Wedding date and venue confirmed? Check! Guest list completed? Check! The next step: Sending out your Save the Dates. These cards will announce your big day to your potential wedding guests and precede the official invitations. While save-the-date wording is fairly straightforward, there are a few “rules” to follow as you write them to make sure guests have the right information.
In this guide, we’ll share a few Save the Date examples, templates, and etiquette tips to use for inspiration.
Save the Date Etiquette and Wording Tips
Before mailing off your wedding invitations, save-the-date cards help give you an idea of who plans to attend your ceremony. According to the wedding planning timeline, you should go out at least eight months before your set date.
Here are a few more “etiquette” tips on what to include and keep in mind.
Keep it short
Your Save the Dates should be simple, to-the-point cards that answer the who, where, and when of your wedding (we already know the why!) If you have a wedding website, include the link for those who would like to dive into the specifics ASAP.
Joy’s printed Save the Dates gives you an additional option to include a QR code that drives straight to your wedding website, giving your guests another convenient way to learn more.
Consider the next steps you want to prompt
When guests receive your card, the actions you likely want them to take include confirming they’re available on your wedding date, inserting your wedding info into their calendar, and beginning to consider what they need to do to prepare for the celebration. So, make sure the information on your cards will prompt these activities.
For a destination wedding, this card can also point guests toward the information they need to get a head start on travel plans.
Let recipients know an invitation will follow
Make sure guests don’t confuse the Save the Date with your official invite. It’s best to leave a note at the bottom of the card mentioning that the official invitation will follow. Save the Date cards don’t usually include all of the important information about the wedding like invitations do, so a line reminding recipients about upcoming invites is helpful.
Send them out early
It’s ideal to send save-the-dates about six months before the wedding. For a destination wedding, you want to get the cards out 10-12 months in advance, as people need plenty of time to plan for time off and book travel and accommodations.
Select a design that reflects your wedding style
As the Save the Date will be the first piece of correspondence about your wedding, be sure it emulates the general style you think you’ll opt for on the big day.
Joy offers both digital and printed Save the Dates that can even match your existing wedding website design. Or, if you’re looking to highlight your engagement photos, you can choose to upload your favorite image to be included.
Only send to people you want as wedding guests
Save the Dates should be sent only to those you’re sure you want at your wedding. Even though these aren’t the official invites, they deliver the message that the recipients are invited.
Proofread before sending
Before you order or email your Save the Date cards, read over the information multiple times, and have one or two other people proofread, to help ensure nothing is misspelled, and all the information is there.
Consider digital save-the-dates
Make the sending of Save the Dates easy and cost effective by sending digital cards. Sites like Joy allow you to send online Save the Dates for free and provide an assortment of unique designs to choose from.
Get creative
If you’re not into creating DIY cards but still want to make your cards more unique, you can add extras like an engagement photo, poem, favorite quote, or other feature that expresses your personality. However, resist the temptation to add too much, as this can clutter the card.
Here are some wording ideas to help you create your save-the-date as simply as possible.
Save the Date Template and Examples
While most Save the Date cards provide the following information, there’s quite a bit of wiggle room with how traditional or casual you get with the wording. But in general, you’ll want to include:
- Invitation to save the date
- Your names (customary to include your full names on traditional cards)
- Date of the wedding (or date range for destination wedding festivities)
- Location of the wedding
- Wedding website link
- Note that a formal invite will follow
Traditional wording examples
Easy to write and follow, traditional save-the-date wordings are straight to the point.
| Example 1 Please save the date to celebrate the marriage of George Miller and Kelly Brown September 20, 2025 Austin, Texas https://withjoy.com/GeorgeandKelly Formal invitation will follow |
| Example 2 Jamie Morrow and Samantha Cohen Will be married June 8, 2025 Park City, Utah Formal invitation to follow |
| Example 3 Save the Date Brady Jones and Lizzy Wilson request your presence at their wedding on Saturday, June Twenty-Sixth Two Thousand Twenty-Five At the Plaza Hotel in New York, New York Formal invitation to come |
| Example 4 Please save the date To celebrate the union of Jason Hernandez and Mark Smith October 10, 2025 New York, New York Formal invitation to follow |
| Example 5 Save the Date the tenth of April two thousand twenty-six Avery Garcia and David Moore San Francisco, CA https://withjoy.com/AveryandDavid Formal invitation to follow |
Casual wording examples
Wording your save-the-dates with a playful and casual tone can make them sound more personalized and unique. Here are some examples of how to write in this style.
| Example 1 Save the date because … Holly Smith and Connor Williams are getting married in San Francisco! May 25, 2025 https://withjoy.com/HollyandConnor Formal invitation to follow |
| Example 2 Save the Date! Yvonne and Neal are getting hitched in Miami, Florida May 25, 2025 Invitation to follow |
| Example 3 It’s finally happening! Josh and Kyle are taking the plunge. Save the date: 9.18.25 San Diego, California Keep an eye out for your formal invitation |
| Example 4 Dan proposed … Elizabeth said yes! Join us on November 30, 2025 as we tie the knot in Portland, Oregon Invitation to follow |
| Example 5 Please save the date! Jessica and Hillary are tying the knot On January 20, 2025 in Portland, Oregon https://withjoy.com/JessicaandHillary Look out for your formal invite |
Destination wedding wording
As save-the-date cards for a destination wedding will be the jumping-off point for travel planning, it’s wise to let guests know where they can find key travel information.
Tip: Amp up guests’ excitement by selecting a card design that conveys the essence of your destination.
| Example 1 Save the Date for Merriment on the Beach Robert & James Are getting hitched! March 15, 2026 Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa Maui, Hawaii Get all the travel deets at https://withjoy.com/RobertandJames Keep an eye out for the formal invite |
| Example 2 Alicia & Megan’s Adventure Begins May 24-26, 2026 Puntarenas, Costa Rica Go here for the travel details: https://withjoy.com/AliciaandMegan Formal invite to follow |
| Example 3 Please join us in Colorado For the wedding of Sarah and Liam December 4-6, 2026 Keystone Ski Resort Travel information at https://withjoy.com/SarahandLiam Invite to follow |
| Example 4 Save the Dates & Book Your Flight! Cassie and Eric June 25-28, 2026 Paris, France More information at https://withjoy.com/CassieandEric Invitation to follow |
| Example 5 Pack your bags … Because Jeremy and Sophia are walking down the aisle! August 10, 2026 Jamaica Travel details: https://withjoy.com/JeremyandSophia Invite to come |
Save the Dates, RSVPs, and More With Joy
Keep in mind these examples are just a starting point. Feel free to mix and match elements and wording on your save-the-dates to add a unique touch!
From sending out cards to tracking guests, the wedding planning process can feel overwhelming at times. Fortunately, with Joy, you can take advantage of digital and print stationery designs, guest management tools, gift registry tracking, and more. Joy takes the stress out of the planning so you can focus on creating a truly unforgettable wedding.
