Save the date wording: what to say and examples for local and destination weddings
Save the date wording that works: what to include and leave out, plus examples for local, destination, international and relaxed weddings.
A save the date is a short message with one job: to make sure guests keep your date free and start planning if they need to travel. Good save the date wording is brief, clear and unmistakably from you. It is not the invitation, so it should not try to carry every detail.
What to include
Most save the dates need only:
- your names;
- the date;
- the city or region, and country if guests are travelling;
- a note that a formal invitation will follow;
- your wedding website, if it is ready.
That is enough for guests to book leave, look at flights and keep the weekend free.
What to leave out
- The full venue and timings, which may change.
- RSVP requests. Replies belong with the invitation.
- Registry information, which can feel presumptuous at this stage.
Only send to people you will invite
A save the date is a promise of an invitation. Send it only to guests you are certain about, and only include partners or children you intend to invite. Our guide on when to send save the dates explains timing for local, destination and international weddings.
Save the date wording examples
Simple
Save the date Amara and Tomás 14 August 2027 Lisbon, Portugal Invitation to follow
Warm
We are getting married! Please save the date for our wedding on Saturday 14 August 2027 in Lisbon. Formal invitation and details to follow. Amara and Tomás
Formal
Please reserve the date Saturday, the fourteenth of August, two thousand and twenty-seven for the wedding of Amara Okafor and Tomás Silva Lisbon, Portugal Invitation to follow
Destination wedding
Save the date Amara and Tomás are getting married in Lisbon, Portugal 13–15 August 2027 We know travel takes planning, so travel and accommodation details are already on our website: amara-and-tomas.example.com Formal invitation to follow
International guests
Save the date 14 August 2027 · Lisbon, Portugal We will share advice on flights, visas and places to stay on our website as soon as it is ready.
Our guide to a wedding website travel guide for overseas guests explains what to include once you publish it.
Relaxed
Keep the date free! Amara + Tomás · 14.08.27 · Lisbon Details soon.
Numerical dates can be ambiguous between countries, so for an international guest list, write the month in words.
A weekend of events
Join us for a weekend of celebration 13–15 August 2027 · Lisbon Welcome drinks, wedding and farewell brunch Invitation and full schedule to follow
Digital or printed?
Both are fine. A printed card can become a keepsake on the fridge; a digital save the date is quick, inexpensive and easy to send to guests abroad. Whatever you choose, keep the wording short and the date prominent. Our guide to digital vs paper wedding invitations compares the options.
Using your website
If your website is ready, include the address. Even an early version with your names, date and city helps guests. Our guide to a realistic wedding website timeline explains what to publish first.
Who should receive one
Send save the dates to guests whose attendance depends on planning ahead: people travelling, guests with demanding jobs, families who need to arrange childcare, and anyone you are certain about. For a small local wedding, you may skip save the dates entirely and send invitations a little earlier. If you send them to some guests and not others, keep the list discreet, as guests who do not receive one may wonder whether they are invited.
Pairing with the website
If your wedding website is live, the save the date can carry a single line pointing to it. Guests can then bookmark the site and return when the invitation arrives, which keeps all updates in one place.
Proofread with care
Check names, dates and spelling with someone who knows both families. A save the date with the wrong date causes more confusion than none at all.
If plans change
If you change the date or location after sending save the dates, tell guests personally and quickly, then follow with a formal change-the-date message. Early, honest communication matters more than perfect wording.
A good save the date is short enough to read in a moment and clear enough that nobody needs to ask a question. Keep it simple, and save the details for the invitation.