Your wedding save-the-dates and invitations will be the first indication of the kind of wedding you're planning, and you want to make a good first impression. A card featuring calligraphy and engravings indicates a formal, traditional wedding; a card with a funky or personalized design indicates a more informal, fun affair. A badly designed card may not make an impression at all, and you definitely don't want that!

What's the Difference?

Save-the-date cards, announcements, invitations -- what's the difference and which is the correct one to send?

Save-the-date cards are informal announcements sent to guests to alert them about the upcoming wedding. They may announce your engagement or include the ceremony date, without giving specific RSVP information. Invitations are more formal, contain ceremony and accommodation specifics (date, time, accommodations where the couple has reserved a block of rooms, and where the couple is registered) and are intended to collect RSVPs. Finally, announcements are usually sent out after the wedding to family or friends who were not invited to the ceremony itself.

Design Basics

The style of your invitation should match the style of your wedding. Traditional, formal weddings call for traditional, formal invitations, which include: ecru or white cards, engraved text, simple typeface and names and addresses written in calligraphy.

When choosing your design, check out samples of other invitations. Invitation companies offer samples of their work; skim through and see what appeals to you. Request samples before buying, so you can make sure you get exactly what you want.

For Your Western Wedding

Tying the knot Western style or just looking to add touches of country flair to your Texas wedding? Summon guests to your Western wedding with unique Western invitations. Try a shimmering invitation featuring a cowboy couple. A pair of mustangs also adds elegant country flair. Or use a translucent cream overlay featuring western riders or a gold or silver star. For classic country, use old parchment with singed edges and "brand"-style writing. For a first impression your guests won't forget, send a "WANTED" poster invitation. When guests open the invitation and see WANTED! Your presence at the wedding of John and Jane, they'll be sure to remember the date.

Tips on How to Save

If you need to cut invitation costs, assemble the invitations yourself, avoid expensive engraving and metallic inks, pick a standard size and use postcards for RSVPs to save on postage.

Where to Buy Texas Invitations

While you can buy invitations online, it's best to shop in person so you can see exactly what you're buying and avoid the potential disappointment of not getting exactly what you want. In Texas, try the following: The Pink Tulip in Austin, Papercraze in Houston, or Your Wright Hand in Dallas.