The save the date is no longer a printed magnet on the fridge. In 2026, the modern couple's save the date is a 30-second video — a TikTok-style reveal, a cinematic trailer, a couples interview, or a destination postcard. The 2026 standard is video, not paper. The 2026 cost: $0-$200. The 2026 impact: 3-5x the engagement of a printed save the date.
This guide covers the 7 video save the date formats that are working in 2026, with examples, templates, and the production cost for each. The 2026 rule: pick a format that matches your wedding, record it on your phone, and share it on the wedding website, Instagram, WhatsApp, and TikTok.
Why video save the dates in 2026
The 2026 standard for save the dates is video. The 2026 reasons:
- 3-5x more engagement. A video save the date gets 3-5x the views, shares, and RSVPs of a printed save the date. The 2026 standard: 80%+ of guests watch a video save the date within 24 hours of receiving it.
- Cheaper than print. The 2026 cost: $0-$200 for a DIY video save the date. The 2026 cost of a printed save the date: $1-$5 per piece, $200-$1,000 for 100-200 guests. The video is cheaper, faster, and more memorable.
- More memorable. A 30-second video with a song, a moment, and a date is more memorable than a magnet. The 2026 standard: 70%+ of guests remember the date after a video save the date, vs 30% after a printed one.
- Multi-platform. A video save the date can be shared on Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok, the wedding website, and email. The 2026 standard: one video, five platforms.
- Sets the tone. A video save the date is the first impression of the wedding. The 2026 standard: the video matches the wedding's tone — cinematic for a black-tie wedding, playful for a casual wedding, destination for an overseas wedding.
The 2026 couple who skips the video save the date is the exception. The 2026 standard is video.
The 7 save the date video formats for 2026
The 2026 standard has 7 video save the date formats. Each works for a different wedding style. The 2026 rule: pick the one that matches your wedding's tone.
Format 1. The TikTok-style reveal.
A 15-30 second video with a single dramatic reveal. The 2026 standard: a couple's photo or a video clip with the date popping up, set to a trending song. The 2026 examples: a 15-second video of the couple holding hands, with the date "06.14.2026" appearing in white text. The 2026 production cost: $0. The 2026 tools: iPhone, CapCut, a trending song from Instagram Reels.
Format 2. The cinematic trailer.
A 30-60 second video shot cinematically, with a song, voiceover, and dramatic cuts. The 2026 standard: a couple's love story condensed into a 30-second trailer, with the wedding date at the end. The 2026 examples: a 45-second video of the couple's favorite moments (engagement, trip, proposal), with the wedding date appearing on the last frame. The 2026 production cost: $0-$200. The 2026 tools: iPhone, a good mic, Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere.
Format 3. The couples interview.
A 30-60 second video with the couple answering 3-5 questions. The 2026 standard: "How did you meet?", "When did you know?", "What are you most excited about?" The 2026 examples: a 45-second video of the couple in their living room, answering questions, with the wedding date at the end. The 2026 production cost: $0. The 2026 tools: iPhone, a friend with a camera, a tripod.
Format 4. The destination postcard.
A 30-60 second video shot at the wedding destination. The 2026 standard: a video of the couple at the venue, the city, the beach, the vineyard, with the wedding date appearing at the end. The 2026 examples: a 30-second video of the couple walking through the venue, with the date "06.14.2026 · Tuscany" appearing in elegant text. The 2026 production cost: $0-$500 (the trip is the cost). The 2026 tools: iPhone, drone if possible, a stable grip.
Format 5. The announcement video.
A 30-60 second video with the couple formally announcing the wedding. The 2026 standard: the couple in formal attire, holding a sign or chalkboard with the date, or speaking directly to camera. The 2026 examples: a 30-second video of the couple in their engagement outfits, holding a chalkboard that says "We're getting married. 06.14.2026." The 2026 production cost: $0. The 2026 tools: iPhone, a tripod, a chalkboard.
Format 6. The lyric video.
A 30-60 second video with the couple's favorite song, with the lyrics appearing on screen. The 2026 standard: a video of the couple's love story, set to a meaningful song, with the lyrics appearing in elegant typography. The 2026 examples: a 45-second video with the couple's favorite song playing, with key lyrics appearing on screen ("I will always love you...") and the date at the end. The 2026 production cost: $0-$100. The 2026 tools: iPhone, a song licensing service, a video editor.
Format 7. The animated save the date.
A 30-60 second animated video with cartoon characters, hand-drawn illustrations, or motion graphics. The 2026 standard: a short animated story of the couple, with the date at the end. The 2026 examples: a 30-second animated video of two stick figures meeting, falling in love, getting engaged, with the wedding date appearing. The 2026 production cost: $200-$2,000. The 2026 tools: a freelance animator on Fiverr, After Effects, or a platform like Canva's animation.
The 2026 rule: pick the format that matches your wedding's tone, your budget, and your skill set. The 2026 couple who does a DIY iPhone video does as well as the 2026 couple who hires a videographer.
The 2026 save the date production checklist
The 2026 standard is to produce the save the date video 6-9 months before the wedding. The 2026 timeline:
9 months out · Choose the format
Pick the format that matches your wedding. The 2026 standard: a format that matches the wedding's tone (cinematic for black-tie, playful for casual, destination for overseas).
6 months out · Plan the shoot
Plan the shoot day, the location, the outfits, the song, the question list. The 2026 standard: 1-2 hours of shooting, on a weekend morning, with natural light.
3 months out · Shoot and edit
Shoot the video on your phone. Edit it on CapCut, iMovie, Final Cut Pro, or Adobe Premiere. The 2026 standard: keep it under 60 seconds, add a song, add the wedding date at the end.
2 months out · Distribute
Share the video on the wedding website (as the save the date), on Instagram, on WhatsApp, and via email. The 2026 standard: a single link that works on all platforms.
1 month out · Follow up
If guests haven't watched the video, follow up with a text or a personal message. The 2026 standard: 80%+ of guests watch within the first month.
The 2026 save the date video specifications
The 2026 standard technical specs for a save the date video:
Format: MP4 or MOV, 1080p (1920x1080) or 4K (3840x2160). The 2026 standard: 1080p for TikTok/Instagram, 4K for the wedding website.
Aspect ratio: 9:16 for TikTok/Instagram Reels, 16:9 for the wedding website and YouTube, 1:1 for Instagram feed. The 2026 standard: shoot in 16:9, crop to 9:16 and 1:1 for the platforms.
Duration: 15-60 seconds. The 2026 standard: 30 seconds for the sweet spot — long enough to tell a story, short enough to keep attention.
File size: Under 100MB for email, under 250MB for WhatsApp. The 2026 standard: 50-100MB for the master file, with smaller versions for each platform.
Captions: Yes. The 2026 standard: burned-in captions or a separate SRT file. The 2026 rule: 80%+ of social media videos are watched on mute.
Audio: A trending song (with proper licensing) or original audio. The 2026 standard: original audio is more memorable, trending songs get more reach.
The 2026 save the date video distribution
The 2026 standard is to share the save the date video on five platforms:
Platform 1. Wedding website. The 2026 standard: the video is the save the date on the homepage, embedded directly. The 2026 platforms: Wedflip, Joy, Zola, WithJoy. The 2026 best practice: a public version of the video, with the RSVP form below.
Platform 2. Instagram. The 2026 standard: post the video on Instagram Reels and Stories, share it on the feed. The 2026 hashtags: #sarahandmikewedding, #wedding2026, #savethedate.
Platform 3. WhatsApp. The 2026 standard: send the video to a WhatsApp group with all the guests, or share it via the wedding broadcast list.
Platform 4. Email. The 2026 standard: include the video as an embedded link in a save the date email. The 2026 tools: Mailchimp, Sendinblue, or a wedding-specific email service.
Platform 5. TikTok. The 2026 standard: post the video on TikTok with the wedding hashtag. The 2026 trend: couples who go viral on TikTok with their save the date get 100K-1M views.
The 2026 standard: one video, five platforms, 80%+ of guests watch within 24 hours.
The 2026 save the date video FAQ
How long should a save the date video be?
The 2026 standard is 15-60 seconds. The 2026 sweet spot: 30 seconds. The 2026 rule: long enough to tell a story, short enough to keep attention. Couples who go over 60 seconds see a 50%+ drop-off in views.
Do I need a professional videographer?
No. The 2026 standard is an iPhone, a friend with a steady hand, and a good editing app. The 2026 trend: 70%+ of viral save the date videos are DIY. The 2026 exception: couples who want a cinematic trailer (Format 2) may benefit from a videographer.
What song should I use?
The 2026 standard is a song that's meaningful to the couple. The 2026 trend: original songs, indie artists, or songs with personal meaning. The 2026 licensing: use a song licensing service like Artlist, Epidemic Sound, or the Instagram Reels audio library. The 2026 rule: never use a copyrighted song without a license.
What if I don't want to be on camera?
The 2026 standard is the lyric video (Format 6) or the animated save the date (Format 7). The 2026 trend: couples who don't want to be on camera use a lyric video with a meaningful song, or hire a freelance animator on Fiverr for $200-$500. The 2026 alternative: a destination postcard (Format 4) shot at the venue, without the couple's faces.
How do I share the video with older guests?
The 2026 standard is the wedding website link. The 2026 alternative: a printed QR code on a small card, mailed to older guests who don't use social media. The 2026 best practice: both — video on the website for younger guests, QR code on a card for older guests.
What if my wedding is in a different language?
The 2026 standard is the video with subtitles. The 2026 best practice: shoot the video in the primary language (English for a US wedding), add subtitles in the second language for international guests. The 2026 platform: the wedding website with the language toggle.
Can I post the video before the wedding website is ready?
Yes. The 2026 standard is the video first, the website second. The 2026 timing: post the video 4-6 months before the wedding, launch the website 3-4 months before. The 2026 platform: Instagram Reels and WhatsApp for the video, the wedding website for the details.
What if the video gets shared on social media?
The 2026 standard is to be prepared for sharing. The 2026 best practice: add the wedding website URL at the end of the video, so anyone who sees the video can find the details. The 2026 trend: couples whose save the date videos go viral get 100K+ views, which means 100K+ people know about the wedding.
The 2026 save the date video takeaway
The 2026 standard for save the dates is video. The 2026 cost is $0-$200 for a DIY video. The 2026 impact is 3-5x the engagement of a printed save the date. The 2026 formats are 7 — TikTok-style reveal, cinematic trailer, couples interview, destination postcard, announcement, lyric video, animated.
The 2026 standard is to pick the format that matches your wedding's tone, shoot it on your phone, edit it in a weekend, and share it on five platforms — wedding website, Instagram, WhatsApp, email, TikTok. The 2026 result: 80%+ of guests watch within 24 hours, 70%+ remember the date, and the wedding starts with a memorable first impression.
The 2026 takeaway: video is the new save the date. The couple who does it well starts the wedding with momentum.
Ready to create your save the date video? Create your free wedding website on Wedflip — every plan includes a save the date video slot on the homepage, an embedded video player, and a one-click share to Instagram, WhatsApp, and email. The 2026 standard, built in.
Or browse the Wedflip showcase to see how real couples have built their save the date videos. For more on wedding video trends, see the viral wedding TikTok shot list and the wedding livestream for virtual guests guide.
For a deeper look at how the save the date fits into the rest of your planning, read the 12-month wedding planning timeline and the digital wedding invitations complete guide.
