A save the date does one job: it tells your guests to keep a day free. Everything else about it, the format, the design and the wording, is your choice. That is good news, because it means you can do it well on almost any budget.
What a save the date needs to say
- The names of the couple
- The date of the wedding
- The city, the town or the venue
- "Invitation to follow"
- Your wedding website address, if you have one
Leave out the time, the dress code and the RSVP date. You will send them with the invitation. Our guide to wedding invitation wording covers that stage.
Save the date ideas by format
| Format | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Digital link or email | Free | Fast, trackable, any budget |
| Photo postcard | Low, you pay for print and postage | Couples with a favourite engagement photo |
| Fridge magnet | Medium | Guests who will look at it every day |
| Letterpress or foil card | Higher | Formal weddings with matching stationery |
| Custom item (calendar, tea bag, seed packet) | Medium to higher | Couples who want something guests keep |
Digital save the date ideas
- A link to your wedding website. The page shows the date, the area and a place to share an address. It costs nothing and you can change it later.
- A short video. Ten seconds of you two, with the date on screen. Send it to the family group chat.
- An animated card. Good for guests who will open it on their phone.
- A calendar invite. Guests save the date in one tap, and it appears in the diary they use every day.
- A QR code on a printed card. A guest scans the code and goes straight to your wedding website. See our guide to QR code wedding invitations.
Printed save the date ideas
- Photo cards. A flat card with your favourite photo on the front and the details on the back.
- Magnets. Guests put them on the fridge, where they stay for months.
- Postcards. Cheap to post, and they work with a map of your venue or a place you love.
- Illustrated cards. A drawing of your venue or your town gives a personal look without a photo shoot.
- Handwritten notes. For a small wedding, a note in your own handwriting is warm and costs only a stamp.
Creative save the date ideas that fit a theme
- A destination wedding: a luggage tag or a passport style card.
- A countryside wedding: a seed packet that guests can plant.
- A winter wedding: a card with a pressed leaf or a pine illustration.
- A relaxed wedding: a funny photo of the two of you and a short line, such as "We're doing it. Keep the day free."
Save the date wording examples
- "Save the date. Priya and Tom are getting married. 14 June 2027. Cornwall. Invitation to follow."
- "We're getting married! Please save the date: 14 June 2027. More details at our wedding website."
- "Mark your calendars. Ellie and James. 14 June 2027. Formal invitation to follow."
- "Pack your bags. We're getting married in Lisbon on 14 June 2027. Details to follow."
When to send save the dates
| Type of wedding | Send the save the date |
|---|---|
| Local wedding | 6 to 9 months before |
| Guests must travel | 9 to 12 months before |
| Destination wedding | 12 months before, or earlier |
| Holiday weekend or peak season | 12 months before |
Send the invitations about 8 to 12 weeks before the wedding. Our wedding planning timeline shows where the save the date fits.
Etiquette: who gets one, and who does not
- Send a save the date to every person you will invite to the ceremony or the whole day.
- Do not send a save the date to someone you may not invite. It promises an invitation.
- If you are not sure about plus-ones, read our guide to plus-one etiquette before you build the list.
- Address each save the date to the people you mean. Write the names of the people, not "and guest", if you know them.
- Send the cards to everyone on the same day, so no one hears the news second-hand.
Common save the date mistakes
- Sending before the date and the venue are booked
- Forgetting "invitation to follow", so guests think it is the invitation
- Sending to people who then do not get an invitation
- Printing the wrong date, so check it twice
- Leaving out the area, which is what guests need to book travel
Frequently asked questions
When should you send save the dates?
Send them 6 to 9 months before the wedding for a local wedding. Send them 9 to 12 months before for a destination wedding or a date on a holiday weekend. Send them as soon as you have confirmed the date and the venue or the area.
What should a save the date include?
Include the names of the couple, the date, and the city or venue. Add "Invitation to follow" so guests know that formal details are coming. If you have a wedding website, add the link. You do not need the time, the dress code or the RSVP date yet.
Do you have to send a save the date?
No. A save the date is a courtesy, and it matters most when guests need to travel, book time off or find a hotel. If your wedding is small and local, an early invitation does the same job.
Who should get a save the date?
Send one to everyone you plan to invite. Do not send one to anyone you are not sure about, because a save the date is a promise of an invitation. Your evening-only guests can wait for their invitation.
Are digital save the dates acceptable?
Yes. Digital save the dates are free, fast and easy to track. They suit most weddings. For older relatives who are not online, post a paper card.
Do you need a wedding website before you send save the dates?
No, but it helps. A website with the date, the area and a place to leave an address saves you from answering the same questions many times. The venue and the date are enough to start.
Build the guest list that your save the dates will go to
Add your guests to ForeverAfter once. The same list feeds your wedding website, your RSVPs and your seating plan.
Related guides: How to Create a Wedding Website, Wedding Guest List Tips, The Complete Wedding RSVP Guide.