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Save the date wording

Write your save the date the UK way, formal or relaxed, with when to send it and what to leave off. Fill in your details and copy it. Free, with no account.

A save the date tells people the date and the place early enough to keep it free. It is a reminder rather than an invitation, so it carries no reply. Pick a tone below, add your details, and copy the wording.

Send one only to the people you are certain to invite. Once it is posted, the person who has it expects an invite.

Which card?

A reminder of the date, sent months ahead.

Your card

Formal wording. The date and time are spelled out where the country does that.

[name]

and

[name]

request the pleasure of your company

at their marriage

[date]

[town]

Formal invitation to follow

Saved in this browser. Make a free account to keep it safe and share it with your partner.

Why this wording

  • When the couple host, their names open the card. The traditional order puts the bride's name first; the order is your choice.
  • UK cards write Mr and Mrs without full stops, and "and" in full.
  • Around nine months ahead is usual, a little earlier for guests travelling far.
  • The UK form uses figures: weekday, day with its ending, month, year, no commas.Worth a look: this comes from one source.

A quick look

  • Worth a look4 details are still to fill in.

Your details

Only what this card needs. Everything stays as you type it, accents and hyphens included.

Partner 1

The full name, middle names included. Accents and hyphens are kept.

For a formal card, such as Mr, Ms, Mx or Dr.

Partner 2

The full name, middle names included. Accents and hyphens are kept.

For a formal card, such as Mr, Ms, Mx or Dr.

Who is hosting?

Our names open the card.

Ready host lines

Etiquette sources disagree on much of this, so here are the choices. Each says what it tells your guests.

Where

Such as Bath.

How to word a save the date

  1. Choose a tone. Traditional, with the hosts named, or modern, relaxed or a little funny.

  2. Add your names and the date. If the date is not fixed, tick that box and give a season or a month. The card says the exact date will follow.

  3. Add the place. A town or a venue and a town.

  4. Say what happens next. "Invitation to follow", or "Formal invitation to follow" on a traditional card.

  5. Copy it. Copy the wording, copy it as a text message, or download a plain PDF.

Examples, by situation

The examples for this page are being read through before we publish them. The builder, the notes and the guide on this page work now.

What goes on a save the date

Your names, the date, the place and a line saying that an invitation will follow. A traditional card can use the hosts' voice, as an invitation does. A save the date is a reminder of the date, not a replacement for the invitation.

When to send it

About nine months before the wedding is usual in the UK, a little earlier for guests who will travel a long way. Invitations follow later: traditional guides say at least twelve weeks before, though many couples send them six to eight weeks ahead.

What to leave off

A reply, a gift list, and the dress. If you do not yet have a venue, a town is enough. If you do not have a date, a month or a season is honest.

Questions people ask

What should a save the date say?
Your names, the date, the place, and "Invitation to follow". Nothing needs a reply.
When should save the dates go out?
About nine months before the wedding, and earlier for guests travelling from abroad.
Do I put the venue on a save the date?
Only if it is booked. A town is enough.
Can I send a save the date before I have a date?
You can give a month or a season, and say that the exact date will follow.
Is a text message save the date acceptable?
Yes, for a relaxed wedding. The builder writes a short version for WhatsApp or a text.

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