# Save the Date Wording (UK): What to Write, With 25+ Examples

URL: https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/journal/save-the-date-wording-uk · Updated 2026-10-20 · By Beth

**Short answer:** Save the date wording only needs four things: your names, the wedding date, the town or venue, and “formal invitation to follow”. Add your wedding website if you have one. Leave times, RSVP details, dress code and gift information for the invitation. Send save the dates 9–12 months before the wedding.

A save the date is the shortest piece of wedding stationery you’ll ever write, and somehow the one couples overthink most. Good save the date wording does one job: it tells guests to keep a day free. Below you’ll find exactly what to put on a save the date, what to leave off, and more than 25 UK save the date wording examples, from classic to funny, destination weddings to evening guests. Copy the one that sounds like you and swap in your details.

## What to put on a save the date

Every save the date needs four things. Anything more is optional.

1. **Your names.** First names are fine; save full names for the invitation.
2. **The date.** Include the day of the week if it’s helpful, especially for a Friday or Sunday wedding.
3. **Where.** The town or region at least, or the venue name if it’s booked.
4. **“Formal invitation to follow”** (or a relaxed version), so guests know more is coming and don’t book anything yet.

A wedding website address is a useful fifth line, particularly for destination weddings or anyone travelling a long way, because it lets guests start looking at accommodation.

### What to leave off a save the date

| Include | Optional | Save for the invitation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Your names | Wedding website | Ceremony time |
| The date | Venue name | RSVP date and card |
| Town or venue | A photo of you both | Dress code |
| “Invitation to follow” | A line about evening, adults-only or a weekend celebration | Gift list, menu choices and accommodation details |

Plus-ones and children are shown by how you address the envelope, not by the wording on the card. If the envelope says “Sarah and Tom”, that’s who is invited. Our [guide to addressing wedding invitations](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/journal/how-to-address-wedding-invitations-uk) explains how.

## Do you put the venue on a save the date?

Only if it’s booked and paid for. If it is, the venue name and town is perfect: “The Ashes Barns, Staffordshire”. If you’re still choosing, use the town, county or even the country: “Cheshire”, “the Cotswolds”, “Puglia, Italy”. That’s enough for guests to know whether they’ll need a hotel.

There’s no need for a full postcode on a save the date. It goes on the invitation, where guests will actually use it for directions.

## Save the date wording examples

Here are our favourite save the date wording ideas, grouped by style. Every example works on a printed card, and most will fit on a postcard-sized design without crowding the illustration.

### Classic save the date wording

Classic:

> Save the date
> for the wedding of
> Jessica & Charlie
> Saturday 7th August 2027
> Chepstow, Monmouthshire
> Formal invitation to follow

Classic, full names:

> Please save the date
> for the marriage of
> Emily Clarke and Thomas Hughes
> Saturday 4th September 2027
> St Mary’s Church, Ludlow
> Invitation to follow

Traditional, date in words:

> Kindly save the date
> Sophie and James
> are getting married
> on the twelfth of June, two thousand and twenty-seven
> in Bath
> Formal invitation to follow

### Relaxed and modern save the date wording

Relaxed:

> We’re getting married!
> Phoebe & Lewis
> 14.08.2027
> The Cotswolds
> Invitation to follow

Simple and modern:

> Save the date
> Amy + Dan
> 21.05.27
> Norfolk

Warm:

> We can’t wait to celebrate with you.
> Please save the date for our wedding
> Hannah & Joe
> Friday 23rd July 2027
> Yorkshire Dales
> More details soon

### Funny save the date wording

A little humour works brilliantly on save the dates, because the card is informal by nature. Keep the date and place clear, then have fun with the rest.

Funny: finally:

> After 9 years, 2 dogs and 1 mortgage,
> we’re finally doing it.
> Save the date
> Laura & Mike
> 18.09.2027
> Cornwall

Funny: booked:

> Clear your diary, book the babysitter,
> and start practising your dance moves.
> Ellie & Sam are getting married
> Saturday 10th July 2027
> Herefordshire
> Proper invitation to follow

Funny: she said yes:

> She said yes (we’re as surprised as you are).
> Save the date
> Rosie & Tom
> 2nd October 2027
> Edinburgh

Funny: dancing:

> Good food, great company,
> and dancing badly until midnight.
> Save the date
> Katie & Ben
> 12.06.2027
> Lake District
> Invitation (and more details about the dancing) to follow

### Save the date wording for a destination wedding

Guests need the most notice for weddings abroad, so give them the country, the town if you know it, and your website. Many couples also mention the length of the celebration so guests can plan holiday.

Destination, classic:

> Save the date
> for the wedding of
> Phoebe & Lewis
> 14th August 2027
> Chalkidiki, Greece
> Formal invitation to follow

Destination, relaxed:

> Pack your sunglasses.
> We’re getting married in Portugal!
> Chloe & Ryan
> Saturday 25th September 2027
> Comporta, Portugal
> Travel and hotel details at www.chloeandryan.co.uk

Destination, wedding weekend:

> Join us for a long weekend in Tuscany
> as we celebrate our marriage
> Grace & Oliver
> Thursday 3rd – Sunday 6th June 2027
> Invitation and travel information to follow

![Cream wedding invitation with a gold foil seashell for Phoebe and Lewis, for a beach wedding in Chalkidiki, Greece, styled with seashells, pearls and gypsophila](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/products/gold-foil-shell-wedding-invitation/gold-foil-shell-wedding-invitation-1.jpg)

### Evening save the date wording

Do you send save the dates to evening guests? You can, and it’s thoughtful if your wedding is on a busy summer Saturday. Just make it obvious that it’s for the evening, so nobody turns up for the ceremony.

Evening guests:

> Save the evening
> Join us to celebrate the wedding of
> Isabella & James
> Saturday 1st May 2027
> from 7pm
> Stoke-on-Trent
> Evening invitation to follow

Evening, relaxed:

> Save the date for a party!
> Chris & Megan are getting married
> and we’d love you to join us for the evening celebrations
> Friday 20th August 2027, Bristol
> Invitation to follow

### Long engagement save the date wording

If your wedding is 18 months or more away, it helps to show the year clearly and keep the tone light, so guests know they’ve got plenty of time.

Long engagement:

> It’s a while away, but we wanted you to be the first to know.
> Save the date
> Natalie & George
> Saturday 9th September 2028
> Shropshire
> Invitation to follow nearer the time

Long engagement, playful:

> Mark your 2028 calendar now!
> Abbie & Luke are getting married
> 17.06.2028
> Northumberland

### Save the date wording with or without the venue

With the venue:

> Save the date
> Olivia & Jacob
> Saturday 16th October 2027
> Lyde Court, Hereford
> Formal invitation to follow

Without the venue:

> Save the date
> Olivia & Jacob
> Saturday 16th October 2027
> Herefordshire
> Venue details and invitation to follow

### Bank holiday and wedding weekend wording

Bank holiday weekend:

> Save the date
> Megan & Will
> Sunday 29th August 2027
> (the bank holiday weekend, so no rushing home)
> Suffolk
> Invitation to follow

UK wedding weekend:

> Save the weekend
> Join Ruby & Alex for three days of celebrating
> Friday 10th – Sunday 12th September 2027
> Isle of Skye
> Accommodation details and invitation to follow

### Adults-only save the date wording

Most couples leave this until the invitation and let the envelope do the talking. If you have lots of guests with young children who will need to arrange childcare, a gentle line on the save the date gives them more time.

Adults only:

> Save the date
> for an adults-only celebration
> Holly & Adam
> Saturday 28th August 2027
> Kent
> Formal invitation to follow

Adults only, gentle:

> Save the date
> Lucy & Matt
> 11.09.2027, Devon
> We love your little ones, but we’re planning
> a grown-ups’ day. Invitation to follow.

### When the couple are hosting, or parents are

Couple hosting:

> Together with their families
> Daniel & Laura
> invite you to save the date for their wedding
> Saturday 17th July 2027
> Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire
> Formal invitation to follow

Parents hosting:

> Mr and Mrs David Taylor
> ask you to save the date
> for the marriage of their daughter
> Jessica to Charlie Evans
> Saturday 21st August 2027
> Lyde Court, Hereford
> Formal invitation to follow

### Ways to say “formal invitation to follow”

Closing lines:

> Formal invitation to follow
> Invitation to follow
> Invitation and details to follow
> More details soon
> Proper invite on its way
> Details at www.yourwebsite.co.uk
> Watch the post for your invitation

## Who gets a save the date?

Send a save the date to everyone you are **certain** to invite, one per household. A save the date is a promise: once someone has one, they’ll expect an invitation, so leave off anyone you’re unsure about until your numbers are fixed.

- **Day guests:** yes, all of them.
- **Evening guests:** optional. Worth it for peak dates, or if they’re travelling; use “save the evening” wording.
- **Plus-ones:** only if you know who they are. Write both names on the envelope.
- **Wedding party and close family:** yes, even though they already know. They’ll want one for the fridge.

## When to send save the dates

In the UK, send save the dates **9–12 months before** the wedding, as soon as your date and venue are booked. For a destination wedding, aim for 12 months or more so guests can book flights and holiday. Our [guide to when to send wedding invitations](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/journal/when-to-send-wedding-invitations-uk) has a full month-by-month timeline, including when to post your invitations and set your RSVP date.

## Do you need save the dates and invitations?

They do different jobs. A save the date is an early heads-up with just the date and place. The invitation is the formal request, with times, the full venue address, RSVP card and details card. You always need invitations; save the dates are optional.

|  | Save the date | Invitation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| When to send | 9–12 months before | About 4 months before (6–8 months for weddings abroad) |
| What’s on it | Names, date, town or venue, “invitation to follow” | Hosts, names, date, time, full venue, what follows |
| RSVP? | No | Yes |
| Essential? | Optional | **Yes** |

![Grace wildflower wedding invitation suite for Charlie and Jessica on cream linen: the main invitation, an RSVP card, an ‘It’s in the details’ card and an ivory envelope, with white cosmos, ranunculus, peach roses and a pair of wedding rings](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/products/grace-wildflower-wedding-invitation-set/grace-wildflower-wedding-invitation-set-5.jpg)

Save the dates are worth sending for summer Saturdays, bank holiday weekends, December weddings, weddings abroad, or when lots of guests are travelling. For a small, local wedding less than six months away, you can skip them and send invitations a little earlier instead. Our [wedding stationery checklist](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/journal/wedding-stationery-checklist-uk) shows what else you’ll need and how many of each.

## Should save the dates match your invitations?

They don’t have to, but it’s a lovely touch. When guests receive an invitation in the same design months later, they recognise it straight away, and your stationery feels like one considered set. If you choose your invitation design early, you can pick a save the date to coordinate with it, or ask us to adapt the colours and wording to match.

![Close view of a Grace wildflower wedding invitation for Charlie and Jessica on textured card, with watercolour wildflowers and a butterfly, Saturday 16th August 2025 at St Tewdrics House, beside the details card on peach silk ribbon](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/products/grace-wildflower-wedding-invitation-set/grace-wildflower-wedding-invitation-set-8.jpg)

![Blue floral oval wedding invitation with an A & T monogram card tied on with an ivory satin bow over the main invitation for Gileston Manor, Barry, on a dusty blue envelope with blue and white hydrangeas, wax seals and a ring box](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/products/blue-floral-oval-wedding-invitation-suite/blue-floral-oval-wedding-invitation-suite-2.jpg)

## Checking your save the date before it’s printed

- Does the date match the day of the week? (Saturday 14th August 2027 is a Saturday.)
- Is the venue definitely booked, or should you just give the town?
- Have you spelled both names the way you want them on every piece of stationery?
- If you’ve added a website, does it work, and is it easy to type?
- Have you ordered enough for every household, plus a few spares?

## Ready to send yours?

Our [pink floral illustrated save the date](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/shop/save-the-dates/pink-floral-save-the-date) is personalised with your names, date and any of the wording above (£1.99 each at the time of writing). Everything is designed and handmade in our UK studio, and you’ll see a digital proof before anything is printed. If you’d like your save the dates to match your invitations, browse our [wedding invitations](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/shop/wedding-invitations) or order a [sample pack](https://gracefulstudio.co.uk/shop/sample-packs) to see the card and colours in person first.

Questions:

- **What do I put on my save the date?** Your names, the wedding date, the town or venue, and “formal invitation to follow”. Add your wedding website if you have one. Leave times, RSVP details, dress code and gift information for the invitation.
- **Do you put the venue on a save the date?** Only if it’s booked. If it is, give the venue name and town. If not, the town, county or country is enough for guests to know whether they’ll need to travel or book a hotel.
- **Who gets a save the date?** Everyone you’re certain to invite, one per household. Don’t send one to anyone you’re unsure about, because a save the date is a promise that an invitation will follow.
- **Do you send save the dates to evening guests?** You can, and it’s helpful for peak summer dates or guests who are travelling. Use “save the evening” wording and include a start time so it’s clear they’re invited to the evening celebration.
- **Do I need save the dates and invitations?** You always need invitations. Save the dates are optional, but recommended for summer, bank holiday, December and destination weddings, or when many guests are travelling.
- **When should I send save the dates in the UK?** Nine to twelve months before the wedding, as soon as your date and venue are booked. For a destination wedding, aim for twelve months or more.
- **What should destination wedding save the date wording include?** Your names, the date, the town and country, and your wedding website for travel and hotel information. If it’s a multi-day celebration, give the full dates so guests can book enough holiday.
- **Is it ‘save the date’ or ‘save the day’?** It’s “save the date”. You’ll occasionally see “save the evening” for evening guests, but “save the day” isn’t the usual phrase.

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