where your wedding will be.

The great thing about ‘save the date’ cards is that you can send them out before you have confirmed all the details of your wedding, such as time and venue, which are needed for invitations.  Friends of ours who recently got married sent their ‘save the dates’ out in the form of a magnet, which we stuck on our fridge.

The below images were created using home photographs, and edited on a free online website called Picnik.  This website is easy-to-use and allows you to create high quality images with different effects, borders, and text.  I see ‘save the date’ cards as an opportunity to be quite fun and lighthearted, or you could tie them in with your wedding stationery if you know what it will look like.

Some design ideas and tips

The photograph of the donkeys was taken on holiday in Menorca, and I thought would make a great ‘save the date’ as the donkeys look like they are kissing.  I added a sepia affect to create the two-tone colour so that they text would stand out against it, and used a tool on Picnik to soften the edges of the photo but keep the donkeys in focus.  I used all the same font for the text, and used the ‘stickers’ option on Picnik to create the heart by the couples initials.

This design uses a photograph of yourself and your fiancee, which a lot of ‘save the dates’ feature.  You could get a friend to take some snaps of you, or just use a fun picture you’ve taken yourself.

This design was created by my little sister, the talent behind Izzy Burton Photography.  She took a red rose petal and carefully cut it into a natural looking heart.  I love how the date on this design stands out so bold – your guests wouldn’t forget the date!

And finally, another design from my little sister.  This design also features the rose petal heart, but against a backdrop of pebbles.  I think this is a great idea because it allows you to place your text in the different stones, which creates a fun look.

Getting them printed

My favourite idea for ‘save the date’ cards is to get them printed as postcards.  You could even write a personal message on the back, if you wished, and forgo an envelope which saves on paper.  A number of websites allow you to upload your photos and get them printed in various formats, such as postcards, but I don’t imagine a lot of them use recycled or tree-friendly paper.

One of our listed businesses in the directory, A Local Printer, offer eco friendly printing.  They have an option for 100% recycled postcards and use inks that are vegetable oil based.

You could also get your homemade design printed as a business card and stick magnets to the back – a great way for people to keep your ‘save the date’.  Why not send a virtual ‘save the date’ – simply email your friends and family with your design attached to the email.  If you are having a personalised wedding website – My Web Wedding can produce them for you – why not have your design uploaded as your homepage while the website is being put together.  Simply let your friends and family know your wedding website address and they can get the details there.

For more creative projects and ideas check out the rest of our blog.  Or visit our online eco-friendly wedding directory for fantastic businesses and products to help you plan your natural wedding.