Save The Date Examples And Tips

Let the wedding excitement begin! You've set the date and found your dream venue; it's now time to tell your loved ones about your big day plans. But before sending a rough and ready group text or jumping ahead to formal wedding invitations, did you know the best way to share your exciting wedding news is through save-the-date cards? They are perfect for setting the tone for the festivities ahead, as well as encouraging your guests to mark your date on their calendars, which means that more of the people you care about will join you in celebrating your big day. But what needs to be included on a save-the-date card, and where do you start?

It's easy to become overwhelmed with wedding and save-the-date etiquette, so we've simplified it for all of you future brides and grooms. Continue reading for guidance on all the details that should be on your save-the-dates (and what you should leave off) and a range of save-the-date invitation card examples suitable for all types of couples and celebrations, including formal, informal, and destination weddings.

How to write and send save-the-date cards

Before you start on the actual wording, take a look at our tips for writing save-the-date cards and what we recommend you do before diving straight in!

Get organized: Write and send save-the-date cards in plenty of time to give your guests enough notice to get themselves organized. According to save-the-date etiquette, you should try to write your cards six to eight months before your wedding or even earlier if you're hosting a destination wedding where many of your guests will need to pre-plan their travel and book time off work.

Be clear on your guest list: Firm up your guest list and send out save-the-date cards to everyone you would like to have at your wedding. Top tip! Evening guests don't tend to receive save-the-date cards, just the wedding invitation.

Choose your format: Paper or online save-the-date cards? It really is your call. But if you're creating a wedding website (which we highly recommend you do!), then you could choose to go completely digital with your wedding stationery suite. Not only will you benefit from the super handy RSVP feature, but going digital will save you money, time, and a few trees, too!

What to include: Keep in mind that your save-the-dates are just a quick note to inform your guests of the date and location of your wedding so that they can book time off work and begin planning transport and accommodation. At this point, this is all they need to know! Therefore, only the following wedding details should be included on your save-the-dates:

• The happy couple's names

• The wedding date

• The location of the wedding (town, city, region, or country)

• Inform guests that your formal wedding invitation will follow

• Offer plus ones. This is the time when you can determine if a guest has a plus one or not

What not to include: You don't want to give away too much detail at this time, and you may not have finalised the running order of the day, so here are a few things you don't need to mention on your save-the-dates:

• Name of wedding venue(s)

• Ceremony or reception time

• Details on how to RSVP

• Registry information

Less is more! The key here is to keep it short and sweet. You are not required to provide the name of your venue at this point, nor are there any specifics regarding your RSVP. Keep this information for your wedding website and/or the formal invitations to follow. If you end up providing detailed information at this point, you're just opening yourself up to unnecessary questions. The sole purpose of a save-the-date is purely to get the date in your guests' diaries and share your excitement, of course!

Reflect your wedding style: A save-the-date card is a little teaser of what's to come. Therefore, choose wording for your save-the-date that complements your wedding's theme or style---more on this later!

Make them unique: While the words you choose for your save-the-date card are important, so is the design. Pick a save-the-date card template that has space to include a photo from your engagement shoot or that has an illustration you love. That way, there'll never be another save-the-date card quite like yours.

Save-the-date wording examples

Your save-the-date cards should perfectly reflect the two of you as a couple and your upcoming wedding celebration. With this in mind, they ought to hint at a few things for your guests to get excited about ahead of your special day. For example, if you're planning a grand, stately wedding, pick traditional save-the-date wording. But go for a more casual tone if your big day is going to be a relaxed and informal festival-style party. Keep scrolling for examples of these save-the-date tones of voice, as well as some destination wedding wording ideas.

Traditional save-the-date wording ideas

Now you have found out everything there is to know about save-the-date cards, let's kick off with the wording for couples who want to keep things classic. Here are a few traditional save-the-date wording examples to choose from;

Save-the-Date for the wedding of Emma Jane Smith And Henry James Patterson Saturday, the third of May Two thousand and twenty-five Margaret River, Perth Formal invitation to follow

OR

Please save-the-date to celebrate the marriage of Emma Smith And Henry Patterson Saturday 3rd May 2025 Margaret River, Perth Formal invitation to follow

Informal save-the-date wording ideas

Planning a less traditional wedding celebration? Then, go ahead and take your pick from these informal save-the-date wording examples...

Emma + Henry are getting married! Please save-the-date 3.5.25 Margaret River, Perth More details to follow

OR

Save-the-date and dust off your dancing shoes for Emma & Henry's wedding! 03/05/25 Margaret River, Perth More details to follow

Destination wedding save-the-date wording ideas

Destination weddings require a slightly different style of save the date. Pick one of these wording examples if you'll be saying your "I dos" in an exotic location, a long way from home.

Save the weekend! For the wedding of Emma Smith and Henry Patterson Castaway Island, Fiji From the 2nd to the 5th of May, 2025 Formal invite to follow

OR

Fly with us to... Castaway Island, Fiji for our destination wedding Emma and Henry 2nd-5th May 2025 Full details to follow

Sending save-the-date cards is an important (but not essential) step in the wedding planning process, which combines tradition, excitement, and practicality. Whether you opt for traditional paper cards or go digital with Say I do, the key is to make them a true reflection of your relationship and the unique celebration you're busy planning! By keeping to the tips and guidelines we've shared-focusing on the must-includes, steering clear of the don't-needs, and selecting a style that perfectly reflects your wedding theme, you'll end up with beautiful save-the-dates that inform, intrigue and delight your beloved guests!