Whether you're getting hitched at home or abroad, these adventurous notes are a fun way to upgrade your paper goods.
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You don't need to throw a destination wedding to add a bit of adventure to your big day. In fact, you can introduce travel motifs long before the date arrives in the form of your paper suite. We're not talking about sending out a set illustrated with maps of your favorite places or even choosing a color palette predicated on that location's landscapes (though we do love those ideas!). Instead, consider formatting your big-day stationery into the notes that we so often associate with travel: postcards.
These adventure-affiliated notes are perfect for this particular life step. You typically send them to people you love, wherever you are in the world—which makes them even more appropriate as wedding paper goods. Of course, a love of exploration doesn't have to be the reason why you choose a postcard invitation or save-the-date. Several of the following examples, all taken from real celebrations, prove just that. Ahead, you'll discover that plenty of couples repurposed engagement photos into postcard-style notes. Others simply featured popular scenes from their native locale, giving guests a taste of what was to come.
For fun, we even threw in a few more creative ways (beyond the conventional invitation suite!) that duos incorporated the trend into their wedding, from guest book alternatives to escort cards. However you decide to use these small notes, they're sure to add a casual touch to your big day's paper goods. And instead of the "wish you were here" sentiment so often associate with postcards, you'll be conveying something entirely new: "We can't wait until you're here."
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Navy and White
For a vintage-inspired celebration, Brightly Designed crafted an invitation suite—complete with a postcard save-the-date feauturing a historic monument—that reflected the style of the celebration.
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Casual
An all-white postcard RSVP was a casual addition to this kitschy illustrated suite—designed around a Spain-inspired color palette—by Amy Heitman.
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Engagement Photo
Photography played a major part in this couple's invitation suite, created by Lazaro Press. From the vineyard envelope liner (a snapshot of their venue!) to the engagement photo RSVP postcard, each piece of the suite felt decidedly personal.
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Vintage
Perfect for a French-inspired wedding, these Ceci New York vintage notes, which featured images of the Eiffel Tower and other landmarks, clued guests in about the style of the celebration to come.
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Botanical
Punctuated by their venue's indigenous flora and wildlife, this couple opted for an RSVP postcard that tied back to their entire suite, which was created by Maude Press and calligraphed by Calligraphy Katrina.
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Palm Tree
A palm tree-lined postcard acted as this California couple's save-the-date and foreshadowed the duo's ceremony venue.
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Palm Springs
The blocky, punchy text that's become so representative of Palm Springs adorned scenic postcards for this pair's future California celebration. The newlyweds stuck with the locale's motifs when selecting a sunshine-hued palm tree invitation.
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Ireland
A pre-wedding postcard accompanied this couple's Ceci New York suite, many of which made their way across the pond.
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Guest Book
As a guest book alternative, this couple asked their attendees to pen well wishes and marriage advice on the backs of postcards covered with picturesque scenes from Paris.
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Bahamas
This vintage postcard (by Copper Willow Paper Studio!), complete with a portrait of a bikini-clad beachgoer, served as the save-the-date for one duo's destination wedding in the Bahamas.
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Miscellaneous
The coolest part about these save-the-dates was that no two postcard notes were the same—but all featured colorful scenes from all over the couple's native New York.
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Escort Cards
An assortment of postcards took the place of traditional paper escort cards at this fête. In creative fashion, each card referenced its assigned guest's home state.
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Marfa
Like their punchy floral arrangements, the couple's Marfa save-the-dates referenced their wedding location's arid, rusty landscape. The see-through text showcased snapshots of the area's iconic scenery, from its dessert to landmark architecture.
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Romantic
A photo of these fiancés kissing under an old tree made for a nature-filled and romantic postcard-style save-the-date, by Darla Marie Designs.
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Lake Scene
The groom designed each part of this camp-themed save-the-date (and ensuing suite!), which foreshadowed the Adirondack wedding weekend soon to follow.
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Bold and Minimal
Party on the front and minimal on the back, this Palm Springs-style postcard save-the-weekend by Amber Moon Design proved that your paper suite can have the best of both worlds.
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Montana
To prep their guests for their rustic, red barn Montana nuptials, this duo sent out a postcard with an illustration of the mountainous and lake-filled landscape ahead of their suite.
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Wood Postcard
With the help of Cards of Wood, the groom printed these 1960s-style postcard wedding invitations (which he designed himself!) on wood veneer.
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Travel
Each part of this Suitesmith invitation suite, from the map-style envelope liner to the postcard RSVP, was an homage to both grooms' love for travel.
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Desert-Themed
We loved these Factory Made save-the-dates, which offset a prickly cacti scene with millennial-pink text banners.
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Illustrated
Honeyhue Paper Co. was inspired by Tuscany when crafting this botanical, watercolor suite, from the twinkly-light adorned invite to the leafy RSVP postcard.