Save-the-Date wedding announcements have become increasingly popular over the last few years. They are a great way to notify your guests of your celebration further in advance than your standard invitation...while doubling as a fantastic opportunity to announce your engagement!

The design of your Save-the-Date is often much simpler (both in style and in the information it includes) then the invite to follow and shouldn't create a dent in your budget. A postcard-sized mailing or card is sufficient and should include the following:

• "Save the Date for the marriage of..." (or similar wording)
• Name of the bride and groom
• Date of the nuptials
• Basic location (City and state are enough for this informal announcement; it gives guests that live afar the heads-up for planning travel)
• Be sure to note: "Formal invitation to follow" at the bottom of the announcement

Other nice touches and unique ideas:

• Picture of the couple (either on the card itself or included in the mailing); this is a great way to show off your engagement photos or another favorite photo of you together
• Irregular paper/card shapes or sizes (design them round, tall and thin to fit into letter-sized envelopes, etc.)
• Design custom magnets as your save-the-dates; recipients can put them on their fridge as a constant reminder
• Create personalized stickers for your guests to adhere to their calendar
• Specialized sites also allow you to make and order your own save-the-date scratch-offs - a fun and interactive alternative!

If you're crunched for time or money, simple email announcements are also great way to get the word out about your big day. Many computer-savvy couples are also creating engagement Web sites; you may want to send your guests an email that gives them the link to your custom site. Keep in mind, however, that some of your older guests may not be as experienced with technology (though that is becoming less and less common).

Though these announcements are traditionally much simpler than the invitations, also remember that your save-the-date announcements will be your guests' first glimpse of what's to come. Therefore, if you already have the essential idea for your wedding's theme or color scheme, this is a great opportunity to begin implementing it.

The best time to send out your save-the-date is anywhere from 6 months to 10 months before the date of the wedding. Notifying your guests this early provides several advantages:

• The likelihood that guests will not already have something planned for that date will be greater, ensuring that more of your loved ones will be attending
• Traveling guests can begin researching and making arrangements (this is especially important for destination weddings)
• If your festivities are during a busy weekend or time of year, guests can begin arranging their schedules as necessary.

When considering whether to send save-the-dates and how to design them, remember that the wedding preparation process should bring out creativity and excitement in all those involved; don't look at save-the-dates as another daunting and time-consuming item on your to-do list, rather a fun way to announce your engagement and prepare your guest for the celebration of your lifetime!