Many brides-to-be have this misconception that the only thing they need to do when it comes to save the date cards is to address and mail them off. Little do they know that there are certain rules and etiquette that must be followed. To prevent you from making some major snafus when planning your wedding, here are some quick and easy save the date tips for you to follow.

1. Guests Lists and Plus Ones

You must make a guest list first. It doesn’t matter if you’ve told everyone you know and plan to invite to your wedding about the news, you should still send them a save the date. Don’t assume that your guests will know whether they can bring a plus one or not. If you want your guests to bring a plus one, you must list their name and the word “and guest” next to it. Otherwise, your guests won’t feel that it’s acceptable for them to bring their significant other or friend. Plus one’s are very important because it allows you to invite couples without having to send out a separate invite for each person. If you don’t mind children coming to your wedding, make sure you address your save the dates for guests that have children as “family”.

2. Spelling Counts

You don’t want to offend anyone by misspelling their name. If you are not sure of how to spell their name, just ask them. There’s nothing worse than expecting someone to show up for your wedding ceremony only to realize the reason they didn’t was because they felt disrespected–because you didn’t take the time to spell their name right on the save the date or invitation.

3. Formalities

Save the dates are meant to be fun and creative. However, when it comes to addressing them, you have to choose whether you want them to be formal or informal. Formal means addressing each guest by their formal name, including their titles. Informal means addressing each guest by their actual name. You could always do a mix of formal and informal by addressing your older guests formally and guests that are around your age or younger informally on your save the dates.

4. What to Do if You Miss Something

If after ordering and receiving your save the dates you notice that you forgot to include a vital piece of information, such as location, time or destination, relax. You don’t have to waste time and money by ordering more save the date cards. A creative and unique way to solve the problem is to consider ordering a custom stamp that includes those details. That way you can stamp each save the date card to give it a new and one of a kind look.

5. Get Creative With the Wording

Make your save the dates interesting by getting creative with the wording. You don’t have to announce your wedding in a stiff and formal way. The words you use can help to generate excitement amongst your guests. Have fun, and use this opportunity to announce to your friends and family how much you and your fiancé love each other and look forward to becoming one.

6. Unexpected and Last Minute Changes

Although you shouldn’t send any save the dates or invitations until you have finalized the date and time at your venue of choice, it’s not uncommon to send them with as little information as a date. In the event that some of your plans fall through and change, you need to let your guests know as soon as possible. That’s why it’s always a good idea for you to create a wedding website.

You should call or email all of your guests to inform them of any changes, but depending on the length of your guest list you may want to take a more practical approach. This is where having a wedding website is handy. Your wedding website should be a one-stop resource on all things regarding your wedding. Any changes should be updated on your site so your guests can visit it at their convenience. You could also put your bridesmaids to work and have them help with contacting each one of your guests. The best way to ensure all of your guests have your wedding website address is to include it on your save the dates.

Keep in mind that you have the freedom to create save the dates your way. Although cards are traditional, you can always choose to do something different, such as candles. You also don’t have to be an artistically inclined person. There are plenty of designs, templates and ideas for you to choose from. Just remember, these notices are the first mode of contact that your friends, family and guests will have regarding your upcoming wedding. So be sure to have some fun while creating them so you can grab your guests’ attention and set the tone for your wedding the right way.

Bryan Passanisi is a marketer living in Redwood City. He graduated from The University of San Francisco. Over the past 3 years, he has managed wedding blogs and created viral wedding photography content. He currently works for Shutterfly as a blogger and marketer. In his free time, he enjoys writing and watching movies.