Save the Date Wording: How to Announce Your Big Day

One of the most magical things about weddings is seeing all your family, friends, and other loved ones gathered together in one place. To ensure your favorite humans are standing with you on your big day, you want to get your save the dates out as early as possible. So what’s the next step on your soon-to-be-wed to-do list? Determine your save the date wording, and get the calendars of your loved ones blocked off — stat.

A save the date card is your opportunity to give your wedding guests a heads up about your upcoming nuptials. Sent months before your big day, a save the date card gives your guests ample time to request off work, make the necessary travel plans and lodging arrangements, and ensure they don’t overextend themselves with other plans. It also helps you, the happy couple, to ensure everyone you love is standing with you on your big day.

If you’re deciding on what to say on your save the date, here’s the golden rule: Short really is sweet. Below, we’ll explain what information to cover and give some sample language to use on your save the date cards, but first, some etiquette.

When to Send a Save the Date

When it comes to save the date etiquette, sending them sooner rather than later is preferable. Sending out a save the date months in advance allows your friends, family, and other loved ones to reserve that particular day (or entire weekend) on their calendar.

Particularly if you have guests coming in from out of town, you want to give them ample time to request off work, book hotels, and purchase plane tickets. Usually, three to four months prior to your wedding is enough advanced notice for local weddings, while six months to a full calendar year is good for destination weddings.

While you want to give guests as much notice as possible, you need to make a few decisions before your save the dates go out. Above all else, there is one item you should strike off your wedding to do list beforehand: your guest list.

If you ask a friend to block off their calendar for your big day, they’d better be invited. This, in turn, may require a few other details to be sorted out. If, for example, you have your heart set on getting married at a venue that has limited seating, you may want to get its maximum occupancy before sending out your save the dates. Feel free to add 10-20% more people to your wedding, as that many typically decline the invite.

How Online Save the Dates Make Wedding Planning Easy

Using an online save the date card, like those designed through Greenvelope, does more than save you time, money, and paper. By sending a digital save the date, you can automatically add your wedding day to your guests’ calendars. That way, you don’t run the risk of guests writing down the wrong date, blocking off the wrong weekend in their planner, or losing your card in the mail.

Plus, by sending your save the dates through Greenvelope, you can easily connect with guests through text updates or instant messaging. Doing so allows you to answer questions about lodging, send reminders, or respond to last minute updates all in one place.

Save the Date Wording: What to Cover

When deciding on what to write for your save the dates, there are several areas you’ll want to cover. Most save the dates are brief and to-the-point, although you can have a bit of fun with language (space permitting).

Here are four areas you may want to cover on your save the date card:

1. The names of the couple:  Write out the full names (including middle names, if you prefer) of both individuals. For heterosexual couples, usually the bride’s name is written first. For same sex couples, consider writing names in alphabetical order.
2. The date: Write the date of your big day. You don’t need to include a time for the ceremony or reception. That will come on the invitation.
3. The location: Usually, you can simply write a city and state for the save the date. The location of the wedding venue will be included on the official invitation.
4. The wedding URL: If you have a wedding website, it’s nice to include the URL on your save the date. A wedding website offers wedding details, including hotel and other lodging options, plus details on the wedding party and the gift registry.
5. Formal invitation to follow: Let your guests know that a formal invitation will arrive in the mail closer to the wedding date.

Save the Date Wording Ideas  

How you phrase your save the date wording is truly up to you. If you’re throwing a formal wedding, spell out the location and the full names of the couple. If your guests are expecting something a bit more casual, don’t hesitate to get a little playful with the wording. Here are a few examples.

Formal Wedding Save the Date Wording

Design: Mr. Taylor Design Co.

For formal wedding stationery, you may want to choose a simple, cream-colored background, with a touch of rose gold or a metallic border. For fonts, you may want to choose a design that has your name written in calligraphy, with a serif font for the remaining details. Here are two examples.

Kindly reserve

October 24th, 2020 for the wedding uniting

Sasha Kathryn O’Brian and Timothy Allen Patrick

Chicago, Illinois

Formal invitation to follow

***

Brittany Johanna Amundson and Joshua Robert McCarthy

Request your presence at their wedding ceremony

December 5th, 2020

New York, New York

Formal invitation to follow

Modern Wedding Save the Date Wording

Design: Jessica Williams

For a modern or minimalist wedding celebration, you may want to find a save the date with an engagement photo of the happy couple. Include links to your wedding URL if you have one, and feel free to abbreviate dates and locations, and to use only first names.

5.2.20

Save the date

Ryan + William

Washington, DC

Formal invitation to follow

ryanwillwed.com

***

Alesha + Thomas

2.20.21

San Francisco, California

Formal invitation to follow

AleshaSaidYes.com

Playful Save the Date Wording

Design: National Park Foundation

For a playful save the date design, you could choose a photo card or a fun illustration. You can write a light-hearted one-liner to open things up or send your guests off with a pun.

Liz and Chris are getting hitched!

9.19.20

Austin, Texas

Formal invitation to follow

LizandChrisGetHitched.com

***

Jess + Tess

6.5.21

Dubuque, IA

There’s an open bar. If you need to know anything else, visit:

JessandTess.com

Save the Dates Ensure You’re Surrounded by Loved Ones

A save the date card ensures that all of your loved ones are standing beside you on one of the most important days of your lives. When sending out a save the date, be sure to send them as soon as you’re able. Try sending them 3-4 months prior to local weddings, or 6-12 months before destination weddings. For your save the date wording, include the date and location of your wedding, the names of the happy couple, and the fact that a formal invitation will follow.

There are no rules about what else to include on your save the date note. Feel free to use language that reflects the tone of your ceremony and reception, as formal or playful as you wish.

From all of us at Greenvelope, we hope you have a wonderful wedding day.