You’ve set the date. You’ve booked the venue. Excitement levels are through the roof! Now it’s time to let your guests in on the big news. While you could start spreading the word casually, there’s no better way to make it official than with the first piece of your wedding stationery: a save the date.
With 2025 shaping up to be another bustling year for weddings, getting your date out early is more important than ever. Popular venues and weekends fill up fast, and sending save the dates ensures your guests mark their calendars before other commitments arise. Not only does this thoughtful gesture help avoid scheduling conflicts, but it also sets the tone for your celebration - whether you’re planning a chic city affair, a dreamy countryside wedding, or a destination celebration.
Wondering when to send save the dates? Or looking for inspiration to make yours truly stand out? Keep reading, because we’ve got everything you need to know, from templates to etiquette, and plenty of stunning ideas to spark your creativity.
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Once you’ve booked your venue, you’re good to go! Ideally, save the dates should be sent 9 months before the big day, though anywhere between 6 to 12 months works well. This gives your guests plenty of time to arrange travel, secure time off work, organise childcare, and save for the big day - especially if it’s a destination wedding or involves long-distance travel.
For international guests or those travelling from afar, a verbal or email heads-up as soon as the venue is booked will probably be helpful, even before you’ve sent out your save the dates. This extra notice can help them snag the best flight deals and plan ahead.
Similarly, if your wedding falls during a busy tourist season, aim to send your save the dates closer to the 12-month mark. This ensures guests have a better chance of finding reasonably priced travel and accommodation options, avoiding last-minute stress or high prices.
Be mindful of who you’re sending save the dates to, as the assumption is that they’ll be invited to the full day - not just the evening reception. While save the dates typically don’t include names on the card itself, addressing the envelope correctly can help avoid misunderstandings.
For example, clearly indicate the intended guests (e.g., "Ms Naughton and Guest") if inviting guests in a shared household. This small detail ensures they know whether they can bring a plus one or involve other family members in their plans for travel or accommodation. Clarifying this early on avoids awkward conversations later (which you'll definitely thank yourself for).
Save the dates are all about keeping it simple and informative. At a minimum, include:
If you’ve already set up a wedding website, feel free to add the URL to help guests plan accommodation or travel arrangements early.
Avoid overloading your save the dates with too much detail - it’s not the time for gift registry information (which could come across as presumptuous) or an order of the day. Those details are best saved for the formal invitations that will follow.
In terms of style, save the dates can either coordinate with your full wedding stationery suite or stand alone as a unique design that reflects you and your partner’s personality, or the vibe, theme and colour palette of your wedding.
Save the Date Template
Need a starting point for your save the dates? Here’s a simple and elegant template:
“Save the Date!
[Your Names] are getting married on [Date]
Location: [City/Location/Venue]
Formal invitation to follow.”
Your save the dates can be as creative or traditional as you like. Popular options include:
Add a personal touch to your stationery with Papier’s personalised save the dates. Featuring elegant designs like the Wedding Photo Frame, these cards let you showcase a favourite photo of you and your partner while sharing your wedding details in style. Printed on premium paper with customisable fonts and colours, they’re perfect for setting the tone of your big day.
Vistaprint
For a save the date your guests won’t lose sight of (literally), these customisable magnets from Vistaprint are the perfect choice. Choose from a range of elegant designs, personalise with your details, and create a keepsake your guests will love. Plus, they’re compact and easy to send in the post. If you’re looking for a modern twist on traditional stationery, this could be just the thing!
Not On The High Street
Combine elegance and practicality with these Sage Green Save the Date Magnets from Secret Creation on Not On The High Street. The soft, sophisticated colour palette is perfect for modern weddings, while the magnet design ensures your guests can keep your date front and centre. Each magnet is beautifully presented on a matching card, ready to slip into the included envelope for a seamless mailing experience.
Printed.com
For timeless and beautifully printed stationery, Printed.com offers a stunning selection of wedding save the date cards. With a variety of premium paper stocks and finishes, you can create a design that perfectly reflects your wedding style. Whether you’re after something minimalist and modern or romantic and floral, their easy-to-use personalisation tools make it simple to bring your vision to life.
Not On The High Street
For a playful and creative approach to your wedding stationery, these hand-drawn Wedding Doodles Save the Date Cards from Paper Willow on Not On The High Street are a fun choice. Customisable with your names and wedding date, these high-quality cards ensure they’ll make a delightful impression as the first glimpse of your big day.
Joy
Joy offers a seamless solution for your save the dates, with both digital and print options available. Perfect for modern couples, their designs are fully customisable, ranging from minimalistic to bold and vibrant styles. The digital save the dates are ideal for quick and eco-friendly announcements, while their printed versions add a traditional touch with premium quality finishes.
Absolutely! Digital save the dates are eco-friendly, cost-effective, and ideal for tech-savvy guests. Just make sure you have everyone’s correct email addresses and follow up with a printed invitation closer to the wedding.
Generally, save the dates are sent to day guests only. Evening guests receive invitations closer to the wedding date. However, if you’re having a very small, informal wedding, or your evening event is significant, you could consider including evening guests. Just make the distinction clear on the card.
The short answer? No. While it’s incredibly helpful to give your guests early notice, save the dates aren’t mandatory. As with everything in wedding planning, you should only do what feels right for you.
If you have a short engagement, it might make more sense to go straight to sending your main invitations. However, save the dates are particularly useful if you’re hosting a destination wedding, have guests travelling from afar, or simply want to ensure everyone has plenty of time to plan. They’re an easy way to share essential details early on, helping your loved ones prioritise your big day in their calendars.
At Rock My Wedding, we’re lucky enough to see some truly stunning stationery designs. While off-the-shelf options can be gorgeous, there’s something undeniably special about stationery crafted by talented designers. Looking to make a lasting impression with your save the dates or thinking ahead to those all-important invitations? Our Recommended Suppliers are the perfect place to start. Explore the stationery section to find designers who can bring your wedding vision to life!