You've got the spot; you've chosen the date; now you want to send out announcements. Do people usually do this sort of thing, and if so, how? When? And why do people need to know so far in advance? They'll find out when the wedding invitations come, right? Well, when you're asking people to travel a long distance to spend a week with you before your wedding, it's a good idea to give them as much notice as possible.

Save-the-Date Cards

In this day and age, what most often serves as the formal announcement is the save-the-date card, which is sent out at least six months prior to a destination wedding. It gives all the pertinent details, including the names of the bride and groom, the date of the wedding (the exact hour is not specified), and the city where the wedding will take place. Basically, the save-the-date card serves as a memo: This big date is coming up; please mark your calendar and plan on joining us. There's no correct or incorrect way to word the save-the-date card, but it's usually informal:

When a couple sends a save-the-date card for an in-town wedding, they can reasonably wrap it up with a line that reads, “Invitation and travel information to follow.” You can't really hold back that kind of information for a destination wedding, though, because your guests need to know how much this trip is going to cost and whether they can take vacation time for your weeklong wedding extravaganza. It's also a good idea to include information about and directions to the rehearsal dinner. Your guests may have no trouble finding your wedding resort in Miami, for example, but may have a terrible time finding a restaurant downtown if they aren't familiar with the area.

What this all means is that before you send these cards, you have to have your wedding arrangements finalized. You not only have to let people know where the wedding will be, and when; you also need to tell them where hotel rooms have been reserved, and which airlines fly into the area. Make things as easy as possible for your guests, and they'll show up in droves.

Make Sure It's Final!

The save-the-date card isn't meant to say, “We'll see if these plans work out and we'll get back to you — if not Mexico, then maybe Miami!” This is a big no-no! Once people get these cards announcing the date, they'll start freeing up their time and money for your wedding. If you cancel for any reason other than a broken engagement, you're going to get some very nasty phone calls from people who've lost deposits and taken time off from work when they otherwise wouldn't have.

Naturally, you won't be able to control every little detail of your wedding, and some plans may change or fall through. Even so, careful planning before you send your announcements will help prevent problems as the big day approaches. Be considerate of your guests, and they'll be happy to come along on your wedding trip.

Save Some Money

Must you order save-the-date cards from a stationery shop? No way. In this day and age of digital photography and online card services, even the least technologically proficient couples can make their own announcements. All you need is a nice picture of the two of you taken with a digital camera. First, download that picture onto your computer. Now find an online picture-sharing service, such as Smugmug (www.shutterfly.com), and browse through the card-making options. You can personalize your cards from beginning to end and preview them before you finalize your order. Quick, easy, and cheap.

Alternatively, you can create little save-the-date gifts for your guests — perhaps mugs, puzzles, or magnets.