57 Save the Date Invitation Ideas You'll Love

Your future wedding day is top of mind for you, and the exact date is not one you’ll likely forget. But that’s not the case for all of the friends and family on your guest list. 

Enter save-the-date cards to save the day. These cards share the calendar date of your wedding with invitees—whether the big day is in four months, next year, or the year after. As your first formal wedding communication, they kick off the “It’s really happening!” excitement. 

If you’re gearing up to send out save-the-date invitations you probably have questions: What exactly goes on them? What’s the best way to send them? When do they go out? Do they have to match your wedding style? How do you make yours unique? 

We’ve got you covered. Read on for a rundown of the must-have info on save-the-date cards and the timeline for sending them out. Then explore unique invitation ideas to run with, or to spark your creativity. And, then you’ll be all set to focus on finding the perfect wedding venue.

Why are save-the-date invitations important?

Your guests are busy leading their busy lives and are not thinking about your wedding at every moment (believe it or not!). Save-the-date cards share the possibly far-off date they should keep open for the big day. With a save-the-date card, they won’t book a weekend trip or accept another invitation on that day. They can also begin time-sensitive tasks, such as arranging travel or taking time off from work. 

What wording should you include?

This is simple: Make it short and sweet. The goal here is to get friends and family to block off your wedding day or weekend (or week!) so they don’t double-book. It also often lets guests know where they’ll be headed to celebrate—is the wedding in their neck of the woods or are you having a destination event?

Save-the-date invitations should include:

• Your names (traditionally, the bride’s name comes first).

• The wedding date.

• The general location of the wedding .

• A note that a formal invitation will follow.

• “Save the Date,” “Save Our Date,” or nothing if you prefer—the other information makes the purpose of the card self-evident.  

• Wedding website URL. Only if you have one at this point—no worries if you don’t.  

Because save-the-dates are minimalist, the language tends to fall into two categories: informal and formal.

Informal wording examples:

Veronica & Michael 

Save the Date

October 24, 2020

NYC

Invitation to follow

-

Save the Date!

Jerome | Daniel

August 14, 2020

Jamaica

Invitation to Follow

-

Shana and Liam

Pencil us in!

January 9, 2020

Boulder, Colorado

www.withjoy.com/liamlovesshana

Invitation to follow 

-

Ashley & Charlotte

Sept. 5, 2021

San Diego, CA

Save our Date!

Invitation to follow

Formal wording examples:

Veronica and Michael 

Save the Date

The Twenty-Fourth of October, Two Thousand and Twenty 

New York City, NY

Formal Invitation to Follow

-

Please Save the Date

08 | 14 | 20

For the Wedding of 

Jerome Cobb Washington & Daniel Gordon Mitchell

Jamaica

Formal Invitation to Follow

-

Save the Date for the Wedding of Shana & Liam

January 9, 2020

Boulder, Colorado

www.withjoy.com/liamlovesshana

Formal Invitation to Follow 

-

Ashley | Charlotte

September Fifth, Two Thousand and Twenty One

San Diego, California

Save the Date

Formal Invitation to Follow

When should you send wedding save-the-dates? 

Ideally, save-the-dates go out between six to ten months in advance of the wedding. If it’s a destination wedding, or you’re getting married close to a holiday, give your guests a 12-month heads up.

Who should receive them?

Only those family and friends you are definitely inviting to the wedding should receive save-the-date cards. Skip the ‘maybe’ or ‘group B’ names on your wedding list when sending. You can still send these folks invites later, but sending a save-the-date and changing your mind is a hurtful faux pas.

Can you send them digitally? 

Yes! You can send digital save-the-dates. But the best approach is sending physical cards AND digital cards. This way, you don’t have to worry about emails going to spam folders, or waste time hunting down email addresses when you’ve already sent a card by snail mail. Sites such as With Joy allow you to create digital save-the-dates and order physical cards to match. 

Do they have to match the formal invitations?

No. Sometimes save-the-dates go out before couples decide their wedding theme or their invitation style. If this is your situation, don’t worry! It is perfectly fine to send out unique save-the-dates.

Types of save-the-date card designs:

The most common save-the-date card design is a simple postcard. This makes it easy for guests to place the card in a central location, such as on the refrigerator or a household bulletin board.  

The styles of these cards can vary widely, but their design often sets the stage for the style of the wedding. Here are some design and style ideas to consider including: 

• A photo of the happy couple.

• A magnet (made with a card or another material, such as a stainless steel disk or die-cut wood.) 

• Only the words. A minimalist style that sets a formal tone. 

• Gold or silver foil framing and lettering.

• Bold white print on a matte black background.

• Floral borders, perhaps reflecting your flower choices.

• A bookmark shape.

• A watercolor print background in your wedding colors.

• Simple DIY cardstock postcards, with the information written in neat block print or calligraphy. 

You can design your cards on sites such as With Joy, Snapfish, and Shutterfly. If you are organizing a wedding on a budget, you can also take a DIY approach. Have a good friend who loves lettering or calligraphy? They’d probably love the chance to put a handmade spin on your save-the-dates. 

Now get inspired with creative save-the-date ideas!

1. Embossed leather luggage tags for a destination wedding.

2. Printed wine corks.

3. Custom printed chocolate bar wrappers.

4. Custom wine bottle labels. Put them on your favorite vinyage, pack, and send.  

5. “Pencil Us In!” cards with pencil included.

6. Passports for a destination wedding.

7. Scratch off cards.

8. Mini magnet calendars of the month of your wedding, with a heart over date.

9. Vintage telegrams. 

Fall wedding ideas:

10. Autumn botanical prints on cardstock. Think sunflowers, fall leaves, chrysanthemum, and dried wheat.

11. Photo prints of you both in an Autumn setting. 

12. Printed felt maple leaves.

13. Bookmarks with leaf print and satin ribbon in a luxe fall color. 

14. Die cut wood pumpkin magnets.

15. Personalized mini faux pumpkins. Requires packing and shipping.

16. Cardstock acorns.

Winter wedding ideas:

17. Custom-printed ceramic coffee or hot cocoa mugs. Requires boxing and shipping.

18. Custom mini-snow globes. Requires boxing and shipping.

19. Painted or etched christmas ornaments.

20. Die cut pine trees on cardstock.

21. Deer silhouette against white background.

22. Candy canes with velvet ribbon and tags.

23. Cardstock with wreath print.

24. Laser cut snowflakes.

Spring wedding ideas:

25. Spring flowers on cardstock. Think daffodils, tulips, Queen Anne’s lace, and primrose.

26. Pastel embroidered dish towels.  

27. Custom paperweights with florals.

28. Floral stickers.

29. Floral embroidered wristbands. 

30. Pastel watercolor wash on cardstock.

31. Lavender tea bags.

Summer wedding ideas:

32. Printed or etched cork coasters.

33. Printed plantable paper cards. Guests can put the date on their calendar and plant the cards!

34. Vintage-inspired vacation postcard.

35. Printed balloons attached to card that says “Please Inflate!”

36. Cardstock popsicles.

37. Card with pressed dried flowers.

38. Card with an ivy border.

39. Paper folding fans.

40. Stainless steel bottle openers. 

Rustic wedding ideas:

41. Die cut wood mason jar magnets.

42. Cards with weathered wood background. 

43. Mini chalkboards and easels.

44. Leather embossed bookmark.

45. Printed pressed tin. 

46. Mini printed bunting banners.

47. Printed seed packets.

48. Printed burlap bags with chocolates.

49. Embroidered potholders.

Cheap DIY ideas:

50. Polaroids with a save-the-date sticker at the bottom. Glue a magnet to the back.

51. Origami cranes. Time consuming, but very unique. 

52. Iced sugar cookies.

53. Photo booth pictures with metallic permanent marker.

54. Custom stamps for stamping colorful cardstock.  

55. Paper airplanes with your wedding date inside.

56. Vintage map squares with calligraphy.

57. Mini books.

Finally: Don’t overthink it. They are important and without a doubt exciting, but you don’t have to have to be highly organized with your planning to send them. The most important thing is getting them out early so you can celebrate with the ones you love. 

Next up, find out the secrets to clear RSVP wording. Or learn the top wedding planning tips, tricks, and hacks that make the whole process easier and more fun!