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PHOTO BY RACHAEL GIBILTERRA FOR OH SO BEAUTIFUL PAPER

You?re engaged (yay!), you?ve picked your wedding date, and now you?re looking for save the date ideas, so your friends and family can mark their calendars. Save the dates are exactly what they sound like? pre-invitations with logistics like the date and wedding location so that guests know that a) they?re invited, and b) not to make any other plans that day. Save the dates can also be a fun way to show your personality, since they don?t have to match, well, anything. Not the formality of the wedding or your other paper goods or your families? opinions. The great thing about save the dates is that they?re a recently modern invention, so chances are your grandmother has no opinions on them. That means that if you?ve been looking for a creative wedding project, this might just be the perfect thing?because maybe you want to send your loved ones something quirky and non-traditional, like balloons or chocolate, with no

complaints.

If you?re looking for save the dates ideas that you can just you know, buy, and be done with it, scroll to the end of this post for our best ideas. (And yes, save the date etiquette says you can totally just send an email. But let?s be real, if you?ve come here looking for save the date ideas, chances are you?re not gonna send an email.)

So, now that we?ve all admitted that we?re a little bit into over-the-top save the date ideas, maybe you want to DIY your save the dates. Start by thinking of things you can buy in bulk! Things like playing cards, maps, balloons, and buttons are easy to repurpose or personalize so that you don?t have to break the bank for a cute idea.

We?ve split this post into two handy sections: nifty new ideas that you can craft or recreate, and super cool and (mostly) affordable save the dates you can buy.

But first, here?s a list of the fifty save the date ideas we?ve dug up (plus plenty of inspiration pictures below).

SAVE THE DATE IDEAS

1. Enamel Pin
2. Caricature Stamp
3. Finger and Ransom Note
4. Photostrip
5. Tea Towel
6. Mini Easel
7. Seed Packet
8. Secret Message
9. Fancy Footwork Card
10. Twisty Straw (and Wine Bottle)
11. Paper Doll
12. Word Search
13. Scratch-Off Ticket
14. Knot Tie Card
15. Harry Potter Platform 9 3/4 Ticket
16. Cassette Tape Stationery
17. Colorful Letterpress
18. Personalized Pencils
19. Metallic Boarding Pass
20. Boozy Lollipops
21. Customized Balloon
22. Hand Painted Loter?a
23. Illustrated Map
24. Personalized Magnet
25. Crossword Puzzle
26. Engraved Wood
27. Holographic Heart
28. Paper Airplane
29. Custom Video 
30. Monopoly Money
31. Flowchart
32. Childhood Photo
33. Pet Sketch
34. Board Game
35. Holiday Ornament
36. Laser Cut
37. Old-School Windows
38. View-Master
39. Magnetic Polaroids
40. Customized Chocolate Bar
41. Library Book Checkout Slip
42. Floral Wreath
43. Trifold
44. Happy Heart
45. Let?s I Do This Thing
46. Love Story Infographic
47. Beach Adventure
48. Simple Flowers
49. Ampersand
50. Pastel Petals

SAVE THE DATE IDEAS YOU CAN DIY

Stamp by SaltandPaperCA

CARICATURE STAMP: Okay, we cheated a little bit with this one. You?ll have to buy the stamp, then you can DIY whatever you want with it! This crazy cute couple caricature stamp is a great way to turn super cheap tags into something fun. Plus you can use it on decor for the wedding.

Finger via Jane Beljo on Flickr

FINGER AND RANSOM NOTE:

This is hands down the creepiest save the date we?ve ever seen. And unlike the prototype here, we suggest you add your names and the fact that you?re having a wedding, or you might get a few upset phone calls after you send them out. And, honestly, you might still get a few. But these save the dates are a couple with a dark sense of humor?s dream.

Photostrip via Annie Franceschi

PHOTOSTRIP:

Keep your photo session simple with DIY photo strips, with or without a magnetic back. You can even make and print them from the comfort of your own home?no photo booth needed. (We also happen to love Social Print Studio for photo strip prints.)

Tea Towel via Uncommon Designs Online

TEA TOWEL:

At first this will make some super special kitchen decor, and then later it will be functional and remind people of that joyful day.

Mini Canvas and Easel by Brooklyn Bride

MINI EASEL: Want to keep your save the date minimal (like really really minimal)? Consider creating mini art!

Let Love Grow by PlainJane2424 on Etsy 

SEED PACKET:

Save the date ideas like this are filed under the DIY section because we think including your favorite flowers seeds inside is a fun and personal detail. That way everyone who gets them can grow a little bit of your love. Or at least your favorite flowers.

Encrypted Save the Date via Paper Truly 

SECRET MESSAGE:

Test your guests? spy skills! Your friends and family will have to break out their decoder glasses (included) to find and save your date.

Fancy Footwork via Martha Stewart

FANCY FOOTWORK CARD:

Let your guests know that they?ll have to break out their best moves for your wedding party. Martha?s got you covered with a DIY; scroll down into the comments on the post for the PDF.

Wine Bottle via Mighty Girl

THE TWISTY STRAW (AND WINE BOTTLE):

Our friend Maggie made these invites for an event. And while she later told us that the cost of mailing wine bottles is? regrettable? the twisty straw made to look like a river, over a map of Russian River? You can take that one to the bank, my friends. (Seriously though: no shipping wine bottles unless you have ten or fewer guests? or try for mini bottles of bubbles instead.)

Paper Doll via All Sorts of Pretty Blog

PAPER DOLL:

Channel old-school playtime with DIY vintage paper doll save the dates. This woman worked her photoshop to make the dolls look like her and her fianc?.

Word Search via Edyta Szyszlo

WORD SEARCH:

Save the date ideas that are fun, can also work hard and accomplish two jobs at once. Guests didn?t know the couple was engaged, so this doubled as an engagement announcement. Hidden within the letters was their surprise message!

Scratch-Off via Martha Stewart

SCRATCH-OFF TICKET:

Share your luck in love with these DIY scratch-off save the dates. If only all scratch-offs were this easy to make.

Tying the Knot via Smitten on Paper

KNOT TIE CARD: Tie the knot, literally. These save the dates are a fun spin on the classic saying and an easy DIY.

FUN SAVE THE DATE IDEAS THAT YOU CAN BUY

Cassette Tape via Save-the-Date.org

CASSETTE TAPE STATIONERY:

These save the dates are for the chill and retro couple who miss the ?90s but don?t actually want to make a ton of mixtapes.

Letter Press via Swell Press (contact seller for pricing information)

COLORFUL LETTERPRESS:

If you don?t want to stray too far from traditional save the date ideas, but still want something a little special, consider this neon letterpressed stationery.

Pencils via Not On The High Street

PERSONALIZED PENCILS:

Make it quick and easy for your guests to mark you down on their calendars with these fun personalized pencils. These would be great for a school-themed wedding or a teacher in love! They guaranteed not to go to waste, and you can enjoy the extras for years.

Boarding Pass by Lucky Lady Paper

METALLIC BOARDING PASS:

We love these gorgeous metallic boarding passes. They get all the necessary wedding info while letting everyone know you?re having a glam destination!

Lollipops via Sweet Crescendos on Etsy

BOOZY LOLLIPOPS:

Send out of these boozy little lollipops as a preview of all the sweet times that?ll be had at your wedding. *The lollies are also available in non-alcoholic flavors if you want to keep the kids happy/avoid any boozy surprises.

Balloon by Latelier Inspire on Etsy

CUSTOMIZED BALLOON: How often do get people get balloons in the mail? Not often enough, in my opinion. Send out these cool save the dates and guest will be doubly excited.

Loter?a Love by Julie Song Ink

HAND PAINTED LOTER?A: This color palette and groom in a traditional Lucha Libre mask is near the top on the list of super fun save the date ideas. This couple decided to celebrate their culture by creating a colorful custom Loter?a game!

Map by Virginia Brown Art on Etsy

ILLUSTRATED MAP: Out-of-town guests will love this fun and functional save the date. The maps are all customizable and can be made to represent any city you want!

Magnet by LoveMeDoDesign on Etsy

PERSONALIZED MAGNET: Magnet save the dates are popular for a reason, guests will be reminded of your date every time they go for a snack.

Crossword Puzzle by Artful Pixels

CROSSWORD PUZZLE: Let your friends and family know your wedding date AND give them something to do on a Sunday morning.

Engraved Wood by Almondine Studio on Etsy

ENGRAVED WOOD: These engraved wood save the dates are fully customizable?choose a shape, wood finish, and add your personalization and they?ll be on their way.

Holographic Save the Date by Rodo Creative on Etsy

HOLOGRAPHIC HEART: If you?re planning a colorful and sparkle-filled wedding, this stationery fits the bill. These iridescent save the dates are perfect for the outside-the-box couple!

Paper Airplane by Hip Hip Hooray 

PAPER AIRPLANE: This save the date is great for couples planning weddings abroad, you can personalize and print them right at home. No muss, no fuss!

Animated Video Save The Date via Karriston Designs on Etsy

VIDEO SAVE THE DATE: Make your save the dates pop, and take the stress out of mailing your save the dates.

Monopoly Money Save The Date by Paper Truly

MONOPOLY MONEY: These tiny monopoly sets are too cute.

Flowchart by Creative Union Design on Etsy

FLOWCHART:

Give your guests no other choice but to attend your wedding. Okay not really, but these fun invitations are great for a couple with a good sense of humor.

Old Photo via Zazzle

CHILDHOOD PHOTO: Guests will get a kick out of seeing you and your fianc? as kids. Just upload your childhood photos to create this adorable throwback save the date. (These are doubly cute if you?re marrying someone you know from way back when.)

Custom Pet Sketch by Devon Design Co on Etsy

CUSTOM PET SKETCH: These playful custom save the dates are fun, simple, and let your pup make the announcement.