- Save the date makers at a glance
- Ten save the date makers
- Which save the date tool fits your wedding
- Square envelopes pay extra postage in the US
- Digital, print at home or order printed?
- Five details every save the date needs
- Signs your save the date needs a second look
- My plain advice on sending save the dates
- Frequently asked questions
A save the date maker lets you design a card that announces your wedding date, then print it, order it or send it digitally. Some are design tools with free templates, some are stationery shops and some send digital save the dates with calendar buttons. Ten options follow in no particular order.
The date's booked, the venue's confirmed and now everyone's got to keep that weekend free. Save the dates are the first thing guests see of your wedding, so they'll set the tone.
The ten tools below cover free design tools, digital save the date services and printed stationery shops. They're listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the vendor's own website, read this week. If you're planning on a tight timeline, my ChatGPT prompts for planning a wedding help with the rest of the list.
Save the date makers at a glance
I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website or store listing, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the page says the tool, or a plan, account or version of it, is free. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it, so check the vendor's page before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Express | Online design tool with save the date templates | Free templates you print yourself | Yes |
| Edit.org | Online template editor | Cards with your own photos | Yes |
| Greenvelope | Online invitations with RSVP tracking | Digital cards with RSVP tracking | Yes |
| Joy | Wedding planning platform with stationery | Printed or free digital designs together | Yes |
| Minted | Designer stationery shop | Independent artist designs | Not stated |
| Paperlust | Designer stationery for print and online | Digital save the dates sent instantly | Not stated |
| Say I Do | Digital save the date service | Sending by email or text with calendar buttons | Yes |
| Utterly Printable | UK wedding stationery printer | Printed or downloadable UK designs | Not stated |
| VistaPrint | Online printing service | Matching printed wedding stationery | Not stated |
| Zazzle | Custom product shop | Fully custom cards and keepsakes | Not stated |
Ten save the date makers
Adobe Express
Best for: DIY couples who want a free save the date card template they can customise online and print or share themselves.
Edit.org
Best for: Anyone who wants to make free save the date cards with pictures and print them at home or send them by email.
Greenvelope
Best for: Eco-minded couples who want digital save the dates and invitations with RSVP tracking, ad-free and with no paper waste.
Joy
Best for: Engaged couples planning on one platform who want printed, magnet or free digital save the dates in matching styles.
Minted
Best for: Design lovers who want save the dates from independent designers and plan to order printed cards for the whole guest list.
Paperlust
Best for: Last-minute planners who want a designer template they can personalise and send instantly online, with printed options too.
Say I Do
Best for: Organised planners who want to upload a guest list and send digital save the dates with an add to calendar button.
Utterly Printable
Best for: UK couples who want save the dates they can print or download, in classic, vintage, floral, rustic or photo styles.
VistaPrint
Best for: Couples who want printed save the dates with matching invitations, RSVP cards and return address labels from one printer.
Zazzle
Best for: Couples who want to create their own save the date design and pick from cards, magnets and other printed products.
Which save the date tool fits your wedding
- Free templates you print yourself: Adobe Express or Edit.org.
- Digital cards with RSVP tracking: Greenvelope.
- Matching stationery on a wedding platform: Joy.
- Independent designer cards: Minted or Paperlust.
- Digital cards with calendar buttons: Say I Do.
- Printed or downloadable UK designs: Utterly Printable.
- Matching printed invitations later: VistaPrint or Zazzle.
Square envelopes pay extra postage in the US
The U.S. Postal Service Domestic Mail Manual says a letter-size piece is nonmachinable if its aspect ratio, which is its length divided by its height, is less than 1.3 or more than 2.5. Nonmachinable pieces pay a surcharge on top of the normal postage.
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A square envelope has an aspect ratio of 1, so every square save the date you post in the US needs extra postage. It's one of the most common surprises at the post office counter, and it multiplies across a whole guest list. If you love a square design, send it digitally, or print it on a rectangular card and save the square format for the invitations.
Digital, print at home or order printed?
Digital save the dates arrive instantly, they don't need stamps and can include a calendar button, which helps guests who live on their phones.
Printing at home gives you a physical card from a free template. You'll want heavy card and test one sheet before you print the full run.
Ordering printed cards gives you the best paper and finish, and many shops let you match the invitations you'll send later.
Five details every save the date needs
- Both your names.
- The date, written out in full.
- The town or city, even if the venue isn't final.
- A line saying a formal invitation will follow.
- Your wedding website, if you have one.
Signs your save the date needs a second look
- The date is hard to spot. Make it the biggest text.
- The venue could still change. Name the town only.
- It looks like an invitation. Add 'invitation to follow'.
- The envelope is square. Check the postage.
Do you make save the date tools? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on sending save the dates
Send them early and keep them simple. Guests need the date and the place, and everything else can wait for the invitation. If half your guest list lives abroad or travels a lot, a digital save the date often gets seen faster than a card on a doormat.
If you're juggling a lot of moving parts, my roundup of AI tools wedding planners use to save time has a few shortcuts worth borrowing.
Frequently asked questions
When should I send save the dates?
Many couples send them around six months to a year before the wedding, and earlier for destination weddings.
Can I make save the dates for free?
Yes. Free templates let you design and print at home, and some digital services send save the dates on a free version.
Are digital save the dates acceptable?
Yes. Digital save the dates are common and arrive instantly, and some include a calendar button.
What should a save the date say?
Your names, the date, the town or city and a line saying a formal invitation will follow.
Do square save the dates need extra postage?
In the US, yes. Square envelopes count as nonmachinable and pay a surcharge.
Should save the dates match the invitations?
They don't have to, but matching designs make the wedding feel planned.
