To save that pair of jeans that might fit again, or to not save them. 

To save your dessert for last, or not to save that warm apple pie - and eat it right away. 

We often question, 'To save or not to save?' on the daily without even knowing it.  A big question we get as wedding photographers is all about saving.  Saving the Dates that is! Save the dates are typically sent by brides and/or grooms to their family and friends to let them know, "Hey! We're saying 'I DO' and we want you to stay tuned".  By sending the Save the Dates, your guests can put in their calendar the date and location of your event to plan accordingly.  Whether that be taking off of work, possibly traveling from afar, hotel stays, child care, pet care, outfits to wear, gifts to purchase and so much more. Save the Dates can be extremely helpful to your guests and we regularly see a higher percentage of attendance to those brides/grooms that sent their Save the Dates than those who didn't. 

Save the Dates can and have been done in very creative and personal ways.  From the magnet save the dates to the save the date postcards, there are a handful of ways you can send these personalized items to your loved ones. 

Not only do we get questioned about the Save the Dates, we get questioned when to send them.

If you're planning a destination wedding: 8-12 months in advance.  If you're planning a local affair: 4-6 months in advance. Following your save the dates would be the formal invitation: 2-3 months in advance.  Be sure to talk with your caterer/venue to see when they need your final count.  Some vendors need final count up to 3 weeks prior to your wedding, while others need it 3-6 days prior.  Knowing when your final count is due is quite helpful when determining when to send out your formal invitation.  

Our last question that is asked countless times is WHERE?! Where to order them from.  It hurts inside and pulls at our heartstrings when we hear our clients ordering from Walmart, Walgreens etc.  Yikes! That's as if you went to a 5 star restaurant to go home and microwave that meal. The quality is not the same and could potentially ruin the quality of your product. Especially if you are using your professional engagement photos from your photographer.  *Insert crying emoji*

We have recently ordered from and fell in love with the products as well as customer service from Basic Invite. Their name may have 'basic' in it, but they are far from your ordinary invitation ordering website.  

FREE Customizable Wedding Website - CHECK!

UNLIMITED Color Combinations - CHECK!

CUSTOM Samples - CHECK!

OVER 900 Wedding Invitation Sets AND OVER 40 Envelope colors - CHECK and CHECK!!

FREE Address Collection Service - CHECK!

LOW Costs! - HUNDREDS of designs for LESS than 80 cents! - CHECK!

SEAL and SEND Wedding Invitations - with a tear off RSVP card ;) - CHECK CHECK CHECK CHECK!!!

Ya'll!  I cannot stress enough how important quality print products are to your big day.  The Save the Dates are the FIRST item your guests see for your wedding - they set the scene for a successful, organized, timeless, personable, beautiful and memorable wedding.  

If you're on the fence about ordering Save the Dates, go ahead and check out Basic Invite and all they have to offer.  With their custom samples, you can go ahead and see what the product looks and feels like before investing in the final production. 

To save the date or not to save - That is your question to ask yourself. 

Basic Invite Social Media Links: @basicinvite

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