Learn some tips and etiquette and pros and cons of sending online save-the-dates

Digital Save-the-Dates have become extremely popular among couples in the last few years because they’re more convenient. You neither have to visit the post office nor you have to invest in the cost of a physical save-the-date card- the reason why more couples are opting to send an electronic save-the-dates followed by a formal physical wedding invitation.

In this article I’m going share all about the ins and outs of sending online save-the-dates and help you explore where to get them and the right way and etiquette to send them.

Is it okay to Send Digital Save-the-Dates?

Yes. In this digital age, where event announcements need to be quick and efficient, you can definitely send an electronic save-the-date.

Your online card can be sent to your guests with a click of a button at the comfort of your home. Your hassle of printing, addressing, stamping and physically mailing a the whole lot gets eliminated.

I advocate sending electronic save-the-dates because they are quick to process and need minimum investment of time, energy and money.

Where to get Digital Save-the-Dates?

While some of you may think of getting free save-the-date templates, honestly speaking there are very few “free” things in this world and I can assure you that digital save-the-dates are definitely not one of them. One of the biggest misconceptions when it comes to digital save-the-dates is that they don’t cost anything (which is just so funny!).

Just as paper save-the-dates range from basic to more elaborate and custom ones, the cost for digital versions can also vary quite a bit. But digital save-the-dates are not very expensive if you take your whole wedding budget into account.

When you think of electronic save-the-dates, you would be highly tempted to get something from Etsy. Tell me if it is not the first thing that has come to your mind! Pre-made generic templates from online services such as Evite, Paperless Post, Bliss and Bone are some popular options too.

Some designs that they offer are free and some are paid. A lot of such services have a monthly or yearly membership fee or a ‘pay as you go’ option. For instance at Bliss and Bone, the pricing is according to the number of sends. If you’re the kind of person who is more into fun animations doodles, then Evite is for you. With Paperless Post you must first purchase “coins”.

Or you can work with a stationery designer and an artist like me.

Why to hire a stationery designer for your Digital Save-the-Dates?

Initially you might feel that you don’t want to invest “too much” into your save-the-date because it is only an announcement, you don’t want to overdo it, you haven’t decided on a theme yet and all these kind of thoughts would flood your mind but trust me, you will give yourself a pat on the back later if you do hire a stationery designer right after hiring a planner.

I’m not saying this because I design wedding invites, I’m saying this because I’ve had couples tell me that they should have hired me before sending their save-the-dates.

Let me tell you why you actually need a stationery designer for your digital save-the-dates:

1. Pricing:
   Digital save-the-dates have a one time design cost. My job is to give you the best design as per your heart desires and your investment budget and not to change my pricing as your guest list increases or changes. You don’t have to think about the price per send, buying points, coins etc.

2. Cohesive Design Throughout:
   Right from your save-the-date to your day-of-items, your wedding stationery would be cohesive since you would be discussing and planning everything in advance and well within time. You don’t want certain colors, elements and fonts to go in your save-the-date and something entirely different in your formal printed wedding invitation. Also, if you want your wedding website to look in sync with your invitations and stationery, you can get this done as well by getting different backend files from me and integrating them in your website design.

3. No Generic Templates:
   You don’t have to settle for generic pre-made templates ever again. Even if you don’t have the budget to invest in a bespoke design (which starts entirely form scratch), you can get customizations done on any of my pre-designed ideas and can get a-la-carte elements added according to your custom requirements.

4. Realistic Looking Save-the-Date:
   Along with your digital file for your save-the-date, you get an option of getting a hyper-realistic file with styled flatly images of your digital save-the-date with real looking elements such as paper, printing, envelopes, wax seals etc. This truly makes for an exceptional guests experience!

5. Less Headache:
   When you work with an expert you don’t have to worry about how your save-the-dates will vibe with your event and rest of your stationery. Your stress about checking in with different platforms for different items goes away and instead you have one go-to person for all your stationery needs who work in collaboration with your wedding designer and planner. Also, when you are not sending printed save-the-dates, you save on your time and stress and instead focus more on your wedding planning process. This considerably cuts down on your stress to print and stamp the cards, so there is at least one less thing to worry about and would certainly prove to be invaluable.

6. Save Costs on the Whole Package:
   When you hire a stationery designer to do all of your wedding stationery, it is probable that you would end up saving on the rush fee and would get a better proposal for all your requirements.
   

How to Send Digital Save-the-Dates?

Firstly, you need to have a clearly done guest list and you need to have their phone numbers and email addresses ready. Why am I asking for phone numbers? I’ll answer this in a bit. But if you are inviting someone for your wedding, it is almost certain that you or one of your family members would have their numbers, right?

Email a Custom Digital Download File

Email is by far the most easiest option when it comes to sending your online save-the-date. However, when emailing your save-the-dates you need to keep a few things in mind.

• Emails get lost: You need to make sure that your email stands out. People get hundreds of emails in a day. Use a subject that will catch their attention- something which feels like they want to open the email, otherwise it might just stay unopened in their inbox. They might not open it thinking it’s a marketing email.
  

• Your email can hit spam: Your email may hit your guest’s spam folder. So reminders may need to be sent. They can easily get lost in the plethora of mails or an overflowing inbox.

• Your email can be accidentally deleted: You can’t ignore the fact that your email can be accidentally deleted. Again to counter this disadvantage, you would have to send a reminder as well but also need to make sure that you don’t pester your guests.

• Email open rates: The biggest problem with email is that email open rates have plummeted in the last few years, with some reports indicating rates as low as 20%. Regardless of how creative your subject line is or how beautifully done digital save-the-date may be, if recipients aren’t opening your emails, all your efforts are in vain.

WhatsApp Custom Digital Download File

Now lets’s talk about another way in which you can send your digital save-the-date which is WhatsApp or iMessage. Basically I’m talking about DMing people on popular platforms with focus on WhatsApp.

Here are some big advantages of sending your digital save-the-date via WhatsApp.

• Exceptionally high open rates:
  WhatsApp messages boast an impressive 99% open rate, ensuring that messages sent through this platform will likely be seen by your guests. You can be assured that your guests are going to see your save-the-date.
  

• Instant responsiveness:
  As an instant messaging platform, guests will definitely be more  inclined to promptly respond to WhatsApp messages than emails or other communication forms, leading to more efficient and effective interactions.

• No spam hits:
  There is no fear of your electronic save the date hitting the spam folder.
  

• Instant delivery verification:
  With the kind of inherent features that WhatsApp offers, the check marks are your friends here. You can instantly see the double checks on the chat when your file has been delivered. While a few may not have it switched on, a lot of people also have the double blue check mark settings turned on. This is a great way to be assured that your message has been seen by your guests.

Your geographic location also determines if email or Whatsapp DM is the best option for you. Also, let’s say  this person invited to your wedding is your dad’s best friend and you never had any need to email this person. So is it possible that your email might end up in their spam/ junk folder? The answer is yes.

Remember our motive here is that the save-the-date message not only reaches the guest but also gets opened and read.

Who should get a Digital Save-The-Date?

Printed save-the-dates are sent one per household whether that's a family, a couple, or a single person. But when it comes to sending an online save-the-date, you might feel inclined to send your digitals to each individual person since almost everyone has an email address and/or a phone.

So are your supposed to send it to the person who is more likely to open your message and share it with the rest of their family? Or you should send it to the person you're closest with or to the “head-of-the-family”?

While there are no set rules to it, my opinion is to send it to both these persons- your close contact and an elderly figure. This way neither your person feels bad nor the head-of-the-family feels neglected.

When there is a tricky when you have plus-ones, you should send it to the primary guest.

How far in advance your should send out your Digital Save-the-Date?

Your digital save-the-dates should be sent out in the right time as you would send out your printed one which is about four to six months before your wedding (about ten months in advance for a destination wedding). The gives your guests ample time to plan their calander, book any tickets and/or transportation if required and make other necessary arrangements such as applying for leave etc. If you don’t have this much time, you should send them as soon as after your wedding date and location has been fixed. 

Cons of sending a  Digital Save-the-Date

1. They are definitely less formal than printed ones and some guests might take offence and find electronic invitations to be casual and rude.

2. It is possible that they end up in spam folders for some guests or never get opened at all because people get a plethora of emails every single day.

3. Although many older people are tech savvy, but it can still be concerning since some might not be able to access your digitals.

4. Some guests might feel pestered with repetitive reminders and that you are sending them on same or different platforms.

Conclusion

Digital save-the-dates have a possibility of hitting spam folders, and while you can WhatsApp them too, you would still need to make sure that your guests have opened your message. While they are definitely less formal than printed cards, you can’t ignore that Save-the-Dates can be sent in a click of a button, their turn-around time is fast and they take a good chunk of stress off your head. So if you are someone who would like divert and invest their precious time and energy into wedding planning and focus on sending printed wedding invitations instead, I’d say digital save-the-dates are for you!

Do you want
artful invitations?

Hi, I’m Kriti Basra. I’m determined
to make timeless paper goods
for exceptional couples.
My only question is, will they be yours?

Kriti is an illustrator, calligrapher and designer based in Gurugram, India who serves couples worldwide. She creates fine art + romantic wedding stationery for Indian and South Asian Weddings.

Do you want
artful invitations?

Hi, I’m Kriti Basra. I’m determined
to make timeless paper goods
for exceptional couples.
My only question is, will they be yours?