Save-the-Date Magnets to Announce your Wedding

You’re likely in the middle of selecting that perfect save-the-date card design. But, have you actually thought about what happens when the receiver gets the paper card?

Usually one of two things:

It goes straight on the fridge as an exciting memento and keeps the wedding event on their radar.
It gets left on the counter and forgotten about until the formal invitation arrives. Eventually tossed in the recycling bin.

A lot of time and money are spent on choosing wedding stationery. So one would hope that invited guests can cherish these beauties for more than a day or two.

Which is exactly why our topic today is the save the date magnet. With that in mind, lets jump right in to why we love magnets for wedding date annoucements.

Minted Scripted save the dates with photo — Scripted save the date

A Save the Date Magnet Just for You

A Personal Story

I hadn’t thought deeply about why someone chooses to put certain items on their refrigerator until recently. Andrew and I flew back to Canada after the unexpected death of his uncle. When we entered the kitchen what did we find to our surprise? We found our engagement party photo card still affixed to his fridge … 5 years on!

In those subsequent 5 years since our wedding save-the-date was mailed, the usual weddings, babies, and other family events have taken place. Yet only the photo of Andrew and I hung proudly on his late uncle’s fridge. Andrew’s uncle was a bachelor all his life. And for someone who didn’t have many other framed photos around the house, to see our save the date photo still on his fridge was a silent reminder of how much we meant to him. It was actually very touching.

The kitchen really is the heart of the home, and if you make it to the fridge, you know you are important! Most people hang things like post cards, the latest drawing from school, an upcoming notice, souvenir magnets from travels abroad, or perhaps a calendar on the fridge. In fact, my sister-in law hangs school photos of her best friend’s children (whom live in Sweden) and updates them faithfully every year.

Needless to say, the fridge is a place for important reminders, but also a place for memorable items.

Paper Problem

The problem with most non-magnetic items placed on the fridge — like a paper save the date card — is that over time they tend to get bent, faded, or all off. If you don’t have strong enough magnets, they eventually start slipping every time you open the fridge door, only to fall off next to the fridge or lost in dust land beneath the fridge.

Nobody wants to go searching underneath a fridge!

Not to mention, when you do put a post card on the fridge inevitably a quarter of it is covered up and cluttered by a messy looking magnet. Most of us are trying to reduce clutter and simplify our lives.

Hello, calling all Marie Kondo lovers out there!

As I said above, if someone receives a paper save the date they are most likely to mark it on the calendar and recycle the paper. Instead, give them a reason to hang it on the fridge and savor your lovely card just a little longer.

Would you Prefer a Save the Date Magnet?

I found an informal poll on a Wedding Bee forum (see the results below) where voters were asked the question, “Would you prefer a save the date that’s a magnet?”

Out of a 103 results, 60 said that it would be convenient if they had a magnet on the fridge, while 15 said they prefer a paper card. There were a few remarks in the comment section from the 28 votes that said they could care less, noting that they had a stainless steel fridge and wouldn’t be able to hang it if they wanted to anyways.

Looks like the majority from this poll think it is a good idea.

Do save-the-dates have a photo?

You don’t have to include a picture on your save-the-date. In fact, there are plenty of stylish options that are photo free. However, adding an image is a great way to show off an engagement photo or a cute picture you took, especially if you choose the magnet option.

Our favourite online stationer, Minted, have a range of Save-the-date formats (magnets, postcards, letterpress) available to suit any budget or style. Give your guests more reason to add your smiling faces to their fridge with a photo magnet save-the-date card.

Who knows, maybe you’ll come across it years later like we did!

Minted poem save the dates — Poem save the date

What information should I include on a Save-the-Date?

Save-the-date designs don’t lend themselves to having a lot of extra room for wording, especially when adding an image. One positive point is that save-the-dates don’t actually need a lot of information. Typically all you need to add to your save-the-date includes:

You and your spouse’s names
The city/state where you will marry
The date of the wedding

Optional items include:

A wedding website URL
Wording to the effect, “Formal invitations to follow”

How to mail save-the-date magnets

Yes, these are real magnets you’re dealing with. Before sending out mass amounts of magnets, it is a good idea to test an individual magnet in the envelope you plan to mail it. If needed, buy strong paper to cover the magnetic side.

There are online forum stories of brides not insulating their save-the-date magnets well enough. Guests become convinced they didn’t receive one in the mail, only to realise that the entire envelope and magnetic save-the-date were actually stuck to the side of the mailbox!

#bigoops

Where to buy Save-the-Date Magnets

We used Minted for our wedding save the dates, and have recommended them ever since. Albeit ours were paper based, as Minted did not offer the magnet option at the time.

But they do now!! Minted magnets = huge smiley face from this gal.

Minted’s website is easy to use and they provide a top-quality finished product. Moreover, you have the option to get the same matching design for your wedding website along with all your stationery — save the dates, thank you cards, invites, and of course magnets!

Two added bonuses:

Professional designers can look over your type/design/placement and make tweaks if you want; and
Minted offers FREE envelope address printing, which is a huge help and time saver!