A black save the date signals a formal, considered wedding before the invitation arrives. Personalize the contrast, type, and wording online, then send digitally or order printed cards.
With your wedding around the corner, it is important to inform your beloved family and friends about this special occasion. To get them to mark their calendars, you will need to send over a Save the Date. These provide the basic details about your celebration, while also setting the tone for your ceremony and reception. For many, going for a black and white Save the Date instantly translates to a chic, formal affair.
In this guide, we will explain everything you need to know about black Save the Dates and how they can work with almost any wedding theme. Plus, there are so many other things to go over when it comes to your stationery suite.
Are you and your partner still working through potential wedding themes? If you are curious about the various event styles that coordinate with a black Save the Date, we’ve selected a few of our favorite ideas to inspire your upcoming celebration. Here are a few of the most popular wedding themes for this type of stationery:
Black tie weddings: While it’s not necessarily a “theme,” the attire can inform the theme and overall tone of your wedding. You can ask all of your guests to stick with black and white attire, like Kevin Love and Kate Bock did, or you can add in a pop of color.
Modern minimalist weddings: Modern minimalism is a forever-trending wedding theme for ultra-chic couples. It is all about less is more, and that can translate to the decor, stationery and more.
Vintage weddings: A Gatsby-style event or other type of vintage wedding can seamlessly tie into a black Save the Date design. You can draw inspiration from old fashioned black and white photos, use vintage finds as decor and so much more.
Tropical weddings: The color black isn’t always associated with tropical environments, but it creates a unique contrast that many modern couples love. If you gravitate toward standing out from the crowd, bringing a sleek vibe to a tropical celebration is a great option.
These are only a handful of ideas that you can use to develop your dream wedding design concept. You and your partner should also discuss your personal styles and preferences, consider the venue and location of your wedding and talk about how your design decisions will affect your budget. From there, you can pick the best theme for you and move forward with the planning process.
Whether you are seeking out online Save the Dates or paper invites, there are so many templates available to explore. From the classic black and white Save the Date to a more modern option, these designs are a perennial favorite among wedding couples. Here are some popular black Save the Date ideas we think you and your partner will love:
You and your partner can do your research and decide whether you are interested in online or paper black Save the Date cards, and then consider these color combinations. With white, metallic or a bit of color, you can completely transform the original template for your black Save the Date.
As you start to dream up the ultimate black Save the Date cards, remember that there are plenty of other must-have items on your list. To help you navigate this portion of the process, here is our outline of the parts you need to accomplish prior to designing your black Save the Dates.
Decide on your budget: For everything from your black Save the Dates to the all-important venue, you need to come to an agreement on how much you plan to pay—overall and for every vendor involved in your celebration. Talk this through with your partner and anyone else who is offering to help you pay for your wedding.
Hire a wedding planner: A professional planner can assist you with, well, everything. With skills and connections to make practically any wedding-related decision, this person will become your go-to contact for nearly every aspect of the event. This person might also be able to assist you with designing your black Save the Date.
Book your wedding venue: Your black Save the Date will inform guests of two main things: where and when your wedding is taking place. In order to do this, you must book your wedding venue. Tour places in the area where you are hoping to say “I do” and then make sure they have the date available for your special day.
Customize your wedding website: It is common for your black Save the Dates to feature a link to your wedding website. You can personalize your wedding website template at the same time as your black Save the Date, to ensure that they coordinate well.
These are the major pieces you need to complete prior to building your black Save the Dates. Your venue, for instance, can inspire your color scheme and other decor choices. As an example, if your venue boasts a bold gold chandelier, you might want to customize your own black and gold Save the Dates. Or, if you are leaning toward a venue like a country club, you may opt for more traditional black and white Save the Dates.
When it’s finally time to prepare your black Save the Date design, you and your partner should review your template options and then get started on the customization process. Your black Save the Dates should be sent out about six to eight months prior to your wedding day, so you want to give yourself enough time to prepare them.
There are two main types of black Save the Dates, which will ultimately inform how you plan out your stationery set: printed and digital. Printed Save the Dates are more traditional and take longer to create. You will collaborate with a stationer, review proofs, and then wait to receive them in the mail before sending them to your guests. If you need a shorter turnaround time, you may want to opt for digital black Save the Dates. Your guests can receive these on the same day you design them, making them the best choice for those who are in a time crunch. Not to mention, they also help couples save paper and money.
If you are planning a destination wedding, you will want to send out your Save the Dates even earlier. The general rule of thumb is to let your guests know around the time that you book your venue, since your favorite people will need to plan out their travel well in advance. For those working on a destination wedding planning timeline, it’s recommended to send out this important notice as far as nine months to a year out.
There are so many ways to create a unique black Save the Date, and one of our top solutions is a custom logo or monogram. At Bliss & Bone, you can work directly with a dedicated designer who will personalize something just for you and your partner.
Here’s how the process works:
We’ve seen couples get incredibly creative with their logos and monograms. In addition to stationery, you can also add it to day-of details like cocktail napkins, signage and more.
Done with your black Save the Date and interested in building out the rest of your stationery suite? You can get as creative as you want throughout this part of the planning process, and you are not totally limited with a black Save the Date. If you fall in love with a black and white Save the Date template, but want to put a twist on the design, that is totally possible. Switch up the font color or add a three-dimensional object or shadow to further customize the template. You can also use any additions or specific decisions made for your black Save the Date cards when you make your own formal invitations, wedding website and more.
There are so many interpretations of black Save the Dates, and that is true for the remainder of your stationery suite. From your formal invites to the tasty wedding menu, keeping your paper and digital products consistent will contribute to the overall vibe of your event. More often than not, it all starts with your black Save the Date cards, as that first design will likely inform your future stationery decisions.
Ready to get started? With Bliss & Bone’s templates, it is easier than ever to customize black Save the Date cards. Our invitation builder shows you step-by-step instructions on how to complete your black Save the Date design. Plus, there are clear options to bring in three-dimensional objects or shadows, and you can even turn them into black and gold Save the Dates. Of course, you simply can’t go wrong with the forever-classic black and white Save the Dates as well. However you design your black Save the Date, we are here to help you create the wedding stationery suite you have always imagined. For more information, contact us online or email us at hello@blissandbone.com.
A black save the date card is an early wedding announcement built on a black palette that tells guests the date and location and signals a formal celebration to come. It carries the couple's names, the wedding date, the city, and a note that a formal invitation will follow, and it sets an elegant, contemporary tone before the invitation arrives.
Black reads as formal and upscale, which is exactly why couples choose it for black-tie and evening weddings. It is not too formal on its own, and softening accents change the register: a botanical spray or a warm gold foil keeps the card elegant without feeling severe, while stark black-and-white leans fully into formality.
Black and white pairs with almost any accent, which is part of its appeal. Gold and silver foil add glamour, deep jewel tones like burgundy or emerald bring richness, and soft blush or dusty blue warm the palette. Choose one accent that matches your wedding colors and let black and white carry the rest.
Send black save the dates six to eight months before a local wedding and nine to twelve months before a destination wedding. The earlier window gives out-of-town guests time to book travel and lodging. A digital black save the date ships the same day, which helps when your timeline is tight.
Yes. Adding your wedding website to a save the date gives guests a single place to find travel details, accommodation, your registry, and the schedule well before the invitation. Print the URL as a short, clean address, or make it a live link on a digital card so guests reach the site with one tap.
Place the wedding website address at the bottom of the card or just beneath the date, set small and in the same typeface as the design. It should read as a helpful footnote, not a headline. On a black card, a short white or foil URL against the dark ground stays legible without cluttering the layout.
Every black save the date at Bliss & Bone is customizable online. You edit the names, date, wording, typeface, and layout directly in the design, preview it instantly, and send it as a digital card or order it in print. Customization is built in, so there is no separate design fee.
Include both partners' names, the wedding date, the city or region, and a line telling guests a formal invitation will follow. Add your wedding website URL if you have one. Keep the wording brief so the design stays clean, and save full event details for the invitation and the website.
Matching your save the date to your invitations makes the whole suite feel intentional. Carry the black palette, the typeface, and any monogram or foil accent from the save the date into the invitation so guests recognize the design on sight. A consistent look signals a thoughtfully planned wedding.
Black works in both formats. A printed card arrives with weight and a sharp ink finish that suits a formal tone. The design principles are the same either way: strong contrast, a legible typeface, and a short line pointing guests to your wedding website. A digital version delivers the same information with no postage at all.