Hello Knottie brides!

Yes, you. You have just created a cute little website for your wedding via the knot.com and now you want to give out a little save the date magnet that includes the url. You know that if you give out a fridge magnet, your guests won't lose the address, and will always have access to information about your Big Day.

But if you want to go with those small 3.5x2 inch magnets, your gigantic website is kind of a problem.

Why? It doesn't look good on a lot of designs. And on many, well, it just isn't going to fit.

This small save the date magnet design is a popular one:

It's simple, it's cute, it's not excessively swirly.

But if someone asks me to modify the design with a knot.com url:

Oh, that's not good. And you really can't go below 9pt font size if you expect your wording to print well and/or be readable.

What I usually do is send a couple to notlong.com to shorten their url. But it's a third party site, and a lot of couples are leery about using a random website.

Well, I just set up my own url shortening service. Instead of notlong.com, you now use... savedat.es! Basically, a shortener creates another shorter url that will automatically send someone right to your website.

Instead of http://weddings.theknot.com/pwp/view/co_main.aspx?legacct=1&coupleid=3258368483263242 a couple could have http://savedat.es/mjwedt

That shorter website would works a lot better with most save the date designs:

This shortening service is maintained by Save the Date Originals. I am not going to promise that your short url will work into infinity, but as long as I'm in business, you should be good. I've been in business 7 years and counting- you probably only need your short url for a year or two.

Excuses, excuses.

I love a good excuse to create promotional materials for my own business. I spend all my time on printed materials for weddings and other businesses- Save the Date Originals could use some love!

318 Designs is hosting a bridal workshop this weekend, and I am sending in some favor magnets. 318 Designs is a Louisiana based event planning company. Check out the website: http://318designsbynicole.com

The favor magnets are 4x2.5 inches and feature a "celebrate life" theme. I'm adding in folded cards with some promotional print. Both card and magnet are going right into the striking blue envelope.

Cards & Magnets

It's time to mail your save the dates! Will you go with a card, a magnet, or... both?

A lot of my customers struggle between ordering a card or a magnet. Part of the reason is that magnets are more expensive. To fit a decent amount of wording on a magnet, you either need to go with a medium size... or sacrifice a little on the design. If you go with a small magnet, you end up needing a card anyways to mail it out in (smallest mailable size is 5x3.5 inches- this is discussed elsewhere).

A better solution might just be to order both a card and a magnet. Pick out a save the date card that you like, and then add a small 2x2 or 2x3.5 inch magnet. With Save the Date Originals you can change up colors and get a matching design, so it's not like you have to search for a pre-made combination. Make your own.

Check out this example:

This customer chose a photographic save the date card, and then a grape/winery themed small magnet. She had the colors edited to suite (lime green and purple).

Right now, when customers order a printed card from the save the date section plus a small 2x3.5 inch magnet, they also get little envelopes for the magnets (free). That way, customers don't have to worry about the edge of the magnet potentially scratching the card in some way.

It thought the combination came out looking awesome, and I think the customer agrees:

Angie,

I received my save the date cards and magnets yesterday and love them! I am so excited to send them out to everyone. Thank you so much for your help and patience throughout the design process! You have been wonderful.

Thanks again,

Brianna

Full Color Printed Fridge Magnets

A new magnet size is joining the family... 8x10 inches! With this magnet size, you can fit multiple photographs, or one large art/photo print. This will certainly spruce up a refrigerator! As with every other magnet size... the photos, artwork, wording, colors, are all customizable.

Check out this family photo magnet:


Adorable! This design features 5 nicely sized photographs and the family name.


One could also get a bordered photograph print.


Or, one could skip the border and just get a magnetic 8x10 inch photograph. You have options. These magnets do have a nice glossy finish.

Check out pricing here:
http://savethedateoriginals.com/8x10MagnetInfo.php




But wait, there is more. This also happens to be the perfect magnet size for a calendar of the entire year + a photo or logo. Check out the example below, featuring a Save the Date Originals logo, followed by the 2011 calendar year, followed by a short list of some holidays.


Click on the image for special calendar magnet pricing.

Printed Car Door Magnets

Save the Date Originals has offered car magnets for several years. I looked at this product again and decided that I could do better! Thicker printed piece. Thicker magnet. Better product.

I introduce the new and improved car magnets: read on.

Below is a 4x4.5 inch example:



Obviously the example above is not business related. It turns out- car magnets are also more appealing, for those who don't want a ragged bumper sticker to deal with some years down the road.

These magnets are made of a laminated card + a nice thick 35 mil magnet. There is a clear laminate border around the card to prevent any rain from seeping in through the side of the magnet. This is important for an outdoor magnet- you don't want your magnet falling apart as soon as the magnet gets rained on.



Get a quality magnet from the get go. Because your business deserves better. Because you will be in business for years to come, and your business car magnets should look good.

Sizes priced out on the website are 8x3.25 inches, 10x4 inches, and 10x8 inches.

Tis the Season...

You normally think about winter when you read that phrase "tis the season"; But right now, it is the season for spring wedding invitations and autumn save the dates.

Check out this 5x7 inch invitation card:


A new design, it focuses on the "fleur de lis". The printing is all black, but the card stock is a light blue.


In other news, I must declare the "STDC5A" save the date card design to be quite a favorite for those autumn events. These are 5x3.5 inch cards, printed on white card stock.

Save the- Oops! 6 save the date mistakes.

Hip!nk just wrote an excellent blog entitled "The Top 5 Wedding Invitation Mistakes".

It is well worth reading, and, it got me thinking. Extending that idea to save the dates... what are the most common mistakes I see couples making when they are ordering save the date magnets or cards? After 13 years primarily working with save the dates, there are a few things that come to mind.

1) Too Many!

2) Asking for RSVPs

3) Including "& Guest"

4) TMI

5) Timing!

6) Small magnets.

Read about why these are mistakes on the website:
https://savethedateoriginals.com/6mistakes.php