Save The Dates Guide

Countless decisions must be made when planning a wedding, but one of the very first guest interactions is announcing your special date. By mailing a physical wedding save the date, you give your guests plenty of advance notice, set the tone for your event, and offer that first look into your wedding style. We’ll cover all the ins and outs of save the dates in this guide, including timing, wording, and design trends, so that you can send save the dates that are intentional and beautiful!

What are save the dates?

Simply put, save the dates are announcements sent to guests (before the formal invitations) to notify them of your upcoming wedding. They should include the date and location for guests to plan ahead and request time off and book flights or hotels. If you’re having a destination wedding, or if your date falls on a holiday, they are especially important. Whether you go for digital or physical save the dates (of course, we are biased towards physical!) they should definitely be a consideration in your wedding planning strategy. As a bonus, save the dates tend to be a bit more flexible in both format and tone, so they’re a great opportunity for you to add more personality or even incorporate engagement photos.

When to send save the dates?

Our general rule of thumb for when to send save the dates is 6-12 months before the wedding. We wouldn’t recommend sending them earlier than 12 months, as this can cause confusion with the year, and a lot of times you are unable to book hotels or flights earlier than a year out. Additionally, sending save the dates too early can cause issues if any details change. On the other hand, you don’t want to send them too late as guests may have scheduling conflicts. Lean towards 10-12 months prior if you are having a destination wedding, many guests have to travel, or if it’s a holiday or special event weekend. As long as you have your wedding venue and date secured, you’re good to go!

What goes on a save the date card?

The wording on your save the dates can be as simple or as elaborate as you prefer. At a bare minimum, you should include:

• Your names
• Wedding date
• City and state (or country)

Other than that, you can also consider noting that a formal invitation will follow, and also include your wedding website if you have it ready. A wedding website is a great place for guests to keep updated with the evolving details, and have easy access to things like hotel room blocks, travel details, registry information, and more.

What about digital save the dates?

Being a wedding stationer, naturally we are always going to recommend sending physical save the dates. They make a great keepsake, set the tone for your upcoming wedding, and are commonly placed on guests’ refrigerators as a fun reminder. You can incorporate your wedding colors, design themes, and even engagement photos. Additionally, it’s always an option to follow up digitally with updates after the tangible save the dates are mailed out.

Save the dates can be small in size, but don’t underestimate the role that they play in your wedding! If you’d like to explore more with our professional stationery designers, feel free to contact us or make a free appointment to visit our San Francisco stationery store in the Financial District. We look forward to helping you make a good first impression.