Save the Dates - Plural!

This save the date magnet is really a "save the dates" magnet!  Featuring a world map in the background to showcase the two locations highlighted in red.

Sometimes people have two different events because they each have family that is a good distance away, like in this example. Sometimes people have a small destination wedding and then a party when they get back.

This *is* kind of a big deal life event.

Whatever the case, there is a way to help your guests save the date(s).

Pictured magnet is 4x3 inches, easy to mail out in the smallest mailable envelope size in the USA.

Check out pricing for that size: https://savethedateoriginals.com/4x3_Magnet.php
⠀
#weddinginspo #savethedates#stationery #scotland #world #alabama #weddingplanning

New ticket save the date magnet design

It's hard to resist adding more ticket designs to the website, even thought the save the date ticket page is getting to be quite full.

A recent addition is this 2.5x6.5 inch ticket save the date magnet:

Unlike a lot of the ticket designs on the website, this one isn't specifically themed for Broadway, a music concert, or a particular sport.  The other thing that is different - it includes a calendar.

Here is another shot of the ticket magnet with a clear sleeve & a mailing envelope.  At Save the Date Originals, you can get magnets alone or with envelopes... plus return address printing, if you want.

Concert ticket save the date magnets are beloved!

People feel excitement when they get concert tickets, and they remember that feeling when they see a concert ticket themed save the date.

I, Angela, the designer here at STDO, have a secret about one popular save the date ticket magnet.  This one:

I made this save the date design near the end of 2015 for a couple based on a photo of an actual ticket that they sent me.  And... they didn't even go for it.

But this design was just so awesome, I thought that I'd take a photograph and put it up on the website anyways.

Well, turns out a lot of other people like the design!

Since then I've seen some similar ticket designs, but, it's still hard to match the print quality and thickness of the magnets STDO makes.  They aren't crazy thick, but they are certainly a cut above DIY.

(feel free to email angela@savethedateoriginals.com if you are interested in a mailed sample magnet).

That isn't the only popular save the date magnet in the ticket section the website, but it was a surprise how popular it would turn out to be.

On the subject of concert ticket save the dates, here is another recent favorite of mine:

This is actually a version of one of the ticket designs on the website:

But as you can see, the original idea of more of a nice, simple broadway feel.  This couple upped the concert factor and it turned out awesome.

This is way STDO still likes to accept requests for experimenting with designs.  The results can be fun.  Of course, that's also why design proof turn around times are usually 2-3 days.  If I stuck to only requests of exactly designs that were already posted, sure, it would be faster.  But that's not how I roll.

Blank Coloring Magnets

Now available in the amazon & etsy shops are blank heart magnets!  This is the same 4x3.5 inch heart shape available as a printed magnet, just with blank white paper.

Could be a fun coloring project for the kids.  Or, maybe you could have a magnetic board and have guests write their names/message on a heart magnet.


Also available are 8 packs of circular color book magnets:

Flowers, a couple of animals, a butterfly- just cute things for the kids to color.  Order multiple packs for a classroom activity!

A Grape Save the Date Magnet Design

Heart shaped magnets have been available at Save the Date Originals for just over a year, and it's time for another save the date magnet design, this time, one that works well with a winery or vineyard theme.

The background design is printed with a faux cork-board texture, and overlaid with the sketched cluster of grapes.

All magnets at STDO are reasonably sturdy and have a glossy finish; Check out pricing and info for heart shape magnets here:
http://savethedateoriginals.com/HeartShapeMagnetInfo.php 

Request a personalized version of this magnet design here:
http://savethedateoriginals.com/details/Heart24.php

Magnetic Notepads

Magnetic notepads are now available at Save the Date Originals!  Tear-off notepad + magnet = useful.

Maybe you have a big clunky dry erase board on the fridge that doesn't even erase well anymore.  Maybe you have notebooks in a drawer somewhere.  Maybe... you need a couple of these magnetic notepads.

5x8.25 example:

This notepad has about 30 pages and is available at the new amazon handmade storefront.

Longer 4x10 notepads are also an option, which would be even more handy for a running grocery list. (Keep that family organized!)

You could even upgrade to 50 pages, change the wording (business name?), or go with a different print color.  Custom is awesome.

Elegant design for round magnets

This blog post is mainly just to show off this photograph of one round magnet design in multiple colors:

It is a wedding save the date magnet, as usual, but also as usual, the wording can be changed.

Also check out this round magnet size holding up multiple sheets of paper:

This magnet size is on sale for a few more days- till the end of November 2014
http://savethedateoriginals.com/RoundMagnetSize.php

Save the Date Magnets with free shipping!

Look at the chevrons on this save the date design.  Oooh.  Pictured is a design with a pink and green chevron pattern in light-to-dark shades each row.

The most popular thing Save the Date Originals makes is save the date magnets.  And among the many sizes, 4x3.5 inch magnets are the fav.

Now that size is available with free shipping anywhere in the continental USA.

Check out the pricing page:
http://www.savethedateoriginals.com/4x35_Magnet.php

This magnet size works well with the minimum mailable envelope size (5x3.5 inches) and can be mailed out with one stamp.  Because that envelope size is common, there are a lot of color options!

Luggage tag magnets are back in the house

2.5x4 inch luggage tag magnets are one way to get more awesome for a travel themed save the date without going wilder with something like a message in a bottle.

They aren't new exactly- they just haven't made it back onto the updated version of the website in a few years.

Check out this example:

The printed design features a beach background with orange & pink.  At the sides are "Pack your bags" and "Save the date".  At the top there are some faded hibiscus graphics (tropical flowers).

The top is cut with angles, and there is an actual hole at the top.

Check out this page for a pricing chart:
http://www.savethedateoriginals.com/details/NWU3.php

Rounded corners for boarding pass magnets

Customers can switch to round corners for any magnet order, but it looks especially awesome for boarding pass save the date magnets.  One recent customer did just that for her order of a customized Ticket17 boarding pass order.

Favor Magnet Design

This could potentially be turned into a save the date magnet, but this design is actually a favor magnet.  The idea is to send them with thank you cards as a momento.  At 5x3.5 inches, this design fits 3 nicely sized photographs, the wedding date, and the couple's names.  Along the horizontal line, we can even fit in the married last name.

In this case, the lines are teal colored, but whether that is a good option for your personal version really depends on the photographs;  It might turn out that the lines should be white or black to contrast with the photographs, in which case, that curved border and the names could be in your wedding color.

Check out 5x3.5 inch magnet pricing here:
http://www.savethedateoriginals.com/35x5_Magnet.php

Love Birds Save the Date

This 3.5x4 inch save the date magnet design is cute!  The lovebirds are in yellow, with a lighter blue background, and white stylized "branches".  The wording is in a darker grey/blue.  

This design was included as part of Maven Bride's recent birds & blue wedding inspiration post. Check it out for some more ideas!

Save the Date Magnet Discount

Looking for Save the Date Magnets that look good, but still want to see if you can catch a sale?

Well if you sign up for the STDO newsletter in March of 2014, you can get $10.00 off your first printed magnet order of $30.00 or more.

Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/IbjuD

Save the Date Originals offers magnets that are printed at a high resolution, that have a glossy finish, and aren't super flimsy.  20+ sizes, which just about any design possible.  Get save the date magnets for your wedding or business card magnets for yourself.

New year, new family reunions

One of my favorite projects this month was a simple 2.5x4 inch save the date magnet for a family reunion in New York.  The main feature is a tree made out of words: Genealogy, family, children, teenager, parents, brother, etc.

Pricing for this magnet size can be found here:
http://www.savethedateoriginals.com/41x26_MagnetInfo.php

And if the design isn't on the official Save the Date Originals website yet, just submit your email address through the Contact form on the website to get started on a personalized version of this design idea.

When to send save the dates for other events

Another question that comes up a lot: When do you send save the dates for a birthday?  Or for a Halloween party?  Or a Bar Mitzvah?

You didn't think people only sent out save the dates for weddings, did you?  Actually, people send out save the dates for a variety of events.  If you are planning something far in advance, it's going to be a big bash or important life event, or you want people to be able to schedule time of work... well, those are all the reasons you might send out a save the date.  Be it for a wedding, a first communion, a milestone birthday, or major wedding anniversary.  School reunions & family reunions are also common events that people will send out save the dates for.

For weddings, there is a fairly clear timeline on when to send out save the dates:

But for these other events, sending out a save the date a year in advance might be considered over-doing it.

The timeline is a little shorter for these other events.  You usually send out an invitation for a wedding 2-3 months in advance.  But for other events, you might only send out the invitation 1-1.5 months in advance.

You wouldn't really send out save the dates for a wedding 3 months in advance.  But it does make more sense to send out save the dates 3 months in advance for one of these other events.

In conclusion: It depends a little on when you are sending out the actual invitation, whether the event is going to require hotel bookings for a number of guests, and whether it's on a major holiday.  What I can say is that if you are thinking about sending a save the date for something like a big 60th birthday bash, 3-6 months in advance is a good timeline.

For a big family reunion in the summer, sending out save the dates with holiday cards tends to work well.

Save the Date with a cherry on top

This recent project is a really good example of a custom design.  And also a good example of how, if someone is clear about just what they want, a custom design doesn't end up taking much time to create.

This is what the couple wrote to me:

"[I would like] 3 ice cream cones: one chocolate swirl soft serve ice cream cone to the left in the background, one vanilla soft serve cone to the right in the background; while a chocolate & vanilla swirl soft serve cone sits in the foreground of the two single flavored cones. I would like the chocolate/vanilla swirls soft serve cone of ice cream to have a cherry on top. 

Our colors: lavender, champagne, gold, cream"

After reading that, I came up with this 4x2.5 inch save the date magnet design:

Win!  They ended up going with 5x3.5 inch metallic gold envelopes just for extra awesomeness.

Get your own custom save the date magnet by emailing angela@savethedateoriginals.com
Sept 2013: Current response times are 1-3 full days

Metallic Pearlescent Magnets

Have you seen cards with a bit of a shine to them?  Not the smooth clear gloss, but, instead, more like a shimmer?  This is a fun option for cards;  Sometimes people go with a metallic pearlescent card stock in gold or silver colors for their invitation.  This kind of card stock is available in a variety of colors, but those two happen to be the most popular.

Well, Save the Date Originals can use this kind of card stock for magnets.  And yes, it does look cool.

Check out this photograph:

This example is a 6x2.7 inch magnet with a boarding pass theme.  The cardstock used is a shimmery leaf gold.

With metallic card stock, we definitely want to stick with designs that are fairly simple.  No full color photographs or background colors- instead, the design will let the metallic card stock show itself off.

Note: It isn't easy to photograph a shimmery paper with a gloss over it!  With the clear gloss, you have to be wary of reflections;  And then the shimmer isn't easy to see in a photograph unless the light is hitting at just the right angle.

Pearlescent metallic card stock magnets aren't priced out on the website yet (2013), and this is just another example of a custom project.

Presenting: Business Card Magnets

Small 3.5x2 inches is one of the most popular sizes for printed fridge magnets.

No surprise there!  If you want a small save the date with just the key info- names, date, "Save the date", it is a good size.  You can then slip that small magnet in with any extra info card that you have made (hotel information?) or in with a holiday card.

Aside from save the dates, though, no brainer, there is a reason that 3.5x2 inches is called the "business card size".  Just about every business card is this size- and a lot of businesses are choosing to get business card magnets, now, instead of of just business cards.  Business card magnets really do "stick around" longer.

So, you have your business card magnet.

But you want something to protect the magnet.  For example, if you put the magnet in an envelope with a letter, you don't want the edges scratching up the letter.  There are a lot of options for mini envelopes.  Anything from a plain white mini envelope to a fancier mini four-fold envelope.

Those work.  Those are fun.  But those also cover up the business card!  What if you want an envelope for all of your magnets, but something so that right after you hand a business card magnet over in person, they can see something before they take the time to open the envelope?

TADAH:

Mini vellum envelopes.

Not to brag, but this is my current favorite combination, and it does look good.

Check out pricing for magnets of this size here:
http://www.savethedateoriginals.com/SmallMagnetInformation.php

These mini vellum envelopes are available as an addition;  You'd just need to mention that you would like to order the mini vellum envelopes too.

Super Wedding Save the Date

Superman fans?  This is the save the date for those super couples out there. 

This save the date magnet design is 3.5x5 inches.  The background is an image of planet earth;  Featured is a monogram made of two first initials.  

Baby on Board

A baby on board car magnet that is about 4x6 inches.  It mimics a poster that the British government released in 1939 saying "Keep calm and carry on."  Colors are attention-getting red and yellow, and, the black border is part of the magnet.