Partygoers will be a step ahead thanks to announcements showcasing dance-step basics. Tease a 1930s-style affair with a fox-trot how-to (pictured here), or offer instructions for the cha-cha, salsa, or waltz.

Save-the-date cards create the first impression that your guests will have of the wedding. Here are some creative ideas for save-the-date cards that your guests will not forget.

Customizable paper blocks printed with your wedding date will undoubtedly secure a spot on your loved ones' calendars. To create them, download the clip art, then send it to ArtPromos.com for printing (these were about $4 a pad, with a minimum order of 120). For a personal touch, jot a message on the top sheet of each. Mail them in square paper boxes (we like the 2 3/4-inch tuck-top version from Bayley's Boxes).

These cards unfold to reveal a weekend's worth of activities, which makes them ideal for weddings with multiple events. Download the clip art, fill in your wheres and whens -- from the welcome dinner to the brunch -- and hit "print" (we used Epson premium presentation paper). Then follow the instructions.

We're all about personal touches, but penning a hundred save-the-dates seems excessive, even to us (save that energy for your thank-you notes!). Instead, write your message once, scan it, and send the PDF to Print Icon to have it made into a photopolymer plate. Then replicate it with the L Letterpress machine (shown on the next slide; paper-source.com).

The L Letterpress machine (paper-source.com) and supplies needed to make letterpress save-the-dates.

Just like a Cracker Jack box, this stationery comes with its own tiny toy: a spinner that reflects the playfulness of your relationship. When guests twist the strings and pull, it creates an image of a heart that's been pierced by Cupid's arrow. Download the clip art and send it to a stationer (ours is by Print Icon) or make them at home. For the spinner, print our clip art onto the front and back of card stock, and cut into 2-inch squares. Punch holes in the sides, and loop strings through the openings. Slip it into a pair of slits in the card.

Sure, you could hire a plane to trail an aerial banner broadcasting your wedding date, and invite your friends and family over to watch it fly by. But posting these 3-D announcements is far more practical (and just as creative). Plus, your invitees will love opening the tiny envelope to reveal your happy news. While the airplane motif is apt for a destination wedding, these cards are also suitable for local celebrations. The Details: Bird & Banner save-the-dates. Postage from Champion Stamp Co.

Hosting a laid-back bash with a focus on sipping and supping? These custom-printed napkins, which suggest an afternoon or evening spent with a cocktail in one hand and hors d'oeuvres in the other, give loved ones a taste of what's to come. The Details: Ditto Paper save-the-dates. Postage from Champion Stamp Co.

With its graceful calligraphy, this letter captures the romance of a love note from another era, but with a contemporary twist: It folds into its own origami-style envelope (a trick that works on any sheet of 8 1/2-by-11-inch paper). These were designed, printed, hand-addressed, and folded by Maybelle Imasa-Stukuls. If you're up to the challenge of printing and folding them yourself (follow the instructions at right), she'll send you a PDF of her artwork and leave the rest to you. Each piece is delicate, so request that the post office hand-cancel them.

Custom-printed matchboxes are a cute alternative to the classic card. They wink to the fireworks guests will see as you exchange vows, and double as keepsakes they can use long after the big day. Download the clip art, and send the file to ForYourParty.com to have them made (you can choose from a wide range of color combinations). Ours are "Tiffany" matchboxes.

Make a statement with a card that relies on digital-clockstyle impressions to relay its message. With the grid as your guide, use colored pens (try Zig Writer Dual Tip Markers, createforless.com) to create any combination of letters and numbers. Inside, there's room for additional information or a personal message. Yellow Owl Workshop "LCD" cards.

Snail mail has never been quite so exciting. Upon opening their envelopes, your friends will be blown away (pun intended) by the surprise inside: balloons printed with the details of your day, attached to white cards bearing simple instructions. The childhood throwback gives guests all the information they need -- and sets the tone for a fun-filled wedding. (Jen Lopardo of L'Office Optimiste "Please Inflate" save-the-date)

Pose for the camera spelling out love with your fingers. Edit our clip art with your information, then print it on heavyweight ink-jet paper. On the flip side, print your photo. Stamp on numbers and letters in bright-red ink. Matte double-sided premium presentation paper by Epson, from Staples. "Smarty Typeface" rubber-stamp kit by Magnetic Poetry, from Addicted to Rubber Stamps.

Open this card, and the details (literally) come spilling out.

These charming save-the-dates prove good news can come in small packages, too.

These save-the-date cards convey their message in fun and distinctive ways. A calendar from a stationer starts at the wedding month; the wedding date is circled in red. Photo booth pictures, magnets, or the dreams of a schoolgirl who practiced writing her married name in her notebook all make great themes. Reminder stickers let guests stick your wedding information on their calendars.

These ideas play up your locale. Each uses a custom rubber stamp; you can have one made at an office-supply store. Trace your state, make a mini map, or send word on a paper airplane.

Begin with an image that you consider emblematic of your wedding; we used a postcard of a chapel. Enlarge or reduce the image on a color photocopier to the size of precut adhesive-backed sheet magnets, leaving room for the details. Affix slips of paper bearing your names and the wedding date to the image to create a template of the finished product. Using a color photocopier, produce as many copies as you will need, and trim to size. Glue each label to a magnet, and mail.

Even if your wedding will be formal, you can send a lighthearted card. Rubber-Stamp Rebus lets you use colorful clip art to spell out a message. Forget Me Knot plays on the idea that a string will remind guests when you're tying the knot. Confetti (in a glassine envelope) lets family and friends know there's something to celebrate. Lastly, a secret message appears when your guests unfold this special square card.

These calendars make a more substantial reminder than a simple save-the-date card. Have your stationer print the cards, or do it yourself on your computer.

Pique your guests' interest about the wedding location.

Remind guests of your wedding with every page they turn. These bookmarks were printed on lightweight card stock, five per sheet, and trimmed to 2-by-7-inch strips. Punch holes; add store-bought tassels. Mail in glassine envelopes with card-stock inserts bearing the address.

Tell guests you've set a date with a calendar-inspired card. Whether it's a folded calendar, a mini version, a single page, or a simple sentiment on kraft paper, these ideas are hard to forget.

Instead of sending traditional save-the-date cards, make it easy for guests to "pencil in" your wedding date with customized writing tools perfect for the job.

Guests are sure to remember your wedding day if all they have to do is peel and stick a reminder to their calendars. You can personalize adhesive labels at home.

Receiving pertinent information early gives guests time to plan. Clockwise from top left: A slender folder from an office-supply store holds a save-the-date letter, a list of accommodations, and some brochures. A ribbon-bound booklet offers the particulars of wedding-related events: the bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, and so on. This bluebird-and-floral-motif mailing is two-in-one: One card gives the date and place, another names local hotels.

With save-the-date cards, even classic styles can have a little embellishment. Guests will eagerly mark their calendars when they get one of these. Clockwise from top: The couple's monograms grace this scripted card; a playful letterpress card reads, "Going to the chapel and we're gonna get married"; preprinted cards with a top-hat icon leave room for a message; and an anchor icon hints at a seaside locale.