25 Fun and Unique Save-the-Date Ideas Anyone Can Use

Do you have a special event like a wedding, baby shower, or something else coming up soon, and you want to find some unique save-the-date ideas?

People send save the dates for more than just weddings. You can send them for a baby shower, family reunion, bar mitzvah, anniversary reception, and more - essentially any of life's biggest moments.

Most of these are geared towards weddings, but you can definitely use these ideas for other special days besides wedding plans. Check out these fun save-the-date ideas to find one perfect for your special event.

What are Save-the-Dates?

Save-the-dates are essentially pre-invitations to a wedding or special event that go out to your guests to let them know when your special day will be. They generally share the basic wedding details without going in-depth.

How Far in Advance Should Save-the-Dates Go Out?

Generally, most people say you should send your save-the-date cards at least four to six months before your upcoming wedding day or day of the special event. If you're having a destination wedding, you should send them earlier than this since people need to make travel arrangements to attend your wedding.

As soon as you know your wedding dates and have a wedding guest list, you should start planning your save-the-date invitations. They go out much sooner than wedding invitations to your wedding guests do.

What is Usually on a Save-the-Date?

Your save-the-date cards should include you and your partner's names, the event or wedding location, and the wedding date. And just the city or town will work if you haven't picked a venue yet. You should also let your wedding guests know that a formal invitation will follow.

How Do You Make Save-the-Dates Unique?

The save-the-dates are the first look guests get of your wedding or event. So, whether it's simply buying traditional wedding stationery and customizing it, or completely creating something unique based on your wedding theme, doing something different is good.

The ideas below are way more fun than traditional card ideas to let people know about your special event or wedding celebration. If you're planning a themed wedding, the save-the-date gives guests a sneak peek.

Places like Vistaprint and Shutterfly are great places to find hundreds of designs and create cute cards or other versions of fun save-the-date ideas.

Unique and Fun Save the Date Ideas

If you're looking for creative save-the-date ideas for your special event or wedding, you'll love this list of unique designs we found for you.

1. Rustic Wooden Magnets

If you're planning a rustic wedding, cute wooden magnets are fun save-the-date ideas. You can have them cut as mason jars or even just circles, and this gives a hint of your wedding theme to family and friends.

2. Terracotta Tiles

If you have a destination wedding in Mexico or Italy, small terracotta tiles are unique save-the-date ideas that we're sure no one else you know used. You can cut the wedding date information into the tile. Just make sure to protect them well, so they don't break in transit.

3. Animal Caricatures

If you want to show your sense of humor, creating a traditional save-the-date with two animals dressed in formal clothes is a fun idea. Or you could do something like these cute love ducks with a funny phrase.

4. Letterpress Coasters

Letterpress coasters are fun save-the-date ideas. You can make these coasters really simple or add something like the cutout of a city skyline on them. Choose a square or round shape, and you have the perfect, unique save-the-date notification.

5. Bookmarks

Sending save-the-date bookmarks is another clever way to announce your wedding. These save-the-date bookmarks are cute and include a picture of the couple, but you have many options to customize your save-the-dates.

6. Minimalist Photo Card

If you want something clean and simple, you can create a save-the-date invitation with a minimalist photo. The less extravagant your save-the-date is, the less expensive it is.

7. Handmade Save-the-Date Candles

Everyone loves things that smell good, so a homemade candle makes one of the best fun save-the-date ideas. This Etsy store sells them in four, eight, or sixteen-ounce sizes. You can choose from many great scents such as:

•             Sea Salt & Orchid

•             Grapefruit & Mint

•             Lavender

•             Magnolia & Peony

•             Apple Harvest

•             Clean Cotton

And more.

8. State or Country Postcards

State postcards are another fun save-the-date idea. You can either send cards shaped like your home state or the shape of the country or state you're getting married in if it's a destination wedding.

9. A Well-Drawn Map

Another way to reveal the location of your wedding is to send save-the-date cards with your city or town drawn on them. You get a historical map, a cute color map, or other types of map cards.

10. Destination Themed

Depending on your wedding venue, you can create a unique save-the-date card if you're having a destination wedding. If you're having a beach wedding, you can send a sand dollar, starfish-shaped coasters or something else customized.

Part of the fun with destination weddings is surprising your guest by revealing the location in your save-the-date.

11. Vinyl Records

Another one of the best fun save-the-date ideas is vinyl records. These cool vinyl records include the date and names of the couple right on the record label and have a vintage look. They are perfect for couples who love music or records.

12. Banner or Garland

Cute banners or garlands also make neat save-the-date ideas. You can create a simple banner with the date and location of the wedding ceremony or have someone create a banner of photos of you and your partner.

13. A Floppy Disk

Another unique save-the-date idea is to put your details on a floppy disc. Old school tech people will appreciate this save-the-date invitation, and you can get them in a variety of colors.

14. Watercolor Cards

Watercolor cards make beautiful save-the-date notifications for elegant weddings. They can just be simple with waves of watercolor in the background or pretty paintings of your wedding venue or location.

15. Egyptian Save-the-Date Cards

These Egyptian save-the-date cards are elegantly beautiful. They feature bold colors and a unique Egyptian design perfect for anyone who loves Egypt, wants to get married, or lives there.

16. Flipbook or Viewfinder

Remember the viewfinders you found so enchanting as a kid? They make fun save-the-date ideas for anyone. You can even add a reel of your state's best places to visit, or some couples include a flipbook too.

17.  Paper Dolls

Vintage paper dolls are another cute idea for save-the-date announcements. You can DIY these yourself, or you can purchase several versions of save-the-date paper dolls.

18. Photo Booth Pictures

Remember photo booths? Photo strips like the ones you get in photo booths make fun save-the-date ideas. Sending your guests a photo strip is the perfect way to show off more than one engagement photo and have a little fun.

Photo strips could work for an elegant wedding or a rustic wedding.

19. Pencil Us In

We really love these cute pencil-us-in save-the-date ideas. Your names and wedding date go on the wooden pencil attached to the card, and they come in various designs to go with your theme.

20. DIY Printable Luggage Tags

You can DIY these fun luggage tag save-the-date invitations or even buy ones like these neat wooden refrigerator magnets. This type of save-the-date notification is perfect for letting guests know about your destination wedding.

21. Tea Bags Save-the-Dates and Party Favors

Teabags make fun save-the-date ideas, and they're simple yet elegant. You can also use these tea bags for tea party invitations, bridal favors, baby shower keepsakes, and more.

22. Pantone Cards

Pantone chips are the color cards that usually show the hex code, but you can make personalized save-the-dates from them. You can personalize the Pantone chips in this shop with a custom color and add the wedding information.

These are best if you're only sharing minimal information, but they give guests a clue about your wedding theme.

23. Library Cards

Remember the old library cards from back in the day? These white library cards make nifty save-the-date ideas. They are perfect for couples who love books and reading.

24. DIY Rubber Stamped Save-the-Dates

Have a rubber stamp created with your wedding details, and then stamp them on ornate cards in a unique shape like an oval with decorative edges. Rubber stamping ornate cards is an inexpensive way to create elegant save-the-dates.

25. Thumbprint Heart

This neat idea adds a personalized touch to any save-the-date card. Simply get an ink pad in your wedding colors or just one you like and roll your partner's thumb and yours in ink. Then both of you press your thumbprint in the shape of a heart.

You could also buy cards with a heart thumbprint already on them, but either way, they would look similar.

Final Thoughts on Save-the-Date Ideas

Traditional cards are okay to announce your special day, but these ideas are creative and unique. You can use some of them to jazz up your cards or just purchase some of these fun save-the-date ideas on Etsy.

And if you're looking for the perfect present for the married couple, be sure to check out the gift cards at Gift Card Granny. We have gift cards for many of the most popular brands, or you can buy a Visa or Mastercard gift card.