You’ve set a date and booked your wedding venue. Now it’s time to start spreading the news! Before you send formal invitations, save the dates are used to alert wedding guests of your upcoming celebration and help them plan accordingly.
Save the dates are part of your wedding invitation suite. They typically include basic details like your wedding date, general location, and perhaps a photo or two. As the first “official” piece of wedding information you share with your guests, save the dates help set the tone for your celebration and can reinforce your desired theme or party vibe.
While couples commonly use engagement photos for their save the dates, you don’t have to! Think outside the box with these creative save the date ideas.
Retro Save the Dates
Celebrate your millennial heritage and take it back to Y2K with these retro-inspired save the date ideas.
Photo Booth Strips
Instead of formal engagement photos, mix it up with an old-school photo shoot. Head to your local mall, dive bar, or arcade and put the vintage photo booth to work! Or, book a couples session at the nearest JCPenney for that classic yearbook style.
Can’t find a photo booth? Make your own at home using a bedsheet for a backdrop and Canva to turn your photos into a strip. You can also use Polaroid photos for a similar nostalgic effect.
Custom Letterpress Cards
For a vintage touch that’s truly one-of-a-kind, make your own letterpress save the date cards. Shops like Signal Return in Detroit, MI offer one-to-one instruction for projects like save the dates and wedding invitations.
Main Character Save the Dates
Your wedding is one of the only times when it’s acceptable to make it all about you. Channel your main character energy with these frameworthy save the date options.
Newspaper
Newspaper engagement announcements used to be all the rage. Instead of paying for placement, design your own newspaper! Come up with a clever headline, top story, and newspaper name. You can fill the rest of your paper with details from your love story, candid photos, or fun facts about you and your partner.
Promo Poster
You’re about to star in the biggest role of your lives — why not promote it like a Hollywood hit? Create a custom movie poster to announce your wedding date and give your guests something fun to display on their fridge. If music’s more your vibe, create a concert poster.
Boarding Pass
For destination weddings, a travel-themed save the date can help set the tone for your jet-setting celebration. Create a custom boarding pass and display your wedding details like an upcoming flight.
Pro tip: you’ll want to send save the dates 9-12 months ahead of your destination wedding. This will help guests make proper travel accommodations.
Themed Save the Dates
You can also use your save the dates to share your favorite pastimes with your loved ones. Get inspired with these hobby-themed save the date options!
Pizza Fridge Magnets
Invite your guests to the best pizza party ever with custom fridge magnets that resemble those from your favorite childhood spot.
Sporting Event Tickets
Challenge guests to bring their A-game to your big day with sports-themed save the dates. Design your own on Canva or support an independent artist on Etsy.
Bookmarks
Celebrate your next chapter with a custom bookmark save the date. Include a small photo, wedding details, and a witty phrase like “booked and busy” to drive it home.
Best Practices for Save the Dates
However you choose to send your save the dates, make sure to note that an official invitation will follow. This tells guests more information is on the way and will spare you from answering the same questions time and time again!
Other ways to spice up your save the date cards:
- Order fun stamps
- Create a custom return address label featuring your pets
- Use a wax seal with your initials or wedding monogram
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it okay to not send save the dates?
Save the dates are not mandatory, but generally considered proper etiquette. The main exception is if you have a short engagement or your guests are almost all local.
Why is a save the date important?
Save the dates are important because they give your guests advanced notice of the wedding date and location, allowing them to plan accordingly and keep their calendars free.
When should save the dates be sent?
Best practice is to send save the dates six to eight months ahead of time for local weddings and nine months or more for destination weddings.
Rachel Kauffman is a Detroit-based content writer, bookworm, and cat mom to two feisty felines.
