As if January weren’t already bursting with new beginnings and big plans, you’re adding “happily ever after” to your vision of the future. There’s lots to do, so start by spreading the news of your impending happy ending far and wide with custom save the date cards. Even if the details of your big day are far from final, if you know the date and the place it’s key to get your save the date card out to guests you are sure will be on the final list.

One photo cards If you have a single great portrait of you and your spouse-to-be, a one-photo card is ideal. There’s something lovely about keeping your couple portrait simple and having a separate typographic and design treatment that displays all the basic details of your big day on the horizon. Mixbook’s Elegant Script card announces your big news with great flourish in calligraphic text framed by scrolling ligatures. Mixbook’s Whimsical Chalk card displays those details more casually with chalk text on a blackboard background. And the Wreath Save The Date card frames the bride-and-groom’s initials in a wreath that picks up the green from a portrait taken in a natural, bucolic setting beautifully.

"Elegant Script" "Whimsical Chalk" "Wreath Save the Date"

Full photo cards If you have a single great photo of you and your betrothed that has some natural space in the composition for an overlay of text, a full-photo card – where the photograph itself goes from edge to edge on all four sides – is perfect. Mixbook’s Save The Date Heart card is ideal when you use your photograph in black and white so that the translucent rose-colored heart really pops. And Mixbook’s It's A Sign card works best if there’s some quiet space on the horizontal edges of the card so there’s a natural place for the customized label-arrows to sit. Mixbook’s new Love Save The Date and Mod Save The Date cards work beautifully if your portrait is naturally darker at the bottom of the image. Keep in mind that you can always manipulate your photograph so that it’s darker at the bottom and brighter at the top. Choose the Our Timeline card if you have a horizontally oriented image and a few standout dates from the history of your relationship that you’d like to celebrate.

"Save the Date Heart" "It's A Sign" "Love Save the Date" "Mod Save the Date" "Our Timeline"

Collage If you have a series of photos from a single event – where the images are related visually – a collage save-the-date layout is a fabulous way to go. Friends and family members will enjoy getting an inside glimpse of what your dynamic is. Try to include a variety of shots – in other words, make sure you’re not kissing in all of them. Make one shot of the two of you holding hands, another of you laughing together, another just lounging together…and yes, maybe one of you kissing. You get the idea – it’s all about letting the breadth of your energy as a couple come through in a photographic collage. Play around with your series of photographs in one of Mixbook’s latest save-the-date collage layouts – from the natural-looking Kraft Paper Collage to the simple Lovely Bond or Transparent Save The Date layouts. Or go bold and modern with the new Triangle Collage that lets couple images peek out through triangles that form a graphic diamond shape.

"Kraft Paper Collage" "Lovely Bond" "Transparent Save the Date" "Triangle Collage"