Vintage Save the Date Options From the Experts at Bliss & Bone
If you and your partner are planning a vintage wedding, your stationery suite should reflect this unique aesthetic. At Bliss & Bone, we offer an exceptional array of options for backgrounds, graphics, images and fonts that can allow you to create the vintage Save the Date, invitation and website you want for your upcoming wedding.
Save the Date and vintage invitations can set the tone for your wedding ceremony and reception. Incorporating thoughtful touches that reflect your theme and the overall aesthetic of your wedding will make the best impression on those you want to share this very special day with you.
Coordinating your Save the Date and vintage invitations can allow you to establish a cohesive theme for your wedding. Here are some keys to creating the most elegant vintage Save the Date cards for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Elements of Vintage Style
While each wedding is different, vintage weddings typically incorporate certain stylistic choices that can make your wedding truly unique. Here are some vintage wedding ideas to help you plan your ceremony and reception:
- The dress: Vintage wedding dresses can reflect a specific historical period or can take inspiration from iconic weddings of the past. In some cases, you can add vintage accessories to transform more modern attire to suit your theme.
- The venue: Elegant and traditional vintage wedding venues not only sets the stage for your wedding but can also provide inspiration for creating a custom Save the Date and vintage invitation. Incorporating some of the design touches found in your venue into your vintage Save the Date can tie together your entire celebration.
- The decor: Flowers with a vintage flair can be a big part of your wedding decor for a vintage wedding. A little research on popular options for vintage wedding flowers and decor options can go a long way toward creating the right vintage look for your wedding.
- The rings: Vintage rings are a popular option for couples and can reflect the love the two of you share. You can also use your ring designs as a starting point for creating your wedding website, Save the Date and vintage invitations for your upcoming nuptial events.
- The lighting: Exploring your lighting options can tie together disparate elements of your vintage wedding theme. Strings of fairy lights, candlelight and soft ambient lighting installations are among the most popular choices for couples planning vintage weddings.
- The wedding stationery: When creating vintage Save the Dates and invitations, you can enjoy the greatest range of options by using Bliss & Bone. We offer vintage Save the Date examples, templates and designs that can inspire your own unique creation. Best of all, we make it easy to match your Save the Date to vintage websites and wedding invitations that will impress all those who receive these wedding notifications.
Bliss & Bone offers extensive customization options for your vintage Save the Date cards and all other parts of your wedding stationery. We make it easy for you to create the perfect vintage Save the Dates and invites for all those on your guest list.
Understanding the Differences Among Vintage, Retro and Antique Styles
There are certain buzzwords that come up when you’re discussing vintage Save the Dates and vintage wedding ideas, in general. Vintage is sometimes associated with the terms “retro” and “antique,” but these descriptors aren’t exactly the same. The differences among vintage, retro and antique depend on two concepts: time and evocation. Vintage and antique, for instance, are all about time. Vintage Save the Dates would hearken back to a time about 20 to 99 years ago, whereas antique dates back at least 100 years.
With stationery in mind, this would mean that the quality, appearance and style of a vintage Save the Date wouldn’t necessarily date back 20 to 99 years in the past, but it reflects a time period within that range. Retro, by contrast, is designed to look vintage or antique. If it evokes the style, it takes on a retro feel. With these definitions in mind, you could also say that vintage Save the Dates are also retro, since they are not technically old but they are nostalgic and reflect a different time period.
Putting Together Your Vintage Save the Date
Bliss & Bone offers templates and interfaces that will allow you to create the most beautiful vintage Save the Date for your wedding. Our step-by-step process ensures that you and your partner have the greatest possible control over how your vintage Save the Dates look. We make it easy to design matching vintage Save the Date cards, wedding websites and invites that will establish a brand for your wedding day. Here are some key steps in the design process at Bliss & Bone:
- Book your venue: Before you can send vintage Save the Date cards, you will need a date and a location for your wedding. The venue you choose may also inspire some of your design choices when planning your vintage Save the Date, which means that this step must usually come first in the wedding planning process.
- Decide on a color scheme: Whether you want muted neutral tones, pastels or black-and-white themes for your wedding, your vintage Save the Date, invitation and website should reflect a cohesive color scheme that will streamline many decor and wedding party attire decisions.
- Enter your information: When starting the design process for your vintage Save the Date, we ask for some basic information that includes your name, your partner's name and the date, time and location of your wedding. This information will be inserted into your vintage Save the Date, invites and website to save you time and effort later in the process.
- Create your vintage Save the Date: Bliss & Bone offers easy-to-use website builders and templates that can serve as the starting point for designing your stationery suite. Choose a background, add images, upload your own images and pick a font to create an elegant vintage Save the Date that will impress your guests.
- Go printed or paperless: We make it easy to send digital Save the Dates or to print and mail these wedding notices. You can even decide on a mix of Save the Date types to manage your budget and to ensure that your guests receive these communications in the most appropriate manner.
- Send your Save the Dates: Whether you choose to send your vintage Save the Dates by mail or by email, Bliss & Bone can streamline the process for you and your partner.
We make it simple for you to create the most elegant Save the Date and vintage stationery suite for this special day in your lives together.
Deciding On the Best Wording for Your Vintage Save the Date
Your vintage Save the Date has two main functions: It sets the tone of your upcoming event, and it shares the basic details about it. You can share as much information as you would like about your wedding, but the key components include:
- Your and your partner’s name: With so many weddings happening year-round, you need to make your and your partner’s name prominent on your vintage Save the Date.
- When the wedding is happening: It’s in the name; your vintage Save the Date needs to share your date—or dates. If you are planning a destination wedding, for instance, you will want to share several dates that your guests should know about. So, if you’re hosting a pre-wedding welcome party or post-wedding brunch, you may want to request that your guests plan accordingly.
- Where your guests need to travel to: In addition to the date, your vintage Save the Dates also need to feature where your wedding is taking place. You have two options here, and you can either share the specific venue or only the city and state where your event is happening.
- Your wedding website details: Your wedding website is the information hub for everything related to your wedding day. It’s typically completed around the same time that you wrap up your vintage Save the Dates, and you can include a URL in them as well.
These are the primary features of a typical Save the Date, but you can get creative with other wording involved. Below, we are sharing a few examples of wording for your vintage Save the Dates.
Vintage Save the Date Wording Example #1
HP | RL
Save the Date
Hayden and Ralph
November 10, 2023
Carmel Valley, California
Whether you are planning on changing your initials after marriage or not, you can incorporate them into your vintage Save the Dates. In this example, you can see how both partners’ initials are featured, followed by their first names, the date and city.
Vintage Save the Date Wording Example #2
Please Save the Date
For the Wedding of
LANE and MURPHEY
October Twenty Seventh
Two Thousand Twenty Two
New York, New York
Another option for your vintage Save the Date is this one, which clearly (and politely) states the request. It also more formally writes out the date, including the day and year.
Vintage Save the Date Wording Example #3
Laine and Calvin are madly in love.
They are getting married.
Save the Date
April 16, 2024
Colorado Springs, Colorado
If you want to share your love boldly and creatively in your vintage Save the Dates, look no further than this example. This is one wording style that will immediately set the tone for your emotional and fun celebration.
Key Characteristics of the Perfect Vintage Save the Date
The two main types of vintage Save the Dates are printed or digital. There are benefits to both styles, but couples are often surprised to learn that many digital templates have features that appear vintage or vintage-inspired. Because you won’t use traditional printing methods for digital invites, there are designers who create the look virtually. So, it rings true to the vintage wedding theme while keeping everything online.
This beautiful, classic and romantic aesthetic involves a variety of components, which include:
- Deckle edges: A deckle edge is described as “paper with a feathered edge,” and it’s a common choice among couples designing any type of vintage Save the Date. It has a rough-looking cut to it, which was at one point unavoidable. These days, however, it is a highly requested element that makes you feel like you’re in a different time in history.
- Script font: While serif fonts are more commonly found in modern wedding invites, script fonts are perfect for vintage Save the Dates. Creating an almost handwritten look, script fonts are a dreamy accent for a vintage Save the Date.
- Vintage detailing: Some digital Save the Dates have other unique details that can immediately transport your guests to another time. These may include vintage stamps, dried flowers and botanicals and more.
These are a few of the many additions you can make to printed or online vintage Save the Dates. Talk these ideas through with your partner and stationer as you work through your stationery suite. Because your vintage Save the Date is the first formal piece of stationery guests will receive, this might be the most involved part of your design process.
Vintage Save the Date Ideas for Couples
There are so many different vintage Save the Dates, and you and your partner have the freedom to customize them, too. At Bliss & Bone, you can review premade templates, and then go into the custom builder. These are some of the most popular ideas to consider for your vintage Save the Date:
- Rustic vintage Save the Date ideas: Rustic and vintage are two wedding themes that typically go hand in hand. This combination is charming and warm, making it an exceptional option for a wedding. Rustic vintage Save the Dates are also known to incorporate floral and botanical elements. For example, the Tess Save the Date has the warm rustic colors and florals, which also bring a vintage feel to the overall look.
- Minimalist vintage Save the Date ideas: Vintage can speak to a wide range of past eras, so you can also take a more minimalist approach. If you want to keep it simple, seek out templates that feature the elements you truly love about vintage Save the Dates. The Laine Save the Date, for instance, has a vintage script font on full display to show the couple’s monogram. There is also a subtle botanical component, but the main focus is on the clean format with a simple text layout.
- Floral vintage Save the Date ideas: Most weddings come with a detailed floral design. As you work through everything with your florist, you may also want to consider how your flowers can serve as inspiration for your wedding stationery. If you love peonies, the Hayden Save the Date is a soft, delicate option for your vintage Save the Date.
- Whimsical vintage Save the Date ideas: There are some Save the Date templates that are in a category of their own, and the Charlotte Save the Date is one example of that. It has both natural and artistic components that draw back to the vintage wedding theme. Many couples love how the floating butterfly adds that special touch of whimsy to the stationery.
- Metallic vintage Save the Date ideas: Whether you want to emulate the Gatsby style or classic Hollywood (also known as the Golden Age), metallics have a quality that fits into the vintage vibe. The Austen Save the Date does it all, with a gold font and accents and deckle edges on the paper.
- Art Deco vintage Save the Date ideas: The Art Deco period in the United States is the 1920s and 1930s, and it really informed design and architecture. This is another vintage theme that works well with a Gatsby-esque event, and it is all about luxury.
- Black and white vintage Save the Date ideas: Black and white immediately gives off the vintage vibe, and you can take it one step further with a black and white photo Save the Date.
Once you have made your choice and get directed to the custom builder, you can move, add or remove text boxes, three-dimensional objects and shadows. Plus, you can also make changes to the fonts and colors to match your desired aesthetic.
Choosing Between Printed and Paperless Vintage Save the Dates
As you weigh your options for vintage Save the Date designs, the big “this or that” is whether to go paperless. Vintage Save the Dates are prepared in both formats, and it caters to different priorities a couple might have for their wedding stationery. Here are the primary reasons why people choose one over the other:
Benefits of a Paperless Vintage Save the Date
- Cost-effective. Paper and the process involved costs significantly more than digital options. If you are seeking ways to save money on your stationery or wedding, in general, consider digital Save the Dates to make your stationery more affordable.
- Environmentally friendly. Because everything is online, you do not need to worry about using paper for your vintage Save the Date. Many couples who are prioritizing the environment gravitate toward this idea.
- More streamlined. You can seamlessly connect your digital Save the Dates and invites to your wedding website, making it an easy experience for all of your tech-savvy guests. Additionally, you can craft these “cards” and send them out on the same day.
Benefits of a Paper Vintage Save the Date
- Thorough design process. While it is faster and more efficient to work on digital Save the Dates, if you are interested in a more extensive design process, paper invites could be best for you and your partner.
- Traditional. If you lean toward a vintage aesthetic, you might also love the idea of sticking with tradition. In that case, paper invites are your best match, because they have been sent out for hundreds of years.
- More experiential. There is a tangibility to paper invites that attract many wedding couples. Guests will be able to open it and feel the paper product, making it a sensory experience you provide for your guests.
With these "pros" in mind, you can chat with your partner and planner, if you have one, about what style will work best with your upcoming celebration.
How to Connect Your Vintage Save the Date to Your Wedding Website
Because your vintage Save the Date will include only the essentials—where and when your wedding will be—many couples prefer to add more details to the wedding website. It’s common to recommend the airports people should fly into, hotels or other accommodations to consider and even activities and restaurants they can enjoy in the area. On top of that, you can include photos of you and your partner, and ask guests to submit their RSVPs later on.
After you’ve built your own wedding website, you need to let your guests know about it. There are wedding website announcements, which notifies all guests about your site via email. Perhaps the most common communication method, however, is to find a way to feature your wedding website URL somewhere on your vintage Save the Date. Here are the two most popular options for sharing your wedding website URL through your Save the Dates:
- Virtual vintage Save the Dates: If you are sending out Save the Dates virtually, you can seamlessly link your wedding website URL. On your event page, you can add the URL, so guests can receive your Save the Date and then get directed to your wedding website.
- Printed vintage Save the Dates: Because printed Save the Dates are delivered through the mail, it’s impossible to provide a clickable link. However, you can write out the URL at the bottom or on the back of your vintage Save the Date. This way, guests can learn your URL and type it into their search engine to view your wedding website.
As they prepare for your wedding day, guests will want to know as many details as possible. From booking their flights to hotels, the more information you provide them, the better. You want as many loved ones to attend your celebration, and giving them all the details ASAP is beneficial to everyone involved.
What to Do After Sending Out Your Vintage Save the Dates
By the time you have sent out your vintage Save the Dates, you’re only about halfway through the process. As we explained, vintage Save the Dates should be designed, finalized and sent out about six to nine months prior to the wedding day. After each guest has received a vintage Save the Date, that will mark the initial formal communication they receive. After that, the stationery timeline will go as follows:
- Design your wedding invitations. Your wedding invitations should coordinate with your vintage Save the Date, and you can find several coordinating templates on the Bliss and Bone website. It is more traditional to send out paper invites, but it’s becoming increasingly popular to send digital wedding invitations. Most of this all comes down to budget, so your budgeting conversation with your partner and other stakeholders is crucial at this phase.
- Receive RSVPs from your guests. You have the option to collect RSVPs from your online invite, from your wedding website or by receiving RSVP cards back after sending out printed wedding invites. This is a key step, and you want to try and get all of these back about two to three weeks prior to the wedding day.
- Finalize your wedding guest count. When all of your RSVPs are in, you should have a final number of guests you expect to attend your wedding day. After you have this total, you want to share these details with relevant vendors, particularly your planner, venue coordinator and caterer. At this time, you can also prepare a seating chart and think about different ways to display these details at the cocktail hour.
- Enjoy your special day. The most important step is next: Have the best time celebrating your epic day with your favorite people! This is a time to enjoy yourself and live in the moment.
- Send out your thank you notes. When all is said and done, you need to thank your guests for attending your celebration, and for any gifts they gave you. Similar to wedding invites, you can also find thank you notes that coordinate well with your vintage Save the Dates.
These are a few of the stationery-related steps involved after you have developed and delivered your vintage Save the Dates. So much goes into planning your wedding day, and there are steps couples should follow before and after to stay organized. Your vintage Save the Date is the beginning of your stationery journey, but following our guide above can also help you handle the rest of the process.
Matching Your Vintage Save the Dates to the Rest of Your Stationery Suite
Your vintage Save the Dates mark the beginning of your full stationery suite. You can work with your stationery from start to finish and develop a full set that reflects your personality, style and desired wedding aesthetic. There are several “must-haves” involved in your stationery suite, and we highly recommend preparing the following with your chosen stationer:
- A wedding website: As we previously mentioned, your wedding website shares all of the details that might not be included in your Save the Dates or invites. They are typically completed around the same time as your vintage Save the Dates (six to nine months before the wedding day).
- Wedding invitations: Your wedding invitations can be sent virtually or through the mail. While it’s more traditional to prepare formal, printed invites, digital options are becoming increasingly popular. Going digital is more cost-effective and eco-friendly, which is why many couples are shifting to prefer them. These are sent out about six to eight weeks before your celebration.
- Rehearsal dinner invitations: Traditionally, the groom’s parents host the rehearsal dinner. However, you can still work with the host to create a design that is cohesive with the rest of your stationery suite. These are sent to a smaller group, which most often includes your and your partner’s immediate relatives and the wedding party.
- Wedding menus: Wedding menus are printed pieces of stationery that share the courses or meals that guests can expect at the reception. They are positioned at every table setting for your guests to review when they find their seats. This is also one of the few items in your wedding stationery suite that need to be printed.
- A wedding logo or monogram: Did you know that you can level up your stationery with a logo or monogram? Bliss & Bone’s monograms and logos are created by working with a dedicated designer on your specific project. You will receive two rounds of proofing with your order, and you can purchase it for use on Bliss & Bone products, elsewhere or both. Couples then use their custom logo or monogram on everything from their wedding stationery to day-of signage. We’ve even seen couples use their monograms on a custom aisle runner at the ceremony or dance floor at the reception. This is completely optional, but it will elevate the look and feel of your stationery.
Not sure if you want to fully customize your stationery suite? Bliss & Bone designers have taken a lot of the guesswork out of the process by curating stationery collections. These high-design products include all of the items listed above, and you can go in and personalize them in minutes. When you shop by collection, you’ll find everything from vintage Save the Dates to modern minimalist wedding invitations.
In addition to these items, you may also want to find other stationery items that connect to your suite. These include escort cards, table numbers, signage and thank you notes.
The Best Designs Start With Bliss & Bone
Bliss & Bone is committed to helping you create the most stunning wedding invitations and vintage Save the Dates for your celebration. Some of our most popular designs are listed here and can be tweaked and adjusted to suit your specific preferences:
- Floral Save the Dates from Bliss & Bone offer a vintage look that can offer real eye appeal for your stationery suite. Selecting floral images that resemble the flowers you plan to use in your wedding decor will create a more pulled-together look for your entire celebration.
- Save the Dates with botanical touches are another popular choice and can reinforce your vintage wedding theme.
- You really cannot go wrong with simple and elegant Save the Date designs from Bliss & Bone. Keeping it simple can create a vintage look that you and your guests will love.
- Personalizing any of our popular designs by uploading a photo that has significance to you and your partner can make an even bigger impact on your guests and can increase excitement surrounding your wedding.
- Bliss & Bone also offers a number of added services that include support for foreign languages, letterpress and text effects. If you want an embossed look for your vintage Save the Dates, we can help you create the perfect solution for your upcoming wedding.
At Bliss & Bone, we can help you to design Save the Dates and invitations that are affordable, beautiful and coordinated with all other elements of your wedding day celebration. To learn more about our services or to begin creating your vintage Save the Date and stationery suite, visit the Bliss & Bone website or email us at hello@blissandbone.com. We look forward to the opportunity to assist you in making your wedding day a truly memorable event for you and your guests.