Save the Date Wording & Etiquette

It’s traditional to list the bride’s name first, followed by the groom's name. For same-sex couples, consider alphabetical order.

Save the dates should be sent out only once you have a wedding date nailed down.

List the city and state (or country!) where your wedding will be. You don’t need to add the venue address or name until your formal wedding invitation. (If you haven’t found a venue yet, here are 125+ key questions to ask as you scout for a venue.)

Make sure to update your wedding website before you share the URL on your save the date. With Minted’s free wedding website, you can also generate a QR code of the website and put it on your save the date cards.

This lets guests know they should expect a wedding invitation in the weeks/months to come.

At this point, don’t bog guests down with too many details. Send hotel information with the official wedding invitation, or add it to your wedding website.

You’re early in the wedding planning process, so there’s no need to have specific start times in place yet. (However, if you need a guide for a wedding day timeline as you plan, we have one you can reference!)

Save any details about wedding guest attire for the wedding invitation, or add it to your website for your guests to reference at any time.

Save the date etiquette states that you don’t ask guests to RSVP upon receipt. When you send out your wedding invitations, you can include an RSVP request.

For a more traditional look, choose a save the date design featuring an elegant combination of serif fonts and calligraphy script. Include your full names, and spell out the date and location to give your save the date a more formal tone.

Please save the date
Everly Nicolette Beaumont
and
Marcus Trevor Davenport
Sept. 18, 2026
Marietta, Georgia
Invitation to follow

Reagan and Charlie
Save the Date
10.25.2027
Aspen, Colorado
Invitation to Follow

If you’re having a religious ceremony, consider using wording that reflects your faith. You can use a bible verse or religious quote, or incorporate your church’s name into the design.

“And the two shall become one”
Please save the date
for the wedding of
Caroline Matheson and Brendan Williams
September Fourth
Two Thousand Twenty-Six
Seattle, Washington
Invitation to follow

“Two hearts, one faith”
Please Save the Date
Shamin & Roshan
August 21, 2027
Santa Clarita, California

If you’re having a destination wedding, use wording like “Pack your bags!” to get guests excited about the trip. You can also include a map or other fun graphics to give your guests a taste of the location.

Emma + Jacob
are getting married
08.20.26
in Palm Springs
SAVE THE DATE

Save the Date
And Join Us In
Puerto Rico
Kamila and Alejandro
November 12, 2027
Invitation to follow

If you prefer a save the date that’s clean and simple, then choose an airy, minimalist save the date design and include only the pertinent wedding details.

Save Our Date
Adam + Nathan
August 17, 2026 | Denver, CO

There is no us
Without you
Fred & Hillary
Will be wed
May 12, 2027
Miami, FL

Keep things light and fun with wording that conveys your bubbly personalities.

Free cake
Open bar
Need we say more?
10 22 27
Save the date
Isobel + Roger
New York
invitation to follow

Now you can stop
asking us when
we’re going
to get married
Elizabeth + Nicole
Save the Date | 08.19.26 | Santa Fe

For couples celebrating with a larger reception after an intimate legal ceremony, these examples acknowledge your journey while building excitement for the celebration ahead.

We said "I do" at City Hall
Now we're celebrating with you!
Jamie & Alex
invite you to their wedding celebration
August 12, 2026
Savannah, Georgia
Formal invitation to follow

Celebrate your marriage milestone with wording that honors your enduring love and invites guests to witness your renewed commitment.

After 10 beautiful years,
we're saying "I do" all over again
Please save the date
Casey & Avery Thompson
Vow Renewal Ceremony
April 23, 2027
Newport, Rhode Island
Formal invitation to follow

These examples celebrate the diverse wedding traditions found across India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and surrounding regions.

With joy in our hearts and blessings from our families
Priya Sharma
&
Arjun Patel
Invite you to save the date for our wedding celebrations
August 15-17, 2026
Chicago, Illinois
Mehndi, Sangeet, and Wedding ceremony details to follow

The stars have aligned
SAVE THE DATE
for the marriage of
Ananya & Vikram
Join us for a weekend of celebration
September 25-27, 2027
Atlanta, Georgia
Formal invitation with event details to follow

These examples incorporate traditional Chinese elements and customs into your save the date announcement.

Double Happiness Awaits
Please save the date
for the wedding of
Wei Liu
and
Jing Chen
May 8, 2026
San Francisco, California
Traditional tea ceremony and banquet
Formal invitation to follow

With blessings from our ancestors
Ming Zhang & Lin Wang
Request the honor of your presence
as we unite our families in marriage
October 9, 2027
Boston, Massachusetts
Save our lucky date
Invitation to follow

These examples honor Jewish traditions and include Hebrew calendar dates alongside modern elements.

Under the chuppah
Rachel Cohen
&
David Goldstein
Will be married
September 15, 2026 | 4 Tishrei 5787
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Invitation to follow

L'Chaim! To Life!
Save the Date
Sarah & Benjamin
Are getting married
August 22, 2026 | 9 Elul 5786
Miami Beach, Florida
Celebration to include Kabbalat Shabbat dinner
Formal invitation with details to follow

These examples reflect the vibrant traditions of Latin American and Hispanic wedding celebrations.

Con el amor de nuestras familias
Sofia Hernandez
y
Miguel Rodriguez
¡Aparta la fecha!
7 de Junio de 2026
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Invitación a seguir

Our love story continues...
SAVE THE DATE
Elena & Carlos
November 14, 2026
San Diego, California
Ceremony to be followed by dinner and baile
Formal invitation to follow

These examples celebrate the rich wedding traditions of West African cultures and communities.

Two families, two hearts
One love
Folake Adeyemi
&
Oluwaseun Okafor
Save the date for our traditional ceremony and white wedding
May 23-24, 2026
Houston, Texas
Aso-ebi details and formal invitation to follow

With the blessings of our ancestors
Ngozi & Chidi
invite you to save the date
for a celebration of love and culture
July 18, 2026
Washington, D.C.
Details for our traditional engagement and wedding to follow

These examples are perfect for couples blending different cultural backgrounds into one celebration.

Embracing our cultures
Uniting our hearts
Mai Nguyen
&
James Wilson
Save the date for our Vietnamese-American wedding celebration
September 12, 2025
Seattle, Washington
Traditional tea ceremony and reception
Formal invitation to follow

Aisha & Michael
are tying the knot
SAVE THE DATE
April 18, 2025
New York, New York
A weekend of Indian and Irish wedding celebrations
Details to follow

Schedule strategically: Book your engagement session 1-2 months before ordering save the dates to allow time for editing and selection. If you're considering taking your own engagement photos, our guide to DIY engagement photos offers helpful tips and inspiration for creating beautiful images on your own. We’ve also put together the ultimate guide to engagement photo poses, and be sure to check that out before you get in front of the camera.

Think about layout: Discuss horizontal vs. vertical shots with your photographer, as different save the date designs work better with different orientations.

Leave space for text: Ask your photographer to capture some shots with negative space where your wording can be placed without covering important details.

Consider your wedding style: Choose locations and outfits that reflect the overall aesthetic you want for your wedding stationery.

• Choose images with good contrast that will print well.
• Select photos where both of you are clearly visible and well-lit.
• Avoid busy backgrounds that might compete with your text.
• Consider seasonal relevance—spring engagement photos work beautifully for fall weddings.
• Pick images that represent your personalities and relationship.

Remember, not every gorgeous engagement photo will work perfectly on a save the date. Choose images that balance visual impact with practical design needs, and don't be afraid to ask your photographer for save the date-specific shots during your session.

9-12 Months Before Wedding:

• Send save the dates for destination weddings, holiday weekends, or summer weddings.

6-8 Months Before Wedding:

• Send save the dates for local weddings.
• Ensure your wedding website is live with basic information.

Before You Send:

• Confirm your wedding date and venue (or at least city/state).
• Finalize your guest list for save the dates only.
• Take engagement photos, if including them.
• Choose your save the date text and design.
• Collect and verify all guest addresses.

Before placing your order, make sure you have:

• Wedding date confirmed and venue booked.
• Guest list finalized (send only to those you're certain you'll invite).
• Engagement photos taken and selected (if using).
• Wedding website created with basic information.
• All guest addresses collected and verified.
• Save the date text finalized and proofread.
• Quantity determined (order 5-10 extras for keepsakes and last-minute additions).

Design Elements: Basic designs cost less than premium options with foil stamping, letterpress, or specialty finishes.

Format: Traditional cards are most budget-friendly, while magnets, booklets, and specialty shapes cost more.

Quantity: Order 5-10 extras for keepsakes, but don't over-order—you can always add more later.

Postage: Standard-sized cards qualify for regular postage, while oversized or thick cards require additional stamps.

Addressing: DIY addressing saves money, while professional calligraphy or printed addressing adds to the cost. (That’s not the case with Minted, however. Every save the date and wedding invitation order comes with free recipient addressing!)

• Choose standard card sizes to avoid extra postage.
• Order during sales and promotions.
• Skip expensive add-ons like envelope liners for save the dates.
• Consider postcard formats to eliminate envelope costs entirely.
• Remember, save the dates can be simpler than your formal invitations—save your splurge for the invitation suite.

Beyond save the dates, there are plenty of other places to stretch your wedding budget further. Explore our affordable personalized wedding ideas that won't break the bank and learn how to create a stunning celebration without the hefty price tag.

A save the date is a card that’s mailed before the wedding invitation. It announces the wedding date and location and lets the recipient know they will be invited to the wedding so they can mark their calendars and get excited. Unlike formal wedding invitations, save the dates don't include specific ceremony times or detailed venue information.

Minted offers hundreds of unique save the date designs from our community of independent artists. And if you need help choosing, we also offer consultations with our stationery experts.

It isn’t mandatory, but it’s certainly a good idea to send save the dates. For one, your friends and family members will appreciate that you’re giving them plenty of time to make any necessary travel plans. Some guests may have invitations to other weddings or events on the same day, so you’re more likely to get first dibs on the date. And save the dates are a great way to show off your engagement photos. If you’re having a destination wedding, a summer wedding, or a wedding that falls on a three-day weekend, mailing a save the date well in advance increases the chances of guests being able to attend your wedding.

Mail your save the dates six to eight months before the wedding. This will give guests ample time to request days off from work and make travel plans, if needed. However, if the wedding falls on a holiday weekend or is a destination or summer wedding, aim to send them nine months to a year in advance. Minted has a comprehensive wedding planning checklist that can help you lay out your timeline.

Anyone you’re sure you’re going to invite to the wedding. When you’re forming your guest list, start with your immediate family and closest friends, then consider other family members, school friends, coworkers, friends of parents, etc. If your guest list is not entirely finalized, refrain from sending save the date cards to guests on your B list, because once someone receives a save the date, you’re obligated to send them a wedding invitation.

Married, engaged, and cohabitating guests should get a plus-one. So should members of your wedding party and guests who have been with their partner for so long, it would be awkward not to invite them. If you’ve chosen your wedding date and location but not a specific venue, it’s best not to include a plus-one on the save the date. If you’ve chosen a wedding date and venue but your budget isn’t finalized, it’s a good idea to wait and see how many plus-ones you’ll be able to afford.

Yes, you should put your name and the name of your fiancé or fiancée. If there isn’t a picture of the two of you on the front or back of the card, you should also make a point to include your last names. Otherwise, friends or distant relatives who haven’t heard from you in a while may be a bit confused by a card that says “Ashley and Mike.”

Consider your wedding's formality level and your personalities as a couple. Formal weddings call for traditional language with full names and spelled-out dates, while casual celebrations can use playful, relaxed phrasing. Choose wording that feels authentic to who you are and appropriate for your guest list.

For weddings with multiple events, keep your save the date wording clear but concise. Include the full date range (e.g., "October 15-17, 2026") and mention that multiple events will take place without getting into specifics. You might say, "Join us for a weekend of celebration" or "Save the dates for our wedding festivities." Save the detailed schedule for your invitation suite or wedding website, as this gives you flexibility if event details change.

You can go the traditional route with a paper save the date sent via snail mail, or you could opt for a more casual postcard-style save the date or a magnetic save the date that guests can stick on their refrigerator. Check out our full list of 38 unique save the date ideas and our roundup of all the different Minted card sizes and formats you can choose from. We even offer a free monogram maker.

If you're sending new save the dates (or event change cards) after postponing, acknowledge the change simply and positively. Try wording like: "New date, same great love! Please save our new date: August 14, 2025" or "Our plans have changed, but our love remains the same. Please join us on our new date: May 23, 2025." Focus on the celebration to come rather than explaining the reason for the change. There's no need to reference the original date on your new save the dates.

These days, many couples are opting for electronic invitations to many wedding-related parties, like the engagement party or bachelor/bachelorette party. Electronic save the dates are an option, but there are a couple of drawbacks to consider. For one thing, your save the date email might get filtered into a guest’s spam folder or get buried in guests’ inboxes. Another thing to keep in mind is the formality of your wedding: The more formal the celebration, the more likely a printed save the date card will convey that. If you do decide to go the digital route, we suggest also snail-mailing a printed save the date card to not-so-tech-savvy guests as well as family members who might want to save the card as a wedding keepsake.

While the essential information remains the same, digital save the dates can be slightly more casual and interactive. You might use shorter sentences, more playful language, and direct calls-to-action like "Tap here to visit our wedding website" or "Click to add to your calendar." If you're sending both digital and physical save the dates to different guests, try to maintain a consistent tone and share the same information across both versions.

Be explicit but elegant with your wording. Instead of just listing a URL, try phrases like "Find all the details at our wedding website: [URL]" or "For accommodations, registry, and more, visit: [URL]." For digital save the dates, use a button with text like "Visit Our Wedding Website" that links directly to your site. You can customize this call-to-action text to match your wedding's tone.

If including a wedding hashtag, keep the wording straightforward and position it prominently but not obtrusively. Try phrases like "Follow our journey: #SmithToJones2026" or "Share in our celebration: #FinallyFitzgerald." You can also add a brief instruction if you want guests to use it before the wedding: "Help us document our wedding journey: #MorganWedding2027." Place hashtag information near your wedding website URL or at the bottom of your save the date.

Nope! You can never go wrong with classic stationery choices like elegant calligraphy, romantic watercolors, and metallic foils. And it is nice if your save the dates tie in somewhat with the theme of your wedding website. (We have plenty of tips on how to make a wedding website and how to choose wedding colors as you design it.) With that said, this is your chance to have a little fun. If you’ve taken engagement photos, choose a couple of your favorites to incorporate into a photo-themed save the date design. Having a destination wedding? Play up your wedding locale with a save the date design that highlights the setting (think palm fronds, mountain vistas, or the Manhattan skyline).

Minted offers hundreds of customizable save the date designs with built-in templates that make wording easy. Each design includes suggested text layouts that you can simply personalize with your information. Browse our wording examples in this guide for additional inspiration that you can adapt to any design.