While they are often referred to as ‘save the date invitations’, this is a bit misleading. A 'save the date' is a promise that an invitation is to come, but it does not contain all the information a wedding invitation requires so it cannot stand alone. Because it is a promise, however, it should be taken as seriously as an invitation. You can’t take it back once you’ve sent it!

Post save the date wedding invitations to everyone you plan to mail the wedding invitation to. There’s no point asking people you have no intention of inviting them to do anything on that date (and this could create some awkward situations for you!), and there isn’t really any reason to leave off anyone from the guest list if you plan on sending them an official invitation anyway. Don’t panic if you leave anyone out though. Like we said, the invitations are going to follow so the worst you’re going to get is a ‘where was my save the date card?’

Timing is everything. For local weddings, aim to send save the dates 3–4 months in advance. For destination weddings, where guests need to book travel and accommodation, give them more notice of 4 - 8 months is ideal. This gives your loved ones plenty of time to plan. Planning a baby shower or another special event? Send a save the date early in the pregnancy to help guests keep the date free.

Pressed for time? If your wedding is only 2–3 months away, don’t stress. You can skip the save the dates and send out your formal invitations earlier—around eight weeks before the wedding. Your guests will understand, though some may not be able to attend with short notice. To help, consider reserving accommodation and sharing details with your guests early.

Paperlust's save the date card size is 140mm High x 107mm Wide, or 5.5inches x 4.21inches which is the industry standard for save the date cards.

Looking for 5”x7: save the date cards? We can also convert our designs into 5x7 size for save the date cards as part of our custom order process, to do this click here to get a custom quote and mention you would like a 5x7 version of a design.

Looking for 4x6 save the date cards? Our default size (5.5inches x 4.21inches) is fairly close to this size, however we can convert our designs into exactly this size as part of our custom order process detailed above.

The cost varies by Print Type, number of save the dates ordered and the chosen paper type. The average cost of wedding save the dates starts at approximately $2.50 AUD - $3.50 AUD (US$1.50-2.50) when ordering 100 quantity, on the more affordable end is our standard Matte paper stock and on the Premium end using our Cotton paper, both of these options are using the Digital Printing print type.

For our mid-high range print offerings like Flat Foil, White Ink on Coloured paper the average cost of our wedding save the dates is AUD$4 - $6 (US$3-5).

On the premium end, our save the dates can cost between $5 - $7 AUD (US$ 4-6) per card when ordering 100, using Letterpress, Foil Stamp or Print on Wood printing techniques.

You are in luck; at our envelope customization step in our design tool you can add your Return Address details to be printed as a return address label on the back of your save the date card envelope.

With Paperust any save the date cards can be customised to be double-sided, some designs already have a 2nd side as part of the design, but with our customise tool you can add a backside to any card, you can do this on the Customise screen when personalising your design.

Look no further, all of our wedding save the dates have matching wedding invitations that you can get to by clicking on the design above and under Designs in Set you will see the wedding invitation to match. Paperlust offers a discount for wedding save the dates and invitation packages when you order three items or more at checkout.

We have partnered with Joy to combine your order with Paperlust and create virtual save the dates on the Joy platform, and find a matching wedding invitation and matching on the day stationery here on Paperlust. The benefit of this is the overall process is a bit faster sending digital save the dates than getting prints done at this step.

We have partnered with Joy to combine your order with Paperlust and create virtual save the dates on the Joy platform, and find a matching wedding invitation and matching on the day stationery here on Paperlust. The benefit of this is the overall process is a bit faster sending digital save the dates than getting prints done at this step.

Find out our available designs for virtual cards on Joy here

Yes, you are in luck this Black Friday if you are looking to save on your save the dates, Paperlust offers a 15% off sitewide sale each year for the period of Black Friday (5 Days). Paperlust also offers the same sale over Cyber Monday.

Traditionally, the bride’s name goes first on the Save the Date card, following classic wedding etiquette. However, modern couples often choose the order based on preference, aesthetics, or what sounds best.

Common Formats:

1. Traditional (Bride First):

   - Emma Johnson & James Smith are getting married!

   - Save the Date for Emma & James’ wedding!

2. Casual & Modern (Either Order):

   - James & Emma are tying the knot!

   - Join us to celebrate Emma & James!

3. Same-Sex Couples:

   - Use alphabetical order or whichever sounds best.

   - Alex & Jordan are getting married!

At the end of the day, there are no hard rules—go with what feels right for you!

No, it's not necessary to put guest names on Save the Date cards. Typically, they just include the couple’s names, the wedding date, and the general location (city/state or venue if already booked).

However, if you're sending them digitally or as postcards, and want to personalize them, you can include guest names—especially for small, intimate weddings. If you're inviting a specific household or guest plus a plus-one, addressing them by name can also help clarify who's invited.

You don’t have to put “and Guest” on Save the Dates, but you can if you already know that a guest is allowed a plus-one.

Options:

1. If you know the guest’s plus-one:

   - Address the Save the Date to both:

      “Emily Johnson & Michael Smith”

   - This is the most formal and clear approach.

2. If the plus-one is unknown but allowed:

   - You can include “and Guest” on the envelope or email:

      “Emily Johnson and Guest”

   - This subtly lets them know they can bring someone.

3. If you’re not ready to finalize plus-ones:

   - Just address the guest alone and clarify plus-ones on the formal invite.

   - This gives you more flexibility with your guest list.

If you’re looking for more ideas about how to address save the dates, read our blogpost.

If you are wondering where to print save the dates and you have your artwork ready, simply head over to our custom order page and submit your information of how many you need to supply the artwork and we will get back to you with a quote.

If you are looking to create save the new date cards, all of the text on our design is fully customizable so you can add additional text such as "new" for one of our existing designs to update the guests of your new event date. You can also create save the date again cards by including the wording "again" our "our new date".

We have our save the dates paper samples that you can order here, each pack comes with a wide range of paper types, alternatively, if you want to sample save the date cards that match your exact design, you can request a custom sample of the design you are after.

We have a wide range of save the date cards, and most of our save the date card designs don't have a photo card element, so you can choose from popular themes above.

Save the dates invitations are your guests’ very first taste of your wedding: they establish its signature style and hint at the feel of the day. You should be able to tell from a save the date whether the wedding will be formal or casual, classic or rustic save the dates, and so on. Understandably, you’ll probably feel a lot of pressure to get your save the dates right! So if you’re having trouble deciding on a theme for your wedding stationery, and worrying about those all-too-important reminders that need to be sent out so early in the piece, you might want to consider seasonal save the date cards.

Whether you’re having a magical white winter wedding or planning a warm, relaxed summertime affair, it’s easy to reflect the season stylishly and effectively in the design of your save the date cards. Seasonal save the dates have the bonus of hinting at what to wear, as well as the style of the wedding. An autumnal save the date, for example, will immediately remind guests that they might need to bring a coat along for later in the evening!

Keep in mind that your save the dates don’t necessarily need to match your invitations and other wedding stationery. You may prefer to keep them separate and unique. If you do prefer a matching suite, though, it remains super easy to incorporate key seasonal elements, motifs and colour schemes throughout all your stationery components.

Likewise, you don’t have to incorporate the seasonal theme of your save the dates into your overall wedding décor since it will remain relevant regardless thanks to the date. So if you don’t have another particular look or theme in mind yet, a subtle seasonal option could be the perfect choice.

Let’s take a look at some save the date card options for each of the four seasons.

Summer Save the Dates - Ideas

KEY COLOURS:

White

Shades of blue and green, from pale seafoam to deep royal blue

Shades of yellow, from bright gold to subtle sandy shades

POTENTIAL MOTIFS:

Seashells

Driftwood

White feathers

Nautical symbols and materials e.g. anchor, rope

Summer weddings are all about embracing warm weather and enjoying the outdoors. Many summer-loving couples will choose a save the dates for a beach wedding, which is an easy and effective theme to work with your save the date cards. However, the seaside isn’t your only warm-weather option. Garden and vineyard weddings – any ceremonies held outdoors – are also popular, and can make for some very pretty wedding stationery.

No matter which type of summer wedding you’re having, it’s best to keep things simple with your save the dates. You don’t want to cross the line into tacky territory by plastering the cards with enough palm trees for a Hawaiian shirt! Opt for a subtle approach, using one or two key motifs and an elegant, carefully considered colour scheme.

Autumn Wedding Save the Dates - Ideas

KEY COLOURS:

Reds and oranges, from burnt sienna to Burgundy

Shades of brown such as chocolate and coffee

Hints of sage or forest green

POTENTIAL MOTIFS:

Leaves and trees

Acorns

Pumpkins

The crisp air and scenic, leaf-strewn backdrop of an autumn day sets the scene for a beautiful wedding. The season’s naturally rich colour palette is ideal for stand-out stationery, too.

Autumn-themed elements work well in illustrated or photographic save the date cards. For a tactile, handmade effect, why not consider including actual pressed/dried flowers or autumn leaves? It’s the perfect chance to get creative.

Winter Save the Date Cards

KEY COLOURS:

White

Silver

Grey

Shades of blue, from frosty pale blue to dark navy

POTENTIAL MOTIFS:

Snowflakes/snow

Trees (e.g. bare branches, fir trees)

Silhouettes

Winter weddings provide the perfect opportunity to create a picturesque, striking aesthetic. From the snow-white wedding dress to the echoes of lace in a delicate snowflake, winter and weddings seem made for each other!

There are plenty of ways to incorporate this season into an elegant set of save the date cards.

Spring Wedding Save the Dates - Ideas

KEY COLOURS:

Pastel, bright or mixed shades of pink, green, yellow, purple, orange

Contrasting black or white space

POTENTIAL MOTIFS:

Flowers and plants

Fruits

Birds

Insects like dragonflies or bees

Ah, spring. It’s the time of new beginnings and blossoming buds: in other words, the perfect time for a wedding. Flowers are in bloom, and the weather is getting warmer, so garden, forest or country field weddings are particularly popular in spring.

Whether it’s to accommodate your locale or only to commemorate the season, a nature-based theme is perfect for spring save the date invitations. Florals are an obvious choice – they offer a broad range of beautifully decorative options, but there are other things you can do if flowers aren’t your style. For a less ‘girly’, more neutral option, you might like to concentrate on leaves and greenery other than flowers, which can open up a beautiful, minimalistic and earthy colour palette.

Paperlust gives you full control to make your unique save the dates . Using our on-site design tool, you are able to drag and drop design elements, select your colour palette, enter your own information, and change fonts. You can see how your changes look in real time, undo anything you’re not sure about, and save your changes to show to others before finalising your purchase. Once you check out, our designers will tweak everything to make sure it is perfect, then send you a final proof to approve before printing.

If you’ve got completely unique save the dates that you’re hoping to incorporate in your design, consider having a Paperlust designer create a completely custom save the date card just for you. We work with you to make sure it’s exactly what you envisioned and perfectly reflects your needs.

Unique save the date ideas

Save the date invitations are usually simple in their wording, only containing information about the date in question, the couple’s names and perhaps a location. Hence, after a while, regardless of different design and paper choices, they can all start to look quite similar. For those who want to stand out from the crowd, unique save the date ideas will set you apart.

For that personal, homely touch, you can make edible items such as jars of jam for example, and your save the dates can be printed on sticker labels and attached to the jars. This could also be applied to any food items like cookies or sachets of tea blends or home made granola. Save the dates could also be made into gift tags in this case and tied onto an item that’s gifted along with the invitation. The arrival of these items in the post will definitely make for a memorable, unique save the date.

This isn’t limited to food items, perhaps for a beach wedding, you could collect seashells to send to your guests to increase anticipation for the future trip away. The shells can be a placeholder to attach the card to for a unique save the date idea for destination weddings.

There are more ideas for creating unique save the date, read our blogpost for more insight

Another option: a save the date flyer

A save the date flyer is another option available for your save the dates. A save the date flyer differs from a traditional save the date card in that it is usually cheaper, printed on inexpensive paper and printed with a standard digital print technique rather than fancy print types like real foil stamping or letterpress. They also typically have more information on them than a standard save the date, especially if they come from a business and need to establish who the hosts are and what the nature of the event is. Flyers are a great choice for people who are on an extremely tight budget or who need to distribute a very large number of save the dates.

Save the date flyers usually aren’t chosen for a wedding or other big life event, since they are typically lower quality than people expect for these occasions. Instead, it is common for business or corporate save the dates to be made in the form of flyers, especially for an event like a store opening or business opening, a product launch or a big sale. In general, a save the date flyer is the best choice only when nothing else will do due to expense. It should only be used for an occasion where you are not connected with people receiving the save the date flyer, and do not need to mark a significant occasion with anything too special, this for example could be a save the date chirstmas cards, or a save the date for a baby shower. They are popular choices at conferences to remind people to start planning for the following year.

Professional save the date flyers are significantly higher quality than cheap flyers created with a standard printer or a photocopier. They can be full colour, glossy and on thicker paper stock for a more premium feel. This is great if you need to make an impression or want to represent your business or event in the best possible light, while still keeping things affordable. They also make the flyer more durable so it is less likely to end up shredded in the bottom of somebody’s bag.

If you’re considering a save the date flyer for your wedding or special event because you’re on a tight budget, consider saving money by ordering affordable save the date cards or even printing your own from a well designed save the date card template. This will give you a better result for an important event without breaking the bank.