Scratch-off save the date: ideas, wording and a free online card
What a scratch-off save the date is, how to send one by link, wording to go with it, and a free tool that makes a scratch card guests open on their phone.
A scratch-off save the date is a card with the wedding date hidden under a silver layer that guests scratch away to reveal it. Online, it is a link: the guest scratches the screen with a finger and then adds the date to their calendar. Make one free with the save the date scratch card.
How does a scratch-off save the date work?
- You enter your names, the date and, if you like, the place and a short note.
- You get a link to send by text, email or a group chat.
- The guest opens it, scratches the silver layer, and sees the date.
- One tap adds the date to their calendar.
Because everything is inside the link, there is nothing to host and nothing to delete afterwards.
When should you send it?
Send a save the date six to twelve months before the wedding, and earlier for a destination wedding or a holiday weekend. See the invitation timeline for a schedule counted back from your date.
What should the message say?
Keep the text around the link short. A few examples:
Scratch to find out when we are getting married! Save the date for Priya and Dev.
Something is hiding under here. Scratch it, then mark your calendar. Invitation to follow.
Our date is under the silver. Tap, scratch and save it.
For more wording, see digital save the date wording.
Things to watch
- Say it in text too. Some guests will not scratch, so put the date in your message if the wedding is close.
- Tell older relatives. A short note such as "scratch with your finger" helps, and the card has a "Reveal the date" button for anyone who prefers it.
- Follow up. A save the date is not an invitation. Send the formal invitation with the details later.
Questions
What is a scratch-off save the date?
A card or link that hides the wedding date under a layer guests scratch away to reveal it.
Can you send a scratch-off save the date online?
Yes. A free tool turns your date into a link. Guests scratch the card on their phone or computer, so there is no printing or postage.
Do guests need to install anything?
No. The link opens in any modern browser on a phone or computer.
Is the date private?
The date is inside the link, so only people you send it to see it. Nothing is stored on a server.
Try the free tool: Save the date scratch card: let guests scratch to see your date