Save the Date Wording and Detail Checklist
A Save the Date should answer three questions immediately: who is getting married, when, and—when useful—where. Keep the wording brief, accurate and easy to understand at a glance, then use the Design Proof to verify every personal detail before production.
This checklist is about wording and detail accuracy. For the current material options, set sizes and product-selection questions, use the Save the Date Buying Guide: Material, Quantity and Wording and the live Save the Date magnets product page.
What Should a Save the Date Include?
A Save the Date is an early wedding announcement rather than the full invitation. Its main job is to make the confirmed date clear enough for guests to reserve it.
The essential details are usually:
- Your names: use the names guests will recognise.
- Your wedding date: include day, month and year in a clear format.
- A short announcement: for example “Save the Date” or “We’re getting married”.
Optional details can include a confirmed city, venue or destination, “Formal invitation to follow”, or one short personal line when it does not compete with the names and date.
A Clear Wording Structure
A simple four-line structure works for many weddings:
- Line 1: couple’s names
- Line 2: Save the Date or another short announcement
- Line 3: wedding date
- Line 4: city, venue, destination or a short follow-up phrase
The exact order can change with the design, but names and date should remain easy to identify.
Save the Date Wording Examples
Classic
[Name] & [Name]
Save the Date
[Wedding date]
[City or destination]
Formal invitation to follow
Minimal
[Name] + [Name]
[Wedding date]
[City]
Warm and informal
We’re getting married
[Name] & [Name]
[Wedding date]
Details to follow
Destination wedding
Save the Date
[Name] & [Name]
[Wedding date]
[City, country]
These are starting structures, not fixed rules. Replace every placeholder with the exact information you want engraved.
Name Checklist
- Choose first names, full names or another deliberate form.
- Confirm spelling letter by letter.
- Keep accents, hyphens, apostrophes and special characters exactly as required.
- Choose “&”, “and” or “+” deliberately and use it consistently.
- Use nicknames only when they are genuinely appropriate for the guest list.
Date Checklist
- Include the year.
- Compare the day and month with the confirmed wedding information rather than relying on memory.
- If a weekday is included, verify that it matches the calendar date.
- Use one date format consistently.
- For international guests, spelling out the month can reduce day/month ambiguity.
Location Checklist
Add a location only when it is confirmed and useful. A city or destination can help guests judge travel needs; the full postal address, parking details and day schedule usually belong on the formal invitation, wedding website or supporting information.
If the venue may still change, omit it. A correct date without a venue is better than an announcement with information that later becomes wrong.
What Should You Leave Off?
A compact Save the Date becomes harder to read when it tries to do the job of the full invitation. Usually leave detailed RSVP instructions, ceremony and reception times, complete addresses, parking information, accommodation lists, dress-code explanations, meal choices and the full wedding-day schedule for later communication.
Capitalisation, Punctuation and Language
- Use one capitalisation style consistently.
- Check apostrophes, hyphens and accents in names and places.
- Avoid unnecessary punctuation that crowds a small design.
- Enter another language exactly as it should appear, including special characters.
The current Save the Date product supports another language, accents and special characters. The submitted wording still needs to be checked carefully in the Design Proof.
The Design Proof Checklist
A digital Design Proof is sent before engraving for AtaNova’s personalised Save the Date magnets. Review it against one final source of truth:
- Names: spelling, order and characters.
- Date: day, month, year and weekday when used.
- Location: official spelling when included.
- Main wording: confirm the exact announcement.
- Secondary wording: confirm or remove any follow-up phrase.
- Language: grammar, accents and punctuation.
- Line order: check the intended hierarchy.
- Readability: names and date should remain clear at a glance.
Read every line rather than approving from the overall appearance alone. Production starts after approval, so corrections should be made before the Design Proof is approved. The wider approval flow is explained on How It Works.
Copy-and-Paste Checklist Before Ordering
- Name 1: [exact spelling]
- Name 2: [exact spelling]
- Connector: [& / and / +]
- Main phrase: [Save the Date / We’re getting married / other]
- Wedding date: [exact display format]
- Weekday: [include / omit]
- Location: [city / venue / destination / omit]
- Secondary phrase: [text / omit]
- Language and special characters: [confirmed]
Keep one final version and use that same version when checking the emailed proof.
When Standard Wording Is Not Enough
The standard product works best with concise information. If the request needs a non-standard layout, coordinated event pieces, unusual quantities or another requirement outside the listed product configuration, submit it through Custom Projects & Bespoke Orders for review.
Final Recommendation
Lead with the names and confirmed wedding date. Add a location or short secondary phrase only when it helps the guest. Keep detailed logistics for the later invitation.
The current standard Save the Date magnets are approximately 6–7 cm in diameter and are offered in Natural Wood, Clear Acrylic or Black Acrylic, with current set choices shown on the product page. For material and quantity decisions, use the dedicated Save the Date Buying Guide. You can also browse the Wedding & Events collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum wording needed?
Names, the confirmed wedding date and a clear short announcement are the core details. Add a location only when it is useful and confirmed.
Should I include the full venue address?
Usually not. A city, venue name or destination is normally enough at this stage.
Should the year appear?
Yes. Including the year removes unnecessary ambiguity.
Can the wording be in another language?
Yes. Enter the exact wording, accents and special characters and verify them in the Design Proof.
Can I change wording after approving the Design Proof?
Request corrections before approval and production. Once the approved design has been engraved, the finished personalisation cannot simply be edited.
