Save-the-dates in Australia

A save-the-date is an early, short notice that tells guests the date and place of a wedding or event before the formal invitation goes out. This page describes when they are commonly sent, what they usually say, the trade-offs between a printed card, a magnet and a digital notice, how to gather names and addresses, what to think about for overseas and destination guests, how Australia Post treats letters and parcels, and how the legal Notice of Intended Marriage timeline sits alongside your plans, with links to official Australian sources.

This is a free, non-commercial reference page. It describes common practice and links to official information; it is not legal, migration or travel advice. It does not sell, review or recommend any stationer, printer, platform or brand. This page is not affiliated with Australia Post or any government body, and listing is not an endorsement. Postal rules, size limits and marriage requirements change, so check current details with the official websites linked below.

The guide

When save-the-dates are commonly sent, what they say, which format to choose, how to manage the guest list and addresses, overseas and destination guests, and posting.

What a save-the-date is (and is not)

A save-the-date is a heads-up, not the invitation. It usually gives the names of the hosts or couple, the date, the town or region, and a note that a formal invitation will follow. It does not normally ask guests to reply, and it is not where you set out the full schedule, dress code or gift details. The same idea is used for milestone birthdays, anniversaries, reunions, corporate functions and other events where guests need to plan travel or leave.

When to send

There is no rule, only common practice. Save-the-dates are commonly sent several months ahead of the event, once the date and venue are confirmed, and earlier when guests will need to travel interstate or overseas, book accommodation in a busy area, take leave, or plan around school holidays and long weekends. Sending them later than you planned is better than sending a date or venue that might still change. Only send one when you are sure of the date and place, because a correction notice causes more confusion than a late one.

Fit it around the legal timeline (weddings)

For a marriage in Australia, the couple must give a Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) to their authorised celebrant. The Attorney-General's Department says the notice must be given at least 1 month and no more than 18 months before the wedding, and that if there is less than 1 month to go you should talk to your celebrant, as a prescribed authority may approve a shorter period in some circumstances. State registries such as Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria and the NSW Government say the same. This is a legal requirement separate from save-the-dates, but it is worth having your celebrant booked and the NOIM timing understood before you announce a date widely.

What to include

Keep it short. Most save-the-dates include: the names of the couple or host; the date (and the day of the week); the town, region or country, with the venue only if it is confirmed; a line such as "formal invitation to follow"; and, if you have one, a website address where details will be posted later. For a destination or long-distance event, a note about where guests can find travel and accommodation information is useful. Check spelling of names and places, and check the date against a calendar, before printing or sending.

Who should get one

A save-the-date is a commitment: anyone who receives one will reasonably expect a formal invitation. Finalise the guest list, or at least a firm core list, before you send. Decide early how you will name households, partners, plus-ones and children, because the way a save-the-date is addressed signals who is invited. If you are unsure about some guests, it is common to leave them off the save-the-date list and decide later at invitation stage.

Card, magnet or digital

A printed card is easy to post as a letter, provided it stays within Australia Post's letter size, thickness and flexibility limits. A magnet or other rigid item stays visible on a fridge, but Australia Post says letters containing rigid or inflexible material are treated as parcels, so it may cost more and need sturdier packaging; check with Australia Post before ordering. A digital save-the-date (email, message or event page) is quick, cheap and easy to send overseas, but it can be missed, filtered as junk or lost in a chat, and some guests prefer something on paper. Many hosts mix formats: digital for overseas or younger guests, printed for others.

Building the address list

Collect full postal addresses early, in one place, with each guest's preferred name and the household they belong to. Australia Post's addressing guidelines say to put the recipient's name on line 1, the street number and name (or PO Box) on line 2, and the suburb or locality, state and postcode in capital letters on line 3, with the postcode on the same line as the suburb and state. Australia Post's postcode finder lets you check that a suburb and postcode match. Gathering addresses for save-the-dates also means they are ready for the formal invitations.

Return address

Australia Post's addressing guidelines say to include a return-to-sender address in the same format as the recipient address, either at the top left of the front or on the back of the envelope. A return address means an item with a wrong or outdated address can come back to you, so you can fix the list before the formal invitations go out.

Posting within Australia

Australia Post says small letters can be up to 130mm x 240mm, up to 5mm thick and up to 250g, and large letters up to 260mm x 360mm and up to 20mm thick, and that letters must be flexible. Items over the limits, or with rigid content, are treated as parcels. Australia Post says delivery times vary with the speed you choose, the letter size and the origin and destination. If you are posting a large batch, weigh and measure one finished, sealed item at a Post Office before buying postage for all of them, as embellishments, ribbons and thick card can push an item into a different size or weight band.

Overseas guests

Australia Post says international letters to its overseas destinations come in small and large sizes, that its non-urgent International Economy Air service generally takes 15+ business days, and that a letter over the maximum size and weight is treated as a parcel and needs a customs form. Its addressing guidelines say the country name should be written in capitals on the bottom line. Because international post takes longer and can be delayed in customs, overseas guests are often sent a save-the-date earlier, or a digital one, or both.

Destination weddings

If you are marrying overseas, Smartraveller says many countries require proof that you are free to marry, such as a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage, that some destinations have their own rules such as residency requirements, and that you should find out the marriage laws where you are going, including from that country's embassy or consulate. The Attorney-General's Department says overseas marriages cannot be performed by an Australian-authorised celebrant or registered in Australia, but are generally recognised if valid in that country and if they would have been valid in Australia. Confirm the legal side before you commit guests to a destination and dates.

Helping guests who travel

For guests travelling overseas for your event, point them to Smartraveller for travel advice on the destination, and remind them to check that passports, visas and travel insurance are in order well before they book. Giving guests early notice is the main practical help a save-the-date offers: it lets them plan leave, travel and budgets. Avoid giving travel, visa or insurance advice yourself; link to the official source instead.

Directory

Official Australian sources on posting letters and parcels, addressing, international mail, the Notice of Intended Marriage and marrying overseas, instead of a list of stationers or printers. Each entry was checked against its own official website.

What is listed. Only official or neutral bodies whose page could be fetched and checked are included, and each link goes to that body's own page. The list is not complete and is in no particular order. No stationers, printers, platforms or brands are listed.

Not an endorsement. Listing is not a recommendation. This page is not affiliated with any organisation below and does not review, rank or recommend any product or service.

Inclusion in this directory is not an endorsement. Links are to official websites as published at the time of checking.

Questions to settle before you send

Plain checks worth running through before save-the-dates are printed, posted or sent.

Are the date and place definitely confirmed?

Only send once the venue, celebrant and date are locked in. A correction notice is more confusing than a later save-the-date.

For a wedding in Australia, does the timeline fit the NOIM rules?

The Notice of Intended Marriage must be given to your celebrant at least 1 month and no more than 18 months before the wedding. Check with your celebrant.

Is the guest list firm for everyone receiving one?

Anyone who gets a save-the-date will expect an invitation. Settle how households, partners, plus-ones and children are named.

Have you measured and weighed a finished item?

Australia Post size, thickness and flexibility limits decide whether it posts as a letter or a parcel. Check one sealed sample at a Post Office before buying postage.

Is a magnet or other rigid item going to be posted?

Australia Post treats letters with rigid or inflexible content as parcels. Confirm how it will be sent and what packaging it needs.

Are the addresses complete and checked?

Use Australia Post's addressing layout, check postcodes with its postcode finder, and include a return address so bad addresses come back.

Have overseas guests been given enough time?

International post takes longer and can be held in customs. Consider sending earlier, sending a digital version, or both.

For a destination wedding, is the legal side confirmed?

Check the destination's marriage laws and document requirements via Smartraveller and the country's embassy or consulate before guests book travel.

About this page

savethedates.com.au is a free, non-commercial reference page published by Radiant Life Distributors Pty Ltd, Adelaide. It describes common practice for save-the-dates and links to official information; it is not legal, migration or travel advice, and it sells nothing. It does not review or recommend any stationer, printer, platform or brand, and it is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, any organisation listed; listing is not an endorsement. Information was checked against official websites in November 2026; postal rules, size limits and marriage requirements change, so confirm current details with the organisations linked above.