You and your fiancé may have already announced your engagement on social media, but now that you’ve picked the actual day you’re getting married, it’s time to send save the dates! Believe it or not, save the date cards are a relatively new phenomenon. They’ve gone from a rising trend in the mid-2000s to now being considered pretty standard for weddings.
Despite the novelty of save the dates, there are a few general rules to abide by.
- Send them four to six months before the ceremony. If you’re having a destination wedding, or if your date falls on a holiday weekend, you should add an additional month or two.
- Include the necessary information:
- The date (duh!)
- You and your S.O.’s full names
- The city and state
- A note that says something along the lines of, “Invitation to Follow”
- Your wedding website url
- Clarify who is invited to the wedding by how you address your Save the Dates. More on that here.
Otherwise, get creative! Since save the dates are pretty informal, they’re a great way to reflect your personality. We’ve gathered a ton of unique and creative ideas to either replicate or just get inspiration from, in addition to places you can buy them.
SEE MORE: This is How Much Your Wedding Invites Will Cost You
Save the Dates
Ski Lift-Ticket
via Laura Murray Photography
Getting married in the winter or on a mountaintop? These ski life-ticket replicas are the perfect save the dates for you.
Movie Parody
via PetaPixel
These save the dates are perfect for pop culture fanatics and movie buffs. The options are endless!
via PetaPixel
Confetti Explosion
via One Hitched Lane
What better way to show off your excitement?! Plus, you can customize the paper pattern.
Scratch-Off Cards
via Bridal Musings
This is the perfect way to really reveal your wedding date. It’s also great for couples having a destination wedding, so they can reveal the location!
Library Card
via Elegant Wedding Invites
Bookworms rejoice!
Magnent
via Brit + Co
This almost guarantees the recipient won’t forget your wedding date since it’ll most likely be posted on their fridge.
Infographic
via Natalia Grosner
A clever way to display all of the info relevant to your wedding.
Word Search
via Edyta Szyszlo
These save the dates are perfect for couples who want interactive announcements. Another great option? A crossword puzzle.
Pencils
via Not On The High Street
Something that your guests can actually use!
Illustrated Map
via Virginia Brown Art
This is an ideal option for couples who have a lot of out-of-town guests.
School Note
via PuzzlePrints
To make it even more adorable, add school photos of you and your S.O.!
Resources
Zola
Match your wedding website to your Save the Dates and wedding invitations.
Etsy
This marketplace has thousands of different options that can also be personalized.
Magnet Street
The name says it all, and the site frequently offers big discounts like 40% off everything.
via Zazzle
Zazzle
Get your save the dates from an actual artist, since Zazzle hosts a ton of designers.
Minted
Also home to many independent artists, Minted is full of unique save the dates.
via Snapfish
Snapfish
Add photos of you and your S.O. to a range of products that Snapfish offers, from regular paper save the dates to mugs.
Walgreens
The store’s photo center offers extremely affordable options for save the dates. If you’re short on time, you can even get same-day pickup.
Honorable Mentions: Vistaprint, Shutterfly, Paper Source, Simply to Impress.
