Save the Date Wording: 30 Examples + Etiquette

A save the date has one job: tell guests a wedding is happening, give them the date and location, and ask them to hold it. Everything else is optional.

This guide covers the four elements every save the date must include, 30 complete wording examples organised by style, and the etiquette rules most couples miss.

What every save the date must include

1. The couple's names. First names for casual cards; full names for formal events.
2. The wedding date. Spelled out for formal looks ("Saturday, the Fourteenth of June, Two Thousand Twenty-Seven") or numeric for modern ("06.14.2027").
3. City and country. Not the full venue address — that lives on the formal invitation.
4. "Formal invitation to follow." Without this line, guests sometimes treat the save the date as the only invitation and skip the RSVP.

Optional add-ons: wedding website URL, hashtag, a personal touch (engagement photo, inside joke, song lyric). Keep the optional add-ons to one or two — every extra line dilutes the four essentials.

When to send

• Local wedding: six to eight months before.
• Destination wedding: eight to twelve months before.
• Short engagement (under six months): send as soon as you have a date — six weeks minimum.
• Long engagement (over a year): eight months before is the rule, no earlier.

Formal save the date examples

Formal wording uses spelled-out dates, no contractions, and parent names on the host line when relevant. Best for black-tie ceremonies, large guest lists, and traditional families.

1. Parents hosting (classic)

Mr. and Mrs. William Hartley and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Aldridge
announce the upcoming marriage of their children
Caroline Hartley and Benjamin Aldridge
Saturday, the Fourteenth of June
Two Thousand Twenty-Seven
Newport, Rhode Island
Formal invitation to follow

2. Couple hosting (formal)

The marriage of
Caroline Hartley
and
Benjamin Aldridge
Saturday, the Fourteenth of June
Two Thousand Twenty-Seven
Newport, Rhode Island
Formal invitation to follow

3. Single host parent

Mrs. Eleanor Hartley
requests the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of her daughter
Caroline
to Mr. Benjamin Aldridge
Saturday, the Fourteenth of June
Two Thousand Twenty-Seven
Newport, Rhode Island
Formal invitation to follow

4. Black-tie evening

Save the date
for the evening wedding of
Caroline Hartley and Benjamin Aldridge
Saturday, the Fourteenth of June
Two Thousand Twenty-Seven at half after six o'clock
The Breakers · Newport, Rhode Island
Black tie · Formal invitation to follow

Modern save the date examples

Modern wording drops parent lines, uses first names, and skips spelled-out dates. Best for city weddings, non-religious ceremonies, and couples who want a clean modern feel.

5. Short and direct

Sofia & Oliver
May 15, 2027 · Sonoma, California
Save the date.
Invitation to follow.

6. Modern couple hosting

Natalie Bishop and James Tran are getting married.
August Twenty-Second, Two Thousand Twenty-Seven
Hudson, New York
Save the date — invitation to follow
[wedding website URL]

7. Date-led minimalist

06 . 14 . 2027
Caroline & Benjamin
Newport, Rhode Island
Details to follow · [website URL]

8. Single statement

Save the date.
We're getting married.
June 14, 2027 · Brooklyn, New York
Invitation to follow.

9. With hashtag

Caroline & Benjamin
June 14, 2027 · Newport, Rhode Island
#CarterAldridge2027
Save the date — invitation to follow.

10. Wedding website-led

Save the date.
June 14, 2027 · Newport, Rhode Island
carolineandbenjamin.com
Invitation to follow.

Casual and warm save the date examples

Casual wording is shorter, warmer, and conversational. Standard date formats are fine; contractions are fine. Best for backyard weddings, intimate guest lists, and relaxed weekends.

11. We're getting married

We're getting married.
Sofia Delgado and Oliver Park
May 15, 2027 · Sonoma, California
Invitation to follow.

12. Found each other

We found each other.
Now let's celebrate.
James and Natalie · August 22, 2027
Hudson, New York
Invitation coming soon | [website URL]

13. Hey — save the date

Hey — save the date.
Sofia + Oliver are getting married on May 15, 2027
Sonoma, California · Invitation to follow

14. Pull quote

"And over all those years, we never stopped laughing."
Caroline & Benjamin
June 14, 2027 · Newport, Rhode Island
Save the date — invitation to follow.

15. Quote from a song

"I was made for loving you."
— Bonnie & Clyde
Save the date.
Caroline & Benjamin · June 14, 2027
Invitation to follow.

Destination wedding save the date examples

Destination save the dates need three additions beyond the standard four: the country (not just the city), a note that travel details are coming, and earlier timing.

16. Tuscany classic

Save the date.
Caroline and Benjamin are getting married in Tuscany, Italy
September 12–15, 2027
Invitation and travel details to follow
carolineandbenjamin.com

17. Caribbean weekend

Save the weekend
Lily & Kara
Join us from May 27th to May 29th
in Bermuda to celebrate our union
Invitation to follow

18. Multi-country

We're saying "I do" in Positano, Italy.
September 14th–17th, 2027
Save the date — invitation and travel details to follow.

19. Mexico

Save the date.
Caroline and Benjamin
Tulum, Mexico · March 6, 2027
Details and travel info to follow at carolineandbenjamin.com

20. Adventure wording

An adventure is beginning.
Caroline and Benjamin
Costa Rica · January 18, 2027
Travel details coming soon.

Same-sex couple save the date examples

Modern and formal versions for same-sex couples. Etiquette is identical; only the parent lines and host phrasing need attention.

21. Modern same-sex

Harper Chen and Morgan Ellis are getting married.
October 18, 2027 · Brooklyn, New York
Invitation to follow
[wedding website URL]

22. Formal same-sex

Mr. Thomas Aldridge and Mr. Jonathan Park
request the pleasure of your company
at their wedding celebration
Saturday, the Eighteenth of October
Two Thousand Twenty-Seven
Brooklyn, New York
Formal invitation to follow

23. Casual same-sex

We're tying the knot.
Harper & Morgan · October 18, 2027
Brooklyn, New York
Save the date — invitation to follow.

Elopement and post-wedding save the date examples

Elopements and post-wedding announcements use save the date cards to invite guests to a celebration. Wording is past-tense or anticipatory.

24. Elopement celebration

We eloped — now we're celebrating.
Please join Sofia and Oliver
May 15, 2027 · Sonoma, California
Formal invitation to follow

25. We said yes

We said yes!
Save the date.
Caroline & Benjamin · June 14, 2027
Details to follow.

26. Post-wedding party

We got married in secret.
Now we want to celebrate with you.
Sofia & Oliver · May 15, 2027
Sonoma, California
Invitation to follow.

Humorous save the date examples

Humour works when it is true to the couple. Skip it if either family is formal.

27. Open bar

Open bar!
And a wedding.
It's a twofer.
Save the date.
Caroline & Benjamin · June 14, 2027
Invitation to follow.

28. He said yes

He said yes!
Save the date.
Caroline & Benjamin
June 14, 2027 · Newport, Rhode Island
Details to follow.

29. Time to celebrate

It's about time.
Caroline and Benjamin are getting married.
June 14, 2027 · Newport, Rhode Island
Invitation to follow.

30. It's official

It's official.
We're getting married.
Caroline & Benjamin
June 14, 2027 · Newport, Rhode Island
[wedding website URL]

Etiquette rules most couples miss

1. Always include "invitation to follow." Without it, guests sometimes treat the save the date as the full invitation and never RSVP.
2. Address envelopes to every individual guest. Even if the card itself does not list names ("Sofia & Oliver"), the envelope should make clear who is invited.
3. Do not put RSVP instructions on the save the date. Those live on the formal invitation, three to four weeks before the wedding.
4. Add the wedding website URL. It is the cheapest way to redirect future questions and avoid reprinting cards when details change.
5. Keep it brief. Two to four lines is the sweet spot. Anything longer is an invitation, not a save the date.

FAQ

What must appear on every save the date?

Four elements: the couple's names, the wedding date, the city and country, and a line confirming that a formal invitation will follow. Without that last line, guests sometimes treat the save the date as the full invitation and never RSVP.

When should save the dates be sent?

Six to eight months before a local wedding. Eight to twelve months for a destination wedding. Sending too early feels presumptuous; sending too late collides with guests' travel planning.

Should RSVPs go on the save the date?

No. RSVPs belong on the formal invitation. The save the date is a heads-up, not an RSVP form. Including RSVP instructions on the save the date creates confusion about whether the invitation will follow.

Do I need a save the date for a small wedding?

Yes, but you can keep it short. A two-line card with names, date, and city is enough. The 'invitation to follow' line is still required.

Conclusion

A save the date is the easiest piece of stationery to write: four required lines, a date, and a city. Match the tone to your wedding style, send on time, and add a wedding website URL so guests have somewhere to land when they want more details.

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