27 Save-the-Date Wording Examples That'll Save You SO Much Writing Time

Exactly how to tell your people to mark their calendars.
cathryn haight the knot
by
Cathryn Haight
  • Cathryn is an editor at The Knot, where she focuses on all things planning—from inspiration and design, to traditions, to invitations.
  • Before joining The Knot Worldwide, Cathryn spent years as a food editor
  • Cathryn holds a bachelor's degree from Trinity College and a certificate in publishing from Columbia University
Updated Jan 27, 2025

Your wedding date is set and your venue is secured (woo!). Next up: sending out save-the-date cards so your loved ones can get excited for your celebration. Nailing your save-the-date wording is imperative—it not only delivers the most important detail of your day (when it'll take place), but it's also the first piece of stationery that'll set the tone for your event.

When it comes to what to put on save-the-dates, guests just need the who, what, when and where without too many additional bells and whistles. You can still add a little personality, though. One great way to do this and to wow your guests: Match your save-the-dates with your wedding website. As you're starting a wedding website on The Knot, keep an eye out for the corresponding stationery designs on The Knot Invitations (you can easily filter by design style, color, price and more to find save-the-dates that feel like a genuine preview of your wedding vibe).

Below, browse some easy-to-copy save-the-date examples with ideas for formal, casual, creative wording and more. Plus, check out other ways to say "save the date"—like with a movie quote—for a stand-out announcement that'll earn its spot on family and friends' fridges.

Sample save-the-date text that's: Formal | Casual | Destination | Unique | Creative

Plus: Save-the-Date Quotes | Other Ways to Say "Save the Date"

Wedding Save-the-Date Wording Examples

Don't worry about plagiarism, you can totally copy these save-the-date message examples to cross another item off your wedding planning checklist. We've got save-the-date verbiage for every kind of card, all you'll need to do is place your wedding website URL underneath whichever one of these save-the-date sayings you select. And below, see a quick pocket guide to save-the-date examples for your wedding you can refer back to at a glance.

save the date wording examples
Design: Natalie Romine

Formal Save-the-Date Wording

If you already know you're hosting a black-tie affair, set the tone with the proper formal wedding save-the-date card wording. Keep the save-the-date language polite and concise, like the examples below.

Example:

Save the date
For the wedding of
James Smith & Andrew Parker
Saturday, the twenty-seventh of May
Two thousand twenty-six
Brooklyn, New York
Formal invitation to follow

Example:

Kindly save the date
for the wedding ceremony and celebration of
Beatrice Nelson and Alexander Miller
Join us on October 15th
in New Orleans, Louisiana
Formal invitation to follow

Casual Save-the-Date Wording

Save-the-dates are just a heads-up before formal wedding invitations are sent, so feel free to have fun with them—or even make a joke. Here are some save-the-date message examples with a casual tone. Note: It's not necessary to include last names and the date can be written solely in numbers. Additionally, a casual save-the-date could pave the way for other more-relaxed means of guest communication. You could even use these words to pen a save-the-date text message (because yeah, you can text guests through The Knot to share your wedding website, collect addresses, send an RSVP reminder and create a custom text to act as digital save-the-dates of sorts).

Example:

It's about time!
Vijay + Maria
07.20.2026
Atlanta, GA
Invite coming soon

Example:

03/27/2026
Save it—we're getting hitched!
Chris & Nick
in Boston, MA
Official invite to come

Destination Save-the-Date Wording

Your timeline for sending save-the-dates for a destination wedding should start at least eight months in advance so guests can plan for PTO and travel costs. As such, a good message for a destination save-the-date will make it clear that your wedding is a multiple-day celebration. Check out our destination save-the-date wording examples below for more guidance.

Example:

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

Example:

Save the date and
Join us in Positano, Italy
Audrey & Dae
September 14th–17th
Formal invitation to come

Unique Save-the-Date Wording

If you're looking for unique sample save-the-date cards, we've got just the inspiration below. Off-the-beaten-path save-the-date language isn't the only way to set your stationery apart, though. It can have a fun visual theme too, like showing off your pets in the design. Read on for some uncommon save-the-date examples for your uber-cool wedding.

Example:

At last…
Save the date for the wedding of
Bruno & Cass
June 8th | Napa, California
Invitation to follow

Example:

We're so excited!
Our humans are getting married
We hope to see you in Nantucket
On August 7th
to celebrate the union of Ryan & Phillip
Invite coming soon

Creative Save-the-Date Wording

If you're a non-traditional couple hashing out what to write on your card, quirky and clever save-the-date wording is definitely fair game. You can find some prime samples of wedding save-the-dates that use fun and funky language on The Knot Invitations, but you also have the ability to edit the phrasing to be anything you want and even get more custom by adding a wedding QR code (aka: the best way to DIY save-the-dates). Check out the save-the-date sample text below to get inspired.

Example:

Save the date and
Slip on your dancing shoes
Elizabeth Bennett + Fitzwilliam Darcy
Are getting married
05.15.2027
Portland, Maine
Invite to Follow

Example:

Pop the champagne
Jamie & Bex
Are saying "I do"
April 18, 2026
Seattle, Washington
Invitation to come

Wedding Save-the-Date Quotes

From movies, to books, to TV shows, to song lyrics, borrow a quote to ensure some "aww"-inspiring save-the-date ideas. Because when it comes to what to write on save-the-dates, using words from something that you both love feels just as meaningful as coming up with some sentences on your own. Use the below sample save-the-date wording to get the writerly juices flowing.

  • "At last." —"At Last" by Etta James
  • "It's a love story." —"Love Story" by Taylor Swift
  • "Love is in the air." —"Love Is in the Air" by John Paul Young
  • "Soul meets soul on lovers' lips." —"Prometheus Unbound" by Percy Bysshe Shelley
  • "Love is a great beautifier." —Little Women by Louisa May Alcott)
  • "We'll always have Paris." —Casablanca (1942)

Alternative Ways to Say "Save the Date"

Your save-the-dates don't actually have to say "save the date." Instead, choose an unexpected phrase that gets the same point across. Here are some alternatives to classic save-the-date wording to mix things up a little.

  • We set a date!
  • The wedding of the year is here
  • It's about time
  • Save our date
  • You've got plans
  • [Name] & [name] are tying the knot
  • Mark your calendars!
  • We said "Yes!"
  • [Date] is our day.
  • Celebrate with us
  • We're saying "I do"
Save the Dates From The Knot
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