If you're new to wedding planning, it's easy to wonder whether you really need both a save the date and a formal invitation — and what the difference actually is. They serve distinct purposes and go out at different points in your planning, so understanding both helps you get your stationery timeline right from the start.
What Is a Save the Date?
A save the date is an early heads-up. It goes out well before your formal invitation and its sole job is to let guests know your wedding date so they can keep it free. It doesn't ask for an RSVP, doesn't carry full logistical detail, and isn't a formal request to attend — it's simply a friendly notice that something wonderful is coming.
Most UK couples send save the dates around 12 months before the wedding, or earlier for destination weddings, bank holiday weekends, or when many guests need to travel. Browse our save the date collection to find a style that suits your wedding.
What Is a Wedding Invitation?
Your formal wedding invitation is the official request to attend. It carries all the detail guests need to plan their day — the full venue address, ceremony time, RSVP instructions, and any other relevant information. It typically goes out around six months before the wedding, giving guests enough time to make arrangements.
Unlike a save the date, the invitation asks guests to respond, and it sets the tone for the day with its design and wording.
Purpose, Timing and Content: Side by Side
Here's a straightforward comparison to help you see how the two pieces differ:
Save the Date
- Purpose: Hold the date in guests' diaries
- When to send: 12–18 months before the wedding
- RSVP required: No
- What to include: Names, date, general location, "formal invitation to follow"
- Optional extras: Wedding website URL, adults-only note, accommodation hint
Wedding Invitation
- Purpose: Formally invite guests and provide all the details
- When to send: Around 6 months before the wedding
- RSVP required: Yes
- What to include: Full venue address, ceremony time, RSVP method and deadline, reception details
- Optional extras: Dress code, dietary request note, wedding website, children's policy
Do You Need Both?
There's no obligation to send both — some couples, particularly those with a shorter engagement or a small guest list, send only a formal invitation and post it a little earlier than usual. That said, save the dates are genuinely useful when guests need to book travel or accommodation, request time off work, or arrange childcare well in advance. For most UK weddings, sending both is a practical choice rather than a formality.
Wording: Some Optional Examples
There's no single correct way to word either piece. Here are a few starting points you might adapt to suit your own style.
Save the date (simple and modern):
Save the date! Emma & James are getting married on Saturday, 14th June 2026. Formal invitation to follow.
Save the date (slightly warmer):
We're getting married — and we'd love you to be there. Save Saturday, 14th June 2026. More details to come.
Invitation (modern):
Emma & James invite you to celebrate their wedding on Saturday, 14th June 2026 at 2.00pm. Venue Name, Town, County. Kindly reply by 1st April.
Invitation (traditional):
Together with their families, Emma Clarke and James Whitfield request the pleasure of your company at their marriage on Saturday, the fourteenth of June 2026 at two o'clock in the afternoon.
These are suggestions, not rules. Use whatever wording feels natural to you as a couple.
Coordinating Your Designs
Many couples choose to coordinate their save the dates and invitations so that the overall look of their stationery feels cohesive. This doesn't mean everything has to match exactly — a shared colour palette, font style, or motif is often enough to tie the pieces together.
If you'd like both pieces to feel like part of the same suite, ordering from the same collection makes this straightforward. A few of our collections that work well across both save the dates and invitations:
- Clay & Olive Collection — warm, earthy tones with a contemporary feel
- Hedgerow Collection — botanical illustration with a natural, countryside aesthetic
- Moonlit Garden Collection — soft, romantic florals with an elegant finish
- Wildflower Collection — loose, painterly wildflowers with a relaxed, organic feel
If you're not sure which collection suits your wedding, browsing both the save the dates and invitations ranges side by side is a good way to get a feel for what works together.
A Quick Checklist
- ✓ Confirm your date and venue before ordering either piece
- ✓ Send save the dates 12–18 months out (earlier for destination or bank holiday weddings)
- ✓ Send formal invitations around 6 months before the wedding
- ✓ Keep save the date wording brief — full details follow with the invitation
- ✓ Include RSVP method and deadline on the invitation
- ✓ Consider coordinating designs if you want a cohesive stationery suite
- ✓ Order a small buffer (around 10% extra) for late additions to the guest list
- ✓ Proof every detail carefully before approving for print
All personalised orders go through a digital proofing stage before production begins. You'll receive a proof to review and we ask for written approval before anything goes to print — so take your time checking names, dates, and wording before signing off.