Save the Date Cards | A Guide from Birdhouse197

A save the date does a different job to an invitation. It goes out months earlier, carries less information, and its only real task is to get a date into someone's calendar. That's the official version, anyway.

What we see happen in practice, especially with gothic, alternative or whimsical weddings, is something more. A guest opens an envelope and sees skeleton lovers, tarot imagery or a bleeding heart, and they know immediately this couple is doing things a little differently, in theme, in vibe, or in how the whole day is going to unfold. The save the date isn't just locking in a date. It's the first impression of the entire wedding.

We hear this back from couples often. Amanda told us her tarot card save the dates "were a huge hit," and Andrea said her guests were still complimenting them long after the day. That first impression genuinely lands.

Our Save the Date Formats

Every save the date we make is a single card, in one of a few core shapes: tarot style, A6 with rounded corners, arched, circular, and our Victorian folding letter, which opens like a little piece of origami before revealing your details. Each format has its own character, and we're always happy to talk through which suits your design best.

We're flexible on top of that too. If there's a design or style elsewhere in the collection you love, we can usually adapt it into a save the date, even if it wasn't originally built as one. Just ask.

Foil, and Why It's Worth It

We like to think of our save the dates as an art print that happens to double as a wedding announcement. Foiling is a big part of that. It's available in gold, silver, copper, rose gold and iridescent, and it genuinely changes how a design feels in hand, catching the light in a way a flat print never quite manages.

Making It Yours

Colourway, a photo of the two of you, your own wording, all of that is standard. A lot of couples send us a photo they want included, and often it's the same one that ends up on the thank you cards after the day too, tying the whole story together.

We also get the occasional request to add a bit of extra illustrated detail, a pet being the most common. As a self-confessed crazy cat person, that's a request I'm always happy to say yes to where I can. And if you come to us with an idea for a new colourway, tell us. We genuinely love seeing those printed for the first time as much as you do.

What Actually Goes On a Save the Date

Most couples keep it simple: your names, the wedding date, and the venue. Once the venue is confirmed, that's usually when couples want these out the door, so friends and family can get the date in their diary as early as possible.

Some couples add a QR code linking to a wedding website, or a small extra detail if it's relevant, like whether children are invited. Beyond that, we'd usually suggest saving the fuller details for the invitation itself, the save the date's job is to announce, not to explain everything.

When to Send Them

As a general guide, we'd suggest sending your wedding save the dates 6 to 12 months ahead of the day, with a 4 to 5 week lead time from order to delivery on our end. Every wedding is different though, so if you're working to a tighter timeline, just get in touch and we'll do our best to help.

If you want to see and feel a design in person before you commit, our sample pack is worth ordering too, it's a small, considered piece and worth being certain about the finish before you order.

Ready to Start?

Browse our save the date collections or tell us about your day and we'll help you find the right design.

Love, George & Joshua