Make your own Scratch Off Save the Dates!

 In the world of weddings, the do-it-yourselfers manage to pull off the same fantastic results as any wedding planner for half the cost. When each detail is handled with a personal touch, the thrifty bride is not only able to save, but able to customize each portion of the event to perfectly suit her taste. Yet if you’re having doubts about your own creativity, you may wonder whether or not you could ever accomplish the same sorts of results as those crafters you’ve seen. While some of these tricks may seem impossible, you can hop on board the DIY trend yourself with these scratch off save the dates—a fun and easy way to let your guests know that you and your significant other are getting hitched.

Now, before you can make these save the date cards, you’ll have to have a set of engagement photos to work with. Working with a professional photographer will ensure the best results, and paying the fee to upgrade your package to include digital copies of the photos will be worth it in the end.

Once you have your engagement photos in hand (or on hard-drive), you’re ready to begin the design process! If you’re tech savvy, you may choose to complete this portion yourself. Beautiful, personalized designs can easily be made with programs like Adobe Illustrator or Microsoft Publisher, although, if you’re using the latter, be sure to format your final design for commercial printing. If you’re not familiar with those types of programs, many graphic designers offer their services through sites like eBay and Etsy—MyScratchOffLabels.com offers a design option for only $19.99, after the purchase of the printing service.

The design process is one of the most critical portions of creating a scratch off save the date card. In order to ensure that the design you’ve agreed upon is compatible with the printer, make sure to use the CMYK color print format in a minimum of 300 dpi. If you’re not quite familiar with that sort of lingo, don’t fear—the person you’ve chosen to design your save the date will be, and you’ll be sure to get the best possible quality print.

Sites like Zazzle.com or VistaPrint.com offer affordable printing, but be warned—oftentimes when a printer agrees to print smaller qualities than 100, a digital press is being used, which lowers the overall quality of the print itself and of the UV coating. For the best results, find a printer that will print your save the dates on a professional grade offset printing press. Sometimes, your best bet for finding the printer right for you is to simply march in to that little print press down on the corner, where you’ll be able to meet with someone face-to-face and explain to them exactly what you’re looking for—not to mention the added bonus of the fact that you’ll be supporting a local small business.

From here, the task becomes easy. Order the appropriate number of scratch off label stickers, which can be purchased through our website (MyScratchOffLabels.com) in different colors, shapes, and size. When the order arrives, simply peel a sticker off of its backing and place it on the designated spot on the card. Oftentimes, if the dimensions of the image or message you’re covering are too close to the dimensions of the sticker itself, placing the sticker down can become a frustrating job—if you’re not designing the image yourself, be sure to pass that information on to your designer. My Scratch Off Labels provides a cheater dot for you to work with to help increase your accuracy as you apply the label. However, once you get the hang of the thing, putting on the stickers proves fun. The standard size for a save the date postcard is 4x6, which means that after the stickers have been applied, you can simply pop them into A4 (4 ¼ x 6 ¼ inch) envelopes and send them out with the next mail pickup.

Scratch off save the dates are a fun and exciting way to announce your wedding to friends and family, sure to stand out in anyone’s mind. By creating these personalized, custom save the dates, you’ll be able to join the ranks of those Do-It-Yourselfers you’ve seen gracing every wedding blog around—with a little bit of time and patience, you, too, can create a fun and unique save the date that’s sure to delight every guest.