Now that you’ve picked out your stationery, it’s time to take on wedding invitation wording. Whether you want to keep the wording classic and traditional or creative and whimsical is up to you, but whatever route you choose, there are some basic elements that should be included no matter what.
The good news is that the rules of wedding invitation etiquette aren’t that complicated. The primary tenets are actually much simpler and more straightforward than you think. And no matter the case, they’re there to serve as a guideline. The most important rule of all is that you create a beautiful wedding invitation that represents you, your love, and the big day to come—while also communicating the vital details of the wedding—so feel absolutely free to riff off these wedding invitation wording principles to create your own.
To help guide you, we’re breaking down what each line means and what it typically includes.
What to Include on Your Wedding Invitation
All wedding invitations should include the following elements:
- Who’s hosting
- The request to come to the wedding
- The names of the couple
- The date and time
- The location
- Reception information
- Dress code
- Separate RSVP card
Wedding Invitation Wording Line by Line
The Host
Traditionally, the bride’s parents are the hosts of the wedding and are named at the top of the invitation, even for very formal affairs. However, including the names of both sets of parents as hosts is a gracious option no matter who foots the bill. Also, more and more couples these days are hosting their own weddings, or do so together with their parents.
If it’s a collaborative affair hosted and paid for by the couple and both sets of parents, you can also use «Together with their parents, Emma and Jax request the pleasure of your company …»
If you want to include the name of a parent who is deceased, you’ll need to rearrange things a bit, as someone who has passed can’t actually serve as a host. Try this, for example:
Julia French, daughter of Mr. Adam French and the late Iris French,
and
Austin Mahoney, son of Mr. Camden and Elizabeth Mahoney,
request the honor of your presence
at their wedding
on the fifth of May, two thousand seventeen
at one o’clock in the afternoon
The Reagan Library
Simi Valley, California
Dinner & dancing to follow
Black tie required
If the couple’s parents are divorced and you want to include both as hosts, you can include them all, just keep each parent on a separate line. If you’re going to include the name of a stepparent, keep it on the same line as their partner. It might seem complex at first, but all it requires is a few more lines. This is an example of how a bride with divorced (and remarried) parents worded the wedding invitation:
Dr. Vance and Elizabeth Gregory
and Mr. James Abner and Lydia Abner
and Mr. Harold and Jane Hyland
invite you to the wedding of their children
Amy Abner and Charles Hyland 01.06.18 | 4 p.m.
Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church
Newport, California
Reception immediately after
The Request to Attend
There are many ways to ask for the pleasure of your guests’ company. Here are few options:
- «the pleasure of your company»
- «at the marriage of their children»
- «would love for you to join them»
- «invite you to celebrate with them»
- «honor of your presence»
The British spelling of «honour» traditionally indicates the ceremony will be held in a church or another house of worship.
The Names of Couple
If their names haven’t been included in the host line, they should still take center stage a few lines down. No one would forget to add this to a wedding invitation, of course, but you might be wondering whose name should go first on a wedding invitation? Traditionally the name of the bride always precedes the groom’s name. Formal invitations issued by the bride’s parents refer to her by her first and middle names, the groom by his full name and title; if the couple is hosting by themselves, their titles are optional.
For same-sex couples, the traditional rule of the woman first and man second isn’t applicable. Whether it’s «Emily and Zara» or «Zara and Emily,» it’s going to be lovely either way. When writing their own names, same-sex couples can choose to either go in alphabetical order or simply with what sounds better.
The Date and Time
For formal weddings, everything is written out in full (no numerals). The year is optional (the assumption being your wedding is on the nearest such date). Time of day is spelled out using «o’clock» or «half after five o’clock.» The use of a.m. or p.m. is optional. For casual weddings, numerals are fine.
The Location
The street address of a venue is not usually needed unless omitting it would lead to confusion or your wedding is taking place at the host’s home. The city and state should be written out in full in either case.
Reception Information
Very formal invitations include this information on a separate card. Otherwise, it can be printed on the wedding invitation itself if there is room; if the ceremony and reception are held in the same location, you may print «and afterward at the reception» or «reception immediately following.» When the reception is elsewhere, the location goes on a different line.
Include the time if the wedding reception is not immediately following the ceremony.
Dress Code
Wedding invitation etiquette dictates that the dress code—if you’re including it on the invitation—is in the lower right-hand corner of the invitation. If you don’t include a note on attire, the invitation itself will indicate the dress code. For example, if the invitation is very fancy, guests will likely be anticipating a formal, black-tie affair, or conversely, an invitation on the simpler side indicates a more casual dress code.
Separate RSVP Card
Most couples choose to include a separate response card for guests to fill out and return in the mail. You also have the option of having people RSVP via your wedding website. If that’s the case, include the website address on a separate card, just as you would with an RSVP card, and indicate that guests can let you know if they can come directly on the site.
Wedding Invitation Wording Examples
1. Stacey and Peter
With great pleasure
Stacey Bullington
and
Peter Cunningham
invite you to join them
at the celebration of their marriage
Saturday, July 9, 2016
at two thirty in the afternoon
Santa Barbara Courthouse — Mural Room
Santa Barbara, California
Dinner and dancing to follow at Casa de la Guerra
Photo by The Times We Have
2. Isaac and Allison
Isaac + Allison
With family & friends, we invite you to
celebrate our wedding day.
April 11th, 2021 at 6 pm
San Jose del Cabo, Mexico at Acre Baja
Reception to follow
3. Julia and David
Jerry & Georgian Sadowski
and Gary & Georgia Byrne
invite you to celebrate with their children,
Julia & David
on their wedding day
Friday | 07 Sep 12 | 3:30 p.m.
Cortelyou Commons, DePaul University: Ceremony
Peggy Norbert Nature Museum: Reception 6 p.m.
4. Grace and Russell
Grace and Russell Fitzpatrick
are gettin’ hitched!
August 4th 2016
Join us at 5 o’clock
The West Palm
825 Oceanside Ave
St. Petersburg
Merriment to follow
Photo by Judith Rae Photography
5. Samantha and Andrew
Mrs. Mindy Laub
Mr. Richard Netkin
Mr. and Mrs. Yuval Brash
Request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their children
Samantha Maxx
and
Andrew Isaac
Saturday, the twenty-first of May
Two thousand twenty-two
At half after six o’clock
Old Westbury Golf and Country Club
Old Westbury, New York
Black tie
Photo by Madison Emily Hare Photography
6. Chase and Kelianne
Please join us as we celebrate our wedding
Chase Mattson
&
Kelianne Stankus
June 9th, 2022 at 5:00 PM
Serendipity Garden
12865 Oak Glen Road, Oak Glen, CA 92399
7. Marin and Joseph
Doctor and Mrs. Ronald Kaleya
Mr. and Mrs. Barnett Rothenberg
invite you to share in their joy
at the marriage of their children
Marin Sami and Joseph Benjamin
Saturday, the twenty-ninth of September
Two thousand twelve
at six o’clock in the evening
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
1000 Washington Avenue
Brooklyn, New York
Dinner and dancing to follow
Black tie invited
Photo by Valorie Darling
8. Andrea & Landon
Mr. and Mrs. Robert V. Alvarado, Jr.
Request the pleasure of your presence
to celebrate the marriage of
Andrea & Landon
Thompson
Saturday, the ninth of October, two thousand twenty-one
at five o’clock in the evening
One&Only Palmilla
San Jose del Cabo, Mexico
Reception to follow
Photo by AGP Collective
9. Agee and Alexander
Together with their families
Agee Gretta Taylor
and
Alexander Charles Leinberry
Invite you to join them in the celebration of their love
Saturday, the twenty-fourth of July
Two thousand twenty one
At half past four in the afternoon
The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch
Beaver Creek, Colorado
An evening of dinner and dancing to follow
Black tie optional
Photo by Kaley from Kansas
10. Jennifer and Andrew
Jennifer and Andrew
Invite you to celebrate their wedding
Saturday, the third of July
Two thousand and twenty-one
At half past four o’clock
Surrey-Williamson Inn
Saratoga Springs, New York
Black tie optional
11. Chloe and Matthew
Love is in the air
Chloe Marie Sinclair & Matthew James Denton
Have the honour of announcing
their marriage
on Saturday, the tweny-fifth of August
Two thousand eighteen
at three o’clock in the afternoon
Glochester Catholic Church
Dublin Ireland
C + M
12. Ben and Pilar
We’re getting married!
Ben & Pilar
Please join us
10.11.2014
at 5:30 p.m.
Panorama Hills
Photo by Shannon Skloss Photography
13. Kristin and Wyatt
Together with their families
Kristin
Michelle Sills
and
Wyatt
Alexander Littles
Request the pleasure of your company at their wedding celebration
Friday, the fifth of November
Two thousand twenty one
at four o’clock in the evening
The Olana
1851 Turbeville Road / Hickory Creek, Texas
Adult reception to follow
Black tie
Photo by Jana Williams Photography
14. Marielle and Ryan
Mr. and Mrs. Steven Eisner
Request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter
Marielle Scott
to
Ryan Bergara
son of Dr. and Mrs. Steven Bergara
Saturday, 30th of July, 2022
Four thirty in the afternoon
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Hotel
Santa Barbara, California
Reception to follow
Cocktail attire
15. Felicia and Kellis
Please join
Felicia Beth Yoder and
Kellis Curry Cunningham
as they tie the knot
October 4th 2014
four o’clock in the afternoon
Gulf Beach Resort Motel
Sarasota, FL
Photo by Shane Macomber Weddings
16. Chloe and James
Paul and Fran Lewis
Request the pleasure of your company
at the wedding of their daughter
Chloe Lewis
to
James Rosen
on
07.10.21
at four in the afternoon
Skier Bridge | The Ritz Carlton | Bachelor Gulch
Beaver Creek, Colorado
Merriment and festivities to follow
black tie
Photo by Matoli Keely Photography
17. Kendra and Diallobe
Kendra
Evelyn Ellis
&
Diallobe
Cazembe Johnson
Request the honor of your presence
on their wedding day
Saturday, the fifteenth of January
Two thousand twenty two
Ceremony will begin at five pm in the afternoon
Kempa Villa
71555 Jaguar Way Palm Desert, CA 92260
In loving memory of Benjamin Ellis and Herbert Johnson
Reception to follow
Photo by Kyle John Photography
18. Gina and Steven
You are invited to
the wedding of
Gina & Steven
On Saturday
The tenth day of July
Two thousand twenty-one
Five thirty in the evening
Cranbrook House and Gardens
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Reception immediately to follow
Photo by Clary Pfeiffer Photography
19. Grace and Travis
The wedding celebration of
Grace Hannah Kim
&
Travis James Junge
Saturday, May 1, 2021
at St. Louis Missouri
The Ritz Carlton
Photo by Jessica Mangia
20. Ali and Rafique
Mr. and Mrs.
Thomas & Elizabeth Glanville
Request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of
Ali Greenfield
to
Rafique Jivani
Thursday the twenty second day of July
Two thousand and twenty-one
at five o’clock in the evening
Mandarin Oriental
Lake Como, Italy
Reception to follow
Photo by KT Merry
21. Stephanie and Jason
Together with their families
Stephanie Marie Nucci
and
Jason David Brooks
request the pleasure of your company
The first day of September
Two thousand twenty one
at half past five in the afternoon
Chateau de la Gaude
Aix-en-Provence, France
Reception to follow
Wedding invitations are one of the first elements of planning your wedding that guests will see. Designing your own invites also offers brides and grooms a chance to express their style and capture the overall vibe of the wedding to their guests. Though couples tend to struggle over wording with their wedding invitations, it’s not as complicated as it may seem. Our guide covers a range of wording options for all of your wedding invitations in addition to any other wedding stationery you may be using so they reflect your sentiments and surprise and delight your guests.
As you dive into the wedding planning process, match the style of your big day to your wedding invitations. That includes the wording on your wedding announcements, save the date cards, wedding thank you cards, and other notes. Our guide will help you identify all the correct elements to include in your wedding invitation wording, offer ideas to spark your own creativity, and provide formal and casual wording examples to ensure everything you send to your guests is picture perfect.
Jump to:
- Elements To Include In Your Wedding Invitation Wording
- Wedding Invitation Wording Ideas
- Formal Wedding Invitation Wording Examples
- Casual Wedding Invitation Wording Samples
Elements To Include In Your Wedding Invitation Wording
The truth is, there’s not a big difference between formal and casual wedding invitations. If your wedding is formal, you might want to choose classic wedding invitations, which tend to have script, foil elements, and lots of sparkle. On the other hand, if you’re going for a casual gathering, you may choose one of our rustic wedding invitations, which tend to feature muted colors, barnwood graphics, and simple typography. However you style your wedding, the “who, when, where, and why” details of your wedding are the same and they should be very clear and easy to read. Below find additional elements to include in your invitation and how to address wedding invitations. A few things to make sure to include in your wedding invitations are the names of the hosts (so guests know who to thank!), the couples’ names, specific details on the location and venue, and any post-ceremony plans your guests should be aware of.
Host Names
The first line of your wedding invitations is dedicated to the host of the wedding, also known as the party covering the expenses. Traditionally, the bride’s parents pay for the wedding, but with the times changing, the groom’s parents, bride, and groom, or a combination of all three are contributing. There is no official order or requirement to list the names. It’s all up to personal preference.
If your family has a non-traditional structure, don’t let the host name part of the invitation trip you up. It’s easy to accommodate situations such as step-parents or when the parents of the bride or groom are deceased. These situations just offer another opportunity for creative wording like these examples below:
Including step parents in your wedding invitation
Here is example wording for including step parents in wedding invitations:
Mr. & Mrs. Flores, Mr. & Mrs. Hill,
Mr. & Mrs. Byrne and Mr. & Mrs. Lin
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of
Talia Flores
&
Stephen Byrne
Honoring deceased parents in your wedding invitation
Here is example wording for including deceased parents in wedding invitations:
Mr. & Mrs. Jon Flores and
Mr. Tom Byrne & the late Mrs. Nancy Byrne
request the honor of your company
at the marriage of their children
Talia Flores
&
Stephen Byrne
The Couple’s Names
When listing the names of the couple in wedding invitations, the bride’s name typically precedes the groom’s. Most commonly, the bride’s first and middle names are used while the groom’s first and last names are used. This is, of course, all up to personal style. Whether you’re opting for formal or casual invitations will determine how you display your names. Sometimes, it’s good to know the etiquette rules for wedding stationery, just so you can break them with confidence!
The Details
Next to the couple’s names, the ceremony details are the most important part of your wedding invites. You want to make sure your guests have no confusion about when, where, what day and time, and any other important information. For your invitation wording, keep the details simple and stick to the basics. Include the date, time, location, and address. Include dress code information if you wish your guests to adhere to a specific style of apparel. In many formal invitations, couples will spell out the date and time. With a nod to modern GPS technology, some folks will include the latitude and longitude of the wedding ceremony location so guests can plug it into their mapping app.
- Date + time
- Location + address
- Dress code
- Any other pertinent information
Post Ceremony Plans
Let your guests know what to expect after the ceremony. It’s a great way to set the tone for your reception with clear expectations. If there’s a cocktail hour or dancing and dinner, it’s good to spell it all out here, or include your wedding website link that has all the information. You should also include the address if the reception will be held at a separate venue.
Design Elements
When guests open their wedding invitation, the first thing they see is your overall design. The fun part of creating your invitations is adding interesting design elements. There are many invitation styles to choose from, including unique ones like artistic, whimsical, and vintage. Shutterfly’s wedding stationery offers a wide range of options to customize and personalize your invitations. You can choose classic elements such as monograms and symbols. You can add visual interest with borders and patterns on the card. You may want to include engagement photos for your guests to enjoy before the wedding. Finally, sweet phrases, such as “getting hitched,” “we do,” “forever and always,” and more phrases from the list below convey even more of an emotional feeling to your invitations.
- Monograms and symbols
- Borders and patterns
- Engagement photos
- Sweet phrases
- Getting hitched
- We do
- Love
- All we need is love
- We decided on forever
- Forever and Always
- To love and to cherish
- The future Mr. & Mrs. _____
- At Last
- Mr. & Mrs.
- Share in our love
Whether you are planning a formal or informal affair, there are plenty of great wedding invitation wording options for your invites. Some weddings don’t fall into the formal or informal category, but somewhere more down the middle. Many couples like to use a hybrid of traditional and non-traditional wording. On the more formal side, you could use classic wedding invitation wording such as, “The honor of your presence is requested at the marriage of” or “You are cordially invited to celebrate the marriage of,” or “We invite you to share in our joy and request your presence at the wedding of”. For more informal wedding invitation greetings and phrases, try something simple and casual such as, “You are invited to the wedding of,” or “Kindly join us at the wedding of,” or “Please come help us celebrate our love.” If you as a couple are known for a specific phrase or motto, add that to your invitations if it makes sense.
Formal Greetings and Phrases
- The honor of your presence is requested at the marriage of _____
- _____ request the honor of your presence at the marriage of _____
- _____ invite you to celebrate the marriage of their children _____
- Together with their parents you are cordially invited to celebrate the marriage of _____
- _____ request the pleasure of your company at the celebration of their union
- _____ joyfully request the pleasure of your company as we exchange vows
- You are cordially invited to celebrate the marriage of _____
- You are cordially invited to attend the wedding of _____
- _____ request the pleasure of your company at their wedding
- _____ request your presence on the day of their marriage
- We invite you to share in our joy and request your presence at the wedding of _____
Informal Greetings and Phrases
- You are invited to the wedding of _____
- You are invited to celebrate the marriage of _____
- Your presence is requested at the wedding of _____
- _____ request the pleasure of your company at their wedding
- _____ joyfully invite you to share in a celebration of love and commitment
- _____ invite you to celebrate their marriage
- Together with our families we joyfully invite you to the wedding of _____
- _____ invite you to join them in the celebration of their union
- _____ invite you to join them at their wedding
- _____ invite you to share in their joy as they become husband and wife
- _____ invite you to their wedding on _____
- Join us for the wedding of _____
- Kindly join us at the wedding of _____
- Please join us for our wedding
- _____ will say “I do”
- _____ invite you to join them as they say “I do”
- Please come help us celebrate our love
- _____ request the pleasure of your company as they exchange vows
- With joyful hearts, _____ request your presence at their wedding
- The wedding day of _____
- We’re getting married, please join us
- _____ join together as husband and wife
- _____ are getting hitched
- _____ would be honored to have you present when we exchange vows
Post Ceremony Wording
If you are hosting a post ceremony celebration make sure to include that in your invitation. If your reception is at a different location, make sure that you include the additional address or direct guests to your wedding website for more information. Shutterfly offers coordinated enclosure cards to include in your invitations for any additional information you need to make sure guests know. For how to word a more casual reception, you could say something short and sweet such as, “Dinner and dancing to follow.” Options for a traditional reception include phrases such as, “An evening of celebration to follow” and “Reception to follow.”
Here are some wording options to consider:
Informal Post Ceremony Wording
- Dinner and dancing to follow
- Merriment to follow
- Followed by dinner and dancing
- Drinks and dancing to follow
- Dinner, drinks and dancing to follow
- Cocktails, dinner and dancing to follow
- Adult reception to follow
Formal Post Ceremony Wording
- Reception to follow
- An evening of celebration to follow
- Followed by an evening of celebration
Different location reception wording
- Reception immediately following at _____
- Dinner to follow at _____
- Reception to follow at _____
- Reception to follow at the residence of _____
Formal Wedding Invitation Wording Examples
Jump to a specific section to see formal wedding wording invitation according to who the host is going to be:
- Couple Hosting
- Couple & Parents Hosting
- Bride’s Parents Hosting
- Groom’s Parent Hosting
- Couple’s Parents Hosting
Couple Hosting
If the bridal couple is hosting the ceremony, here’s an example of the wedding invitation wording for a formal wedding:
The honor of your presence is requested at
the marriage of
Talia Camila Flores
and
Stephen Anthony Byrne
Saturday, the eleventh of June
two thousand and twenty three
at twelve o’clock in the afternoon
Arctic Club Hotel
700 Third Avenue
Seattle, Washington
Reception to follow
Couple & Parents Hosting
Sometimes weddings are hosted by both the couple and the bride and groom’s parents. Here’s an example of how to word formal wedding invitations when the ceremony is being hosted by the couple and parents:
Talia Camila Flores
&
Stephen Anthony Byrne
request the honor of your company
at the celebration of their union
Saturday, the eleventh of June
two thousand and twenty three
at twelve o’clock in the afternoon
Arctic Club Hotel
700 Third Avenue
Seattle, Washington
Reception to follow
Bride’s Parents Hosting
If your wedding is being hosted by the bride’s parents, here’s an example of the wording to use in formal wedding invitations so guests know whom their hosts are.
Mr. & Mrs. Jon Flores
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Talia Camila Flores
to
Stephen Anthony Byrne
Saturday, the eleventh of June
two thousand and twenty three
at twelve o’clock in the afternoon
Arctic Club Hotel
700 Third Avenue
Seattle, Washington
Reception to follow
Groom’s Parents Hosting
If the groom’s parents are hosting the wedding, here’s an example of how to word formal wedding invitations so guests know to thank the parents of the groom for the ceremony.
Mr. & Mrs. Tom Byrne
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of
Talia Camila Flores
to their son
Stephen Anthony Byrne
Saturday, the eleventh of June
two thousand and twenty three
at twelve o’clock in the afternoon
Arctic Club Hotel
700 Third Avenue
Seattle, Washington
Reception to follow
Couple’s Parents Hosting
Mr. & Mrs. Flores
and Mr. & Mrs. Byrne
request the honor of your company
at the marriage of their children
Talia Camila Flores
&
Stephen Anthony Byrne
Saturday, the eleventh of June
two thousand and twenty three
at twelve o’clock in the afternoon
Arctic Club Hotel
700 Third Avenue
Seattle, Washington
Reception to follow
Casual Wedding Invitation Wording Samples
Jump to a specific section to see informal wedding invitation wording inspiration according to who the host is going to be:
- Couple Hosting
- Couple & Parents Hosting
- Bride’s Parents Hosting
- Groom’s Parent Hosting
- Couple’s Parents Hosting
Couple Hosting
If you’re hosting your own wedding, here’s how to word casual invitations that specify that the couple is hosting:
Talia Flores
and
Stephen Byrne
invite you to a celebration of their
love and commitment
June 11, 2023
12:00 pm
Arctic Club Hotel
700 Third Avenue
Seattle, Washington
Dinner and dancing to follow
Couple & Parents Hosting
If the wedding is being hosted by both the couple and the parents, here’s how to word casual invitations to reflect that:
Together with their parents
Talia Flores
&
Stephen Byrne
invite you to share in their joy
as they tie the knot
June 11, 2023
12:00 pm
Arctic Club Hotel
700 Third Avenue
Seattle, Washington
Dinner and dancing to follow
Bride’s Parents Hosting
Mr. & Mrs. Flores
would love your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Talia Flores
to
Stephen Byrne
June 11, 2023
12:00 pm
Arctic Club Hotel
700 Third Avenue
Seattle, Washington
Dinner and dancing to follow
Groom’s Parents Hosting
Mr & Mrs. Byrne
joyfully invite you to
the marriage of
Talia Flores
to their son
Stephen Byrne
June 11, 2023
12:00 pm
Arctic Club Hotel
700 Third Avenue
Seattle, Washington
Dinner and dancing to follow
Couple’s Parents Hosting
When the both sets of parents are hosting the wedding, here’s an example of how to word a casual invitation:
The Flores and Byrne families
joyfully invite you to the marriage of
Talia Flores
&
Stephen Byrne
June 11, 2023
12:00 pm
Arctic Club Hotel
700 Third Avenue
Seattle, Washington
Dinner and dancing to follow
Closing Thoughts
Sending out your custom wedding invitations is an exciting step in the wedding planning process. Don’t forget to include RSVP cards and to take advantage of RSVP functions on your wedding website in case any RSVPs get lost in the mail. Remember to hold on to a couple of invitations — they are perfect for scrapbooking, crafting, and including in a shadow box or photo book.
After the wedding, make sure to send your attendees wedding thank you cards to show them how much you value their love and support.
Additional Wedding Invitation Resources:
- Browse All Wedding Suites and Wedding Stationary Packages
- Shop Wedding Announcements and Engagement Announcements
- Explore Wedding Planning Ideas
- Get Free Wedding Invitation Samples by Shutterfly
Wedding Invitation Messages: A wedding is one of the most beautiful and holy occasions of one’s life. The wedding invitation message should be unique and elegant. It’s sometimes hard to find the perfect wedding invitation wording idea. But here are some wedding invitation message examples that will make your guest say, ‘wow! I’m never going to miss this wedding’. The wedding invitation sample messages include bride and groom inviting, parents inviting and couples inviting guests to be present at the ceremony.
- Wedding Invitation Messages
- Invitation Messages From Bride and Groom
- Wedding Invitation Messages From Parents
- Wedding Invitation Messages For Friends
- Brother Marriage Invitation Messages
- Sister Wedding Invitation Messages
- Wedding Reception Invitation Quotes
- Wedding Invitation Message For Whatsapp
You are cordially invited to (groom’s name) & (bride’s name) ‘s wedding that is taking place on (date) at (venue). Your company is warmheartedly welcomed.
You are cordially invited to the beautiful ceremony of my wedding taking place on (date) at (venue). Let us be blessed with your presence during the holy occasion.
We invite you to share the joy with us as the wedding of (groom’s name) & (bride’s name) takes place on (date) at (place). We expect you together with your family!
We are very delighted to announce the wedding ceremony of our beloved son on [date]. We are expecting the pleasure of your company as he exchanges wedding vows.
We request you to join us on [date] as our beloved son/daughter takes the hand of [name] through marriage. Your blessings matter the most to us!
We expect your blessing more than anything on our wedding day. Let us all enjoy the holy occasion with your sweet presence.
We are inviting you to be with us at our wedding on [date]. We have no doubt that the heavenly charm of your presence will intensify the joy of the celebration.
The joy of this wedding is incomplete without your presence in it. You have shared in our lives with your friendship. Let’s share the joy together.
On [date] , my beloved (daughter’s/son’s) matrimonial ceremony will be taking place. We hope to be blessed with your presence on the joyous occasion.
Our wedding would be quite incomplete without your participation. We hope to see you at [avenue] on [date+time]
We are proud to announce that our beloved son/daughter will be getting married. You are cordially invited to enjoy the festivities of this holy ceremony.
We rejoice on the occasion of our son’s marriage. Your presence will greatly bless this holy union.
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Dear friend, finally I’m getting married with _________ (partner’s name). Please be there to support our happiness on ______ (day) at _____ (place). Do not forget to bring gifts, mate.
My son (name) will be exchanging wedding vows on [date]. You’re cordially requested to attend the joyous event.
It is with great jubilation that we announce the news of our child’s marriage. Your presence at the wedding ceremony is highly requested.
Joyfully, we announce the news of our daughter’s marriage to [name of the groom]. We hope that you shall be present on this auspicious occasion with you and your family.
As proud parents, we present to you the happy news of our child’s marriage to [groom/bride name]. Your participation in this festive occasion is fervently requested.
We bring to you glad tidings. Our beloved child will be starting a new chapter of their life. We request you to bless the young couple with your presence.
We cannot thank the Almighty enough for ensuring the best possible life partner for our child. You are requested to attend the wedding ceremony on [Date] [Time] [Place]
Wedding Invitation Messages From Bride and Groom
Your presence at my wedding means a lot to all of us. Please let us have the honor to host you on this beautiful celebration of love and loyalty!
With great joy, (bride’s name) & (groom’s name) invite you to join them at the celebration of their wedding ceremony (day), (month name), (year) at(time) in the (venue name), (city name).
We, (groom’s name) & (bride’s name) are co-heartedly inviting you on our marriage at (date) in (venue). Please bring your blessings and no boxes to the venue.
You are the most important person without whom this holy celebration is incomplete. We are looking forward to having your company on [date]
Your support and suggestions have helped us a lot in planning a wonderful wedding ceremony. Now it’s finally time for you to make us feel blessed with your presence.
Before we start our journey of a new life, we want to make sure that your blessings are always with us. Please come join us at our wedding!
You have always been the perfect guardian for us. Your presence is more than expected during this holy occasion of our lives.
Hand in hand, we take our wedding vows on the [date: month] at [place]. You’re earnestly requested to bless our marriage with your presence.
Never thought we’d be together like this. Bless our holy union with your presence so that our journey may turn out to be nothing but bliss.
We couldn’t be happier to have a chance to author a new chapter in the book of our lives. You are kindly requested to participate in this celebration and to share our joy.
We are proud to announce the good news of our marriage. Please grace us with your presence at [place], [date and time]
God has been kind to have allowed us to strengthen our love through the sacred ritual of marriage. You are kindly requested to attend our wedding ceremony to make it a huge success. at [place]. [date + time]
We found a love that lasts a lifetime and now we promise each other to stay loyal for life. Come join us at our wedding ceremony. No presents. Blessings only.
Wedding Invitation Messages From Parents
We are so overwhelmed by happiness as we announce the wedding ceremony of our beloved daughter/son. We invite you to bless him/her for the new life.
We request you to bless us all with your presence on [date] at [venue] as we gather to celebrate the holy bond of the marriage of our son/daughter!
Our beloved daughter (bride’s name) is getting married with (groom’s name), son of (groom’s parents name) with your blessings on (date) at (time). The venue is (place). Please be there for our little girl and bless them.
We are excited to let you know that we have made all the arrangements to marry our daughter/son off with [ name] on [date]. You are cordially invited!
We are proudly announcing the wedding of our son/daughter with [name]. It will be an honor for us if you be there with your family!
We invite you to be with us as we celebrate the love and devotion of our children on [date] in a marriage ceremony. Your presence is most important to us!
Our ________ (groom name) has grown up with a blink of an eye and getting married on this ______ (date) with ________ (bride’s name), daughter of ________ (bride’s parents names). Hope you’d be kind enough to join us and make this day brighter.
You, as a part of our family and a guardian to our beloved children, are expected to be with us on the wedding ceremony taking place at [place] on [date].
Our eldest son, [name] is getting married to [name of groom]. You’re formally requested to be present at the wedding. No presents are needed. Just blessings.
Mr. [name] and Mrs. [name] is proud to announce the news of their daughter’s marriage. You’re requested to be present on the blessed occasion with your family.
Mr. and Mrs. (name of groom’s parents) and Mr. and Mrs. (name of bride’s parents) request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their children (name of groom) and (name of bride) (date + month) (time) (Venue)
We are incredibly proud to announce that our child is getting married. Your honorable presence is requested to make this merry occasion a success.
Related: Party Invitation Messages
Wedding Invitation Messages For Friends
You have shared the same journey that we both had in life. Without your presence, the joy of this wedding is incomplete. We are cordially inviting you to be with us on {date}.
If our love story was a book, you were the most avid reader of it. We are honored to invite you to our wedding ceremony taking place on {date}.
You have always inspired us to start a new life together. Without you, the wedding ceremony is incomplete. We are cordially inviting you to join us!
You have always dreamt about getting my wedding food, so the day has been set to _______ (date) at _____ (venue), Please be there and make the day more special with your presence.
Your presence will only extend the joy and the smiles on our face. We can’t afford to miss the pleasure of your presence on [date].
You have always been a big part of our lives. Let us share the big day as we unite our souls in a bond of love and devotion. You are cordially invited!
We, together with our families will be looking forward to having you on our wedding day. We request you to join us with your friends and family!
With a large smile on my face, I want to let you know that my wedding ceremony will be held on [date and time ] at [place]. Be sure to be present with you and your family.
As my favorite friend of all time, your participation in my wedding ceremony is a must.
To all our lovely friends, we bring glad tidings. Grace us with your presence at our marriage ceremony.
Our marriage marks the beginning of a new chapter in our lives. Only with the participation of our beloved friends would this event become complete. Don’t miss out on mouth-watering dishes and couple of dances.
Friends always have a special place in our hearts. Our marriage ceremony would be quite incomplete without them.
Dear bestie, can you believe it? I’m actually getting married to the love of my life. Be sure to be present!
My favorite man/friend, you are highly encouraged to attend my wholesome marriage. Can’t wait to introduce you to my spouse.
Friend know that I love you a lot. Thank you for always being there for me. My wedding is being held on the [date] of [month]. You’re requested to attend the ceremony.
My friend, I discovered my soul-mate recently. I’m getting married to him/her. He’s/She’s kind of perfect. Be sure to attend the wedding to know more about him/her.
Related: Engagement Invitation Messages
Brother Marriage Invitation Text Message
We request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of our brother (groom’s name) to (bride’s name) on (day) the (date) day of (month name). Hope you will be kind enough to attend and bless them.
Our beloved brother, (groom’s name) is finally getting married to the love of his life, (bride’s name). Please come and bless them to their wedding, at (date) in (venue) on (time).
We are requesting your presence at our amazing brother (groom name) and his beloved (bride’s name) ‘s wedding. Please attend on (date), (place) at (time). Would love to see you there.
Guess what? My brother ____ (groom’s name) is finally marrying. Please attend his wedding at _____ (place) on ____ (date). Having you there would mean so much to me.
At my brother _____ (name) wedding, I request the honor of your company along with your family. The dress code is ____ for the groom’s side. Please be at ____ (time), ___ (date) in _____ (venue name).
Sister Wedding Invitation Message
My sister (bride’s name) is getting married after all the hassle. Your presence is highly requested at (venue) on (date).
We request the pleasure of your blessing and presence at our beloved sister’s wedding ceremony which will be held on (venue) at (date). Hope to see you there.
This is to inform you that you are invited to the wedding of my sister _____ (bride’s name) with ______ (groom’s name), son of ______ (groom’s parents name) at the _____ (venue) on ______ (day & time).
My sister____ (bride’s name) & her ______ (groom’s name) have decided to get married on _____ (day) at ____ (venue). It would mean the world to us if you are present there. Thanks.
Today, I invite you on ______ (day) at____ (venue name) to celebrate the wedding of my sister ________ (bride’s name).
Wedding Reception Invitation Quotes
Join us for the wedding reception of _______ (groom’s name) and _____ (bride’s name) on the very _____ (date), at _____ (time) in ______ (place).
As you know, ______(groom’s name) and ______ (bride’s name) has already said “I do” so we are arranging a wedding reception on __________ (date) at ______ (place). Please drop by.
Please come and help us celebrate ________ (bride’s name) and _________ (groom’s name at _______ (place) on ______ (day).
As _______ (groom) and _____ (bride) has tied knot already, the reception will follow at ______ (place name) on ___ (date). Hope you will join us for dinner and dancing.
By the grace of Almighty, our ______( groom) and ______ (bride) has marry each other. We have arranged a cozy wedding reception for them on _____ (day), _____ (date) ________ at ______ (place). We cordially invite you to join us and bless them.
Wedding Invitation Message For Whatsapp
The future Mr. & Mrs. _____ (Groom’s family title) would love your presence on their wedding ceremony at ____ (date) in_____ (venue) on ____ (time). Please be there to show your support and love.
At last, the day has come- _____ (bride’s name) has finally chosen her prince charming _____ (groom’s name) to be wed on _____ (day), _____ (date) at _____ (place name). Hope you will be kind enough to bless them with your presence. Thank you.
My eldest child is getting married on the [date] of [month]. Please bless the young couple on this auspicious event with your presence.
To love & to cherish for the rest of their lives __________ (groom’s name) & ___________ (bride’s name are getting married at ________ (place) on _______ (date). The honor of your presence is highly requested. Thank you.
Our children are to enter a new phase of their life. We request the pleasure of your company on the festive occasion.
It is with radiant smiles that we share the good news of our daughter’s marriage to [name of the groom]. We invite you to celebrate this festive occasion with them.
Traditional Wedding Invitation Messages
It will be an honor for us to have you present at our wedding ceremony. We look forward to sharing joy together. You are cordially invited!
You have always been an integral part of our lives. Let us celebrate the relationship we share through this wedding ceremony! We invite you to join us with your family!
Let us unite once again as two loving souls of children creates an everlasting bond of marriage. Your presence will make this event more special!
We expect you to bless us during the holy wedding of love, devotion, and family. You are invited with all the members of your family.
Let us honor the most wonderful custom of marriage and share the happiness of our son/daughter as they take on the vows of marriage. You are cordially invited to join us.
We expect no less than your entire family to join us as we look forward to starting a new life together. Let us be blessed by the presence of you!
Marriage is undoubtedly one of the most wholesome and sacred events in our lives. It represents the union of two beautiful souls who promise to love each other for a lifetime. A wedding is the starting coordinate of our adventures with our soul-mates. However, a wedding isn’t complete without the participation of friends and family. Do we really want them to miss the fun and festivities? Most importantly, can we really afford to let go of the blessings of our loved ones? The answer is an obvious no because we need the love and support of our loved ones in all that we do. Hence, we should cordially invite our friends and family to grace the holy union of marriage.
Last updated on September 2, 2022
Learn more about wedding websites
- Monogram
This element symbolizes the union and uses the initials of the couples’ first names. - Hostline
Whoever is hosting the celebration is mentioned first. - Couples’ Names
The bride’s typically comes before the groom’s. - The Details
Spelling out the date in words helps to avoid confusion. - Reception
Set the tone for after the ceremony.
Coming up with your wedding invitation wording might seem simple at first, but once you get started, you may realize that crafting the perfect wedding invitation wording can be a little tricky—there are etiquette rules to navigate and maybe a couple of sticky situations to figure out. But in a nutshell, the wording should reflect the overall vibe of your wedding day. We’ve compiled this guide to wedding invitation wording and etiquette right here to help and inspire you.
what to include
The first line of the wedding invitation is where you list who’s hosting the wedding (a.k.a. who is paying for the wedding). Traditionally, this was usually the bride’s parents, so listing their names on the host line was a way of acknowledging that generosity. These days, however, more and more couples are either paying for the wedding themselves (in this case, you can omit the host line entirely) or receiving financial contributions from parents on both sides—in this case, you can list all parents’ names or opt for something simpler like, “Together with their parents” or “Together with their families.”
The most important thing to keep in mind about the host line is to word it in a way that feels comfortable to you and your spouse-to-be as a couple. Here are a few rules to help you figure out the best host-line wording for your family dynamics:
- The word “and” in between two names traditionally implies that those people are married.
- If your parents are divorced and you want to include both as hosts, you can include them all, just keep each parent on a separate line.
- If you’re going to include the name of stepparent, keep it on the same line.
- Hosts who are not married should be on separate lines.
- Names should not be listed in order of who paid more.
- If you want to include the name of a parent who is deceased, you’ll need to rearrange things a bit, as someone who has passed can’t actually serve as a host. A common way to honor a deceased parent is alongside a member of the couple’s name as “Olivia French, daughter of Susan French,” or “Olivia French, daughter of Michael French and the late Susan French.”
See Host line wording examples
One Set of Parents Hosting (Married)
Include your parents’ full names, with middle names (for very formal weddings), and never their initials. If they have different last names, write “and” to join the two names.
- Mr. and Mrs. Michael Timothy Williams (very formal; middle name is included)
- Mr. and Mrs. Michael Williams (formal)
- Mr. and Mrs. Michael and Sarah Williams (formal; includes both first names)
- Sarah and Michael Williams (less formal)
One Set of Parents Hosting (Divorced)
Include your mother’s name first, followed by your father’s name. Do not use “and” to connect the two names; rather, each name should get their own separate line.
- Mrs. Josephine Hernandez
- Mr. Brian Walsh
Both Sets of Parents Hosting
For different-sex couples, list the bride’s parents’ names at the top of the invite, then the groom’s parents’ names. For same-sex couples, list the names according to preference or in the order that looks best with the invitation design.
- Mr. and Mrs. Steven Wong and Mr. and Mrs. Adam Hollis (formal)
- Mr. and Mrs. Darren Valenzuela with Mr. and Mrs. Warren Lee (formal)
- James and Alisha Parrish together with Allan and Beatrice O’Rourke (less formal)
Couple is hosting with their families
When the couple and both of their families are contributing to the cost of the wedding, many choose to add a line such as “Together with their families” as the host line.
- Together with their families
- Together with our families
- Together with their parents
Couple Is Hosting
If the couple is hosting the wedding themselves, you can skip the host line altogether or start the invitation wording with a warm and welcoming introduction, such as:
- With open hearts
- Together with full hearts
- With great joy
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The request line is where you invite people to attend your wedding (a.k.a. “Please come!”), so use this section to set the tone for your celebration. If your wedding is formal, use more formal language to reflect the occasion (e.g., “request the honor of your presence…”); if your wedding is casual, use less formal language (e.g., “Would love for you to join them…” or “Want you to come party with us…”). Here are a few more things to keep in mind:
- “The honor of your presence” is traditionally used to denote a religious service. Some couples opt to spell “honour” using the British spelling; both are correct but spelling it with a “u” evokes a more formal and traditional feel. (Note: If you’re using “honour” on the invitation, we recommend matching it with “favour” as in “favour of your reply” on the RSVP card.)
- “The pleasure of your company” (or variations on this) is used to denote a non-religious ceremony locale.
See Request line wording examples
- request the honor of your presence
- request the honour of your presence (for formal, religious ceremonies)
- request the pleasure of your company
- cordially invite you to attend
- would love for you to join them
- would be delighted by your presence
- invite you to celebrate with them
- invite you to their wedding
- joyfully request the pleasure of your company
- invite you to celebrate their marriage
- invite you to join them
- invite you to the celebration of
- invite you to share in the festivities
- invite you to share in their joy
- would love your presence
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Here, you’re outlining what you are inviting people to share in. Some examples:
- Traditionally, with the bride’s parent’s hosting, this line is usually something like, “At the marriage of their daughter.”
- If both parents are hosting, the line might read “At the marriage of their children.”
- If you’re hosting yourselves, the line could be something like “At the celebration of their union” or “As they tie the knot.”
See Action line wording examples
- at the marriage of their daughter (if the bride’s parents are hosting)
- at the marriage of their children (if both sets of parents are hosting)
- at the celebration of their union
- as they tie the knot
- as they say “I do!”
- in celebration of their marriage
- to celebrate their wedding
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This one might seem easy—that is, until you start thinking about the nitty-gritty details. Whose name goes first? Do you have to include last names? What about middle names? There really are no right or wrong answers, so do whatever feels most comfortable to you both, but here are a few suggestions:
- For different-sex couples, the bride’s name typically goes first, followed by the groom’s name. If the bride’s parents’ names are listed at the top, the bride’s name can just be her first and middle name (without last name), while the groom’s name is listed in full, or his first and middle names are listed, followed by the line “Son of Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Wong.”
- For same-sex couples, you can list the names in alphabetical order by last name, or in the order you choose (or perhaps in the order that looks best with the invitation design).
- For a less formal feel, you may opt to list first names only.
- Traditionally, the date and time should be spelled out in full. For example, if your ceremony is on September 15, 2024, at 4:30 p.m., the wording should read, “Saturday, the fifteenth of September, two thousand twenty-one, at half after four in the afternoon.”
- The day of the week and the month should be capitalized. The year should be lowercase.
- There is no “and” when spelling out the year.
- Time of day should be spelled out as “four o’clock” or “half after four o’clock.” Note that “half after” is the most traditional way to indicate time. However, less formal invitations can use “half past four o’clock” or “four-thirty.”
- Traditionally, there is no need to add phrases such as “in the afternoon” or “in the evening” unless the event takes place at times like 8, 9 or 10. You should then designate “in the morning” or “in the evening” for clarity. However, some stationery designers add these phrases to fill out a line to improve the overall look of the invite design. This is totally up to you and your designer.
- Evening begins at five o’clock, otherwise it is considered afternoon from noon until four o’clock.
- It is important to note that these formal date and time rules are frequently broken in more modern invitation designs, where the date and time are listed using numerals; using numerals is also preferred for more informal weddings. Be consistent with the level of formality you want your wedding to be from the invitation wording to the attire, ceremony, venue, and party.
See Date & time wording examples
- 4:00 p.m. can be spelled out as:
- four o’clock (traditional)
- four o’clock in the afternoon (also acceptable)
- 4:00 p.m. (informal)
- 4:00 p.m. in the afternoon (informal)
- 4:30 p.m. can be spelled out as:
- half after four o’clock (traditional)
- half past four o’clock (also acceptable)
- four-thirty in the afternoon (also acceptable)
- 4:30 p.m. (informal)
- 4:30 p.m. in the afternoon (informal)
- 5:30 p.m. can be spelled out as:
- half after five o’clock (traditional)
- half past five o’clock (also acceptable)
- five-thirty in the evening (also acceptable)
- 5:30 p.m. (informal)
- 5:30 p.m. in the evening (informal)
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- List the ceremony venue as follows: “Venue Name” on one line with “City, State” on the following line; for formal weddings, the state name is usually spelled out (instead of abbreviations).
- The venue’s street address is traditionally not included (although you may decide to list it), unless it is a private residence.
- Zip codes are not usually included.
- If the reception will be at the same location as the ceremony, you can simply say, “Reception to follow” or “Dinner and dancing to follow.”
- If the reception is at a different location, you can list the venue on the following line, or you may decide to include a separate insert card (called a reception card) inviting guests to the reception, with the venue’s full address.
- If you’re not serving a full meal, this would be a great place to let guests know by saying something like, “Cake, punch, and merriment to follow” or «Join us after the ceremony for cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and dancing.»
- You can also use this line to get creative and set the tone for the reception with something like, “Join us for an intimate dinner following…” or «Drinks, dancing, and shenanigans to follow.»
See Reception line wording examples
- Reception to follow
- Reception immediately following the ceremony
- Dinner and dancing to follow
- Cake, punch, and merriment to follow (if you’re not serving a full meal)
- Join us after the ceremony for cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and dancing. (if you’re not serving a full meal)
- A dessert reception following the ceremony (if you’re not serving a full meal)
- The celebration continues with a reception
- Join them for the reception celebration
- An evening of celebrating to follow
- A celebration with dinner, drinks, and dancing will follow
- Join us for dinner, dancing, and celebrating
- Fabulous food, fun, and festivities to follow
- Dine, dance, celebrate…
- Some dinner, some dancing, and all eternity to follow
- Feasting and merriment to follow
- Feasting and fun to follow
- Dining, dancing, and happily ever after to follow
- To share in our happiness, kindly join us for a dinner reception
- Dinner and dancing under the stars
- Shake, rattle and roll with us
- Bring your dancing shoes! Dinner and music immediately following the ceremony.
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Dress code
Including a line about the wedding’s dress code is optional but can be helpful for guests; however, if your wedding is black tie, you must include that on the invitation. If you don’t include dress code information on the invitation, then guests will infer attire details based on the formality of the wedding invitation itself (i.e., if the invitation is very fancy, guests will likely anticipate a formal affair). The dress code line should be listed on a line following the reception location.
Wedding website
Typically you don’t print your wedding website on the main invitation card; rather, you should list it on one of the accompanying cards (like a reception card or additional information card). It’s also a good idea to have your wedding website URL (or the QR code) on your save the date card.
wording examples
Use these sample wedding invitation templates to figure out how to word your own. (Pro tip: Minted Design Associates can also help craft your copy so that the wedding invitation wording perfectly reflects your big day.)
Who is hosting the wedding?
Both Parents
Traditional Religious
Held in a religious venue,
hosted by both sets of parents
Mr and Mrs Charles Hoffman
and Mr and Mrs Lucas Harrison
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their children
Alexandra Quentin
and
Brian Forsyth
Saturday, the Ninth of June
Two thousand twenty-four
half past five o’clock in the evening
Cathedral of Christ the King
Atlanta, Georgia
celebration following
Traditional Secular
Held in a secular location,
hosted by both sets of parents
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Anderson
together with
Mr. and Mrs. Liam Smith
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their children
Elizabeth May
and
Charles Smith
the twenty-second of August
at half past three in the afternoon
Two thousand Twenty Four
The Mayflower Grace
Washington, Connecticut
dinner and dancing to follow at
Piedmont Hotel
Casual Informal
Held in a casual location,
hosted by both sets of parents
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Hunter
And Mr. and Mrs. George Temple
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their children
Estella and
Grayson
April 24th, 2022
at 4 O’Clock
The Gardens Edge Inn
Seattle, Washington
formal reception to follow
Bride’s Parents
Traditional Religious
Held in a religious venue,
hosted by the bride’s parents
Mr. and Mrs. Yuri Smith
joyously invite you to attend
the wedding of
Rebecca Leigh
and
Phillip Austin
October 20th, 2024
3:00 in the afternoon
Second Presbyterian Church
Richmond, Virginia
merriment to follow
Traditional Secular
Held in a secular location,
hosted by the bride’s parents
Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Walker
cordially invite you to attend
the wedding of
Laura June
to
Emerson Fournier
August 5th, 2024
Saturday evening at 5:30pm
Hotel Sorrento
90 Madison Street
Seattle
reception to follow
Casual Informal
Held in a casual location,
hosted by the bride’s parents
Eli and Cristina Mullins
request the pleasure of your company
at the wedding of
Clara
&
Sebastian
saturday, october 18th, 2024
6 o’clock in the evening
king plow arts center
altanta, ga
reception to follow
Groom’s Parents
Traditional Religious
Held in a religious venue,
hosted by the groom’s parents
Mr. and Mrs. John Kowalski
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of
Allegra Rose Harrington
to their son
Harris Nolan Kowalski
Saturday, Auguest 26th, 2024
3pm at Ashton Gardens
89 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard
Sugar Hill, Georgia
reception to follow
Traditional Secular
Held in a secular location,
hosted by the groom’s parents
Jean & Frederick Coppola
joyfully invite you to
the marriage of
Jessica
and their son
Charles
Auguest 11, 2023
at 6 PM
Calistoga Ranch
Calistoga, California
reception to follow
Casual Informal
Held in a casual location,
hosted by the groom’s parents
Mallory & Kenneth Harper
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of
Sophia Renee Enriquez
to their son
Jackson Douglass
Saturday, Sepember 21, 2024
at four thirty in the afternoon
Studio 817
817 Sixteenth Street
Sacramento, California
dinner and dancing to follow
The Couple
Traditional Religious
Held in a religious venue,
hosted by the couple
Ava Edwards
and
Nicholas Eckerd
request the honor of your presence
at the celebration of their union
Saturday, the Fifth of August
Two Thousand Twenty-Four
at five o’clock in the evening
Mosaic Church
Austin, Texas
reception to follow
Traditional Secular
Held in a secular location,
hosted by the couple
Sophia Anderson and
Jaden Harper
invite you to their wedding
September 14, 2024
Saturday at four o’clock
in the afternoon
Willow Creek Vineyard
Seattle, Washington
reception to follow
Casual Informal
Held in a casual location,
hosted by the couple
Olivia Chandler
and
Solomon Miller
invite you to their wedding
October 6, 2023 | 4pm
Foundry Park Conservatory
Seattle, Washington
reception to follow
Both Families & Couple
Traditional Religious
Held in a religious venue,
hosted by both families and the couple
Together with Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Han
and Mr. and Mrs. George Thompson
Amanda Marie Han
and
Louis Jeremy Thompson
request the honor of your presence
at the celebration of their union
Saturday, the twenty-sixth of May
Two thousand twenty-four
at six o’clock in the evening
Saints Peter and Paul
San Francisco, California
Traditional Secular
Held in a secular location,
hosted by both families and the couple
Amelia & James Riley
Jane & Thomas Evans along with
Serafina
and
Samuel
joyfully invite you
to their wedding
October 14th, 2023
at five o’clock in the afternoon
The Cloister at Sea Island
Sea Island, Georgia
black tie reception to follow
Casual Informal
Held in a casual location,
hosted by both families and the couple
Please join us
in the joy of celebrating
the wedding of
Emma Finch
&
Alvin Morris
Saturday, May Fourth
Twenty twenty-four
at six o’clock in the evening
The Drake Hotel
Chicago, Illinois
Special Cases
Divorced Parents
Both parents’ names
on separate lines
Ms. Elaine Robbins
Mr. Bradley Hunter
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Candace
and
Emerson
May 15th, 2023
at six in the evening
The Frick Collection
New York, NY
dinner and dancing to follow
Remarried Parents
You can use a similar format when
one parent has remarried
Ms. Noelle Miller
Mr. and Mrs. Sean Cartwright
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Sophia
to
Joshua
The twentieth of June
two thousand twenty four
at six o’clock in the evening
Midtown Loft & Terrace
267 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
reception to follow
complete your suite
Wondering what else to send with your wedding invitation? Our guide below outlines exactly what you’ll need to include, along with wording suggestions for each card.
“Sense and Sensibility” invitation suite by Design Lotus
Photo: Anna Delores Photography
Good news! Wording the RSVP card (also called the reply card or response card) is a simpler task than the invitation. Here’s what you’ll need to include:
RSVP date: The first piece of information on the card is the reply-by date, which is typically three to four weeks before the wedding. This will give you enough time to get a final head count to the caterer (one week before) and to finalize your seating chart.
- Remember to keep the wording consistent with the invitation: For example, “the favor or a reply” typically matches the invitation wording “the honor of your presence.” For less formal wedding invitation wording, such as “request the pleasure of your company,” the RSVP wording would typically be “Kindly reply by” or “Kindly respond by.”
Guest(s) names: Next is a line for guests to write their names, along with checkboxes for accepting or declining the invitation.
- The M line: The “M” line on the RSVP card is the place where guests will write in their names. The “M” itself is meant to designate the first letter of the formal salutation (Mr., Mrs., Miss or Ms.), which the guest would write along with their name(s). The most traditional weddings might use the “M” line; for less formal celebrations, we suggest the more straightforward “Name(s)” instead.
Additional information you can include:
- Meal choices may also be included on the reply card, along with checkboxes or illustrated icons.
- It’s becoming more popular to include a song request line, something along the lines of, “We promise to dance if you play __________.”
Example: Formal
A reply is requested by the tenth of July
[Insert Name(s)]
accepts with pleasure
declines with regret
Example: Casual
Please respond by the thirteenth of June
[Insert Name(s)]
happily accepts
regretfully declines
Example: with Meals
Please reply by March 27
M [Insert Name(s)]
will attend
will not attend
Meal choices:
chicken
salmon
vegetarian
If the ceremony and reception are held at the same venue, include the line “Reception to follow” at the bottom of the invitation. However, if the reception is held at a different location, it should be treated as a separate event—include a separate reception card with the event details as part of the invitation suite.
Example: Reception Card
Please join us for an
dinner and dancing
immediately following
the ceremony in the
Allegro Ballroom
Activity cards can be very helpful if your wedding has multiple events taking place during the wedding weekend. List all of the festivities guests open to guests in chronological order. This way, you wedding invitation suite gives clear information of what the guests should expect. If you choose not to include the activity card inyour invitation suite, make sure you list out this information on your wedding website.
Example: Activity Card
Activities
A wedded weekend
Friday
Meadowood Winery Tour | 1:00 pm | Please meet in the hotel lobby
Rehearsal Dinner | 7:00 pm | Meritage Resort | 875 Bordeaux Way
Saturday
Ladies Tea | 11:00 am | Churchill Tea Room | Please meet in the hotel lobby
Sunday
Farewell Brunch | 11:00 am | Bouchon Bistro | 6534 Washington Street
An information card can be enclosed with your wedding invitation if you’d like to provide any additional wedding details to guests: directions, transportation information, lodging suggestions, etc. Make sure to check out our guide on how to assemble your wedding invitation suite, especially if multiple enclosure cards are involved.
Example: Information Card (directions)
More details
If you would like to book a room at the hotel, please call The Ivy Reservations 0712 334 4444, quote ‘Stewart-Long wedding accommodation June 17th’ to receive the discounted rates available for a one or two night stay at our hotel.
For more info, visit our website:
rayandphoenix.minted.us
or call Jane on 0403 333 444
etiquette FAQ
As you can see, there are plenty of things to consider when it comes to writing and finalizing your wedding invitations. We’ve got the answers to all of your pressing wedding invitation etiquette questions below.
How do we let guests know we’re having an adults-only wedding?
Two best practices are to include only the adult names on the envelopes and to mention «adult-only event» on your wedding website.
Here are more details on how to let your guests know (without hurting their feelings):
- Address your wedding invitations carefully. If you’re doing formal invitations with both an outer mailing envelope and an inner envelope, list only the names of the invited adult guests on both the inner and outer envelopes. If you’re sending outer envelopes only, only list the names of the invited adult guests. Do not write “The Smith Family,” since that would indicate that all family members, including children, are invited. You can also write the names of each invited guest on the response card. This technique makes it very clear who is invited to the wedding and all your guests would need to do is check «will attend» or «will not attend.»
- Do not put «adults only» on the wedding invitation. Resist the urge to have this phrase printed on your invites because it might be a little jarring for some guests who might be sensitive to this. The more tactful, gentler way to spread the word is to encourage family members, wedding-party members, and friends to spread the word to other guests by mouth.
- Do include it on your wedding website. Your wedding website is the perfect place to convey additional wedding details, such as keeping your wedding an adults-only event, links to your wedding registry, travel and transportation details, dress code, and recommended local babysitting services.
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Where do you include information such as your wedding website and wedding registry?
It is not advised to include your wedding website URL and wedding registry information on the main invitation card itself. Include an additional insert card in your invitation suite. This will be the best place to put a QR code to your wedding website and/or your website URL (and password if you have one). If you’re already including an insert card with travel information or additional wedding details, you can print the URL on the bottom of that card. Registry details are not typically included in the invitations. You can keep that information on your wedding website, with links to each online store, if possible, for added convenience.
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When should our wedding invitations be sent out?
In order to send your wedding invitations in a timely fashion, aim to stick to the following timeline:
- 4–5 months before the wedding: Order wedding invitations
- 6–8 weeks before the wedding: Mail wedding invitations
If you’re hosting a destination wedding or are tying the knot over a holiday weekend, you’ll need to factor in more time so guests can make any necessary travel arrangements. Mail your wedding invitations three months ahead of time.
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Who should get a plus-one and who doesn’t?
This is a tricky question, so be sure to tread carefully as you and your partner determine what makes the most sense for your wedding guest dynamics. Here are our general wedding etiquette rules on plus-ones and whether or not you should give guests the opportunity to bring a date to the wedding:
- Married, engaged, and cohabitating guests should get a plus-one.
- Wedding-party members (bridesmaids, groomsmen, etc.) should get a plus-one.
- Guests who have been with their partner for a lengthy amount of time should get a plus-one. This, of course, is tricky. What constitutes a long enough period of time? While this varies for everyone, in general, our rule of thumb is that anyone who has been coupled up with their partner for so long that it would be awkward not to invite them should get a plus-one.
- For everyone else, make a blanket rule, such as “only immediate family members can bring a date” and stick to it.
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The hard work’s not over once you’ve chosen your wedding invitations from hundreds of beautiful designs. Then comes the tricky task of your wedding invitation wording.
Your invites need to communicate the vital details of your day as well as give a sense of your theme and relationship. Formal or informal, evening-only or full-day, parents hosting or just you two – whatever your wedding, we’ve got the invitation wording templates to help you get it right.
It may seem simple enough, but it’s actually quite easy to miss out some vital piece of information on your wedding invites. You don’t want to embarrass your guests because you forgot to put down a dress code!
You’ll see below that we’ve got a section on how to word a same-sex wedding invitation, but all of these different wording examples can be adapted for a same-sex couple.
Here’s what to include in your wedding invitations:
- Who’s hosting the wedding (AKA paying for it: you or your parents?)
- The request to come to the wedding
- The names of the couple (traditionally bride’s name first, then groom’s; either way round for a same-sex couple but alphabetical may be best)
- The location of the ceremony (no need for full postcodes these days with Google if you have the venue name and city)
- The date and time (if it’s an evening-only invitation, make this very clear)
- Reception information (is it the same or different to the ceremony location? What time will it start and finish?)
- Dress code
- RSVP details (both how to RSVP and the deadline – usually 4 weeks before the wedding)
- Wedding website address (optional)
- Gift list details (optional)
Image: Rose, Paper, Scissors
To help you set the right tone for your day, we’ve made templates of the correct wedding invitation wording for every possible scenario. Some are traditional, some are modern, and all can be adapted to fit with your day:
- Traditional Church Ceremony
- Civil Ceremony
- Couple as Hosts
- Divorced and Remarried Parents
- Step-Parents
- Widowed Parents
- Both Families Included
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Second Marriage
- Your Children as Hosts
- Evening-Only Invite
- Adults-Only Invite
1. Traditional Church Wedding Invitation Wording
A traditional wedding invitation would typically come from the parents of the bride, as tradition dictates that they host the day and foot the bill.
On a traditional wedding invite, you’ll start with details of the church wedding ceremony followed by the reception details. While “request the pleasure of [guest]” is typical wording, you may choose to handwrite the name of the guest at the top and print a non-personalised set of invites. This wording would be “[bride’s parents] invite you to celebrate the marriage of…”
As the bride’s parents would be hosting, the RSVPs would go back to them and you’d add a separate RSVP card.
The text for a traditional wedding invitation to a church wedding ceremony, followed by the reception, should read as follows:
Mr & Mrs John Smith
request the pleasure of
[guest name/your company]
at the marriage of their daughter
Jessica
to
Mr Edward Jones
[location]
[date]
[time]
and afterwards at
[reception]
R.S.V.P by 30th June to [parent’s address]
Image: Made by Wood & Wood
2. Civil Ceremony Wedding Invitation Wording
Many couples now have a civil ceremony at the same venue as their reception. You only need to list one venue on the invitation, but it’s best to include ‘followed by a reception’ so the guest knows they’ll be welcome at the ceremony as well as the celebrations after.
If the bride’s parents are hosting, just use their names, otherwise you may choose to name both sets of parents.
A formal civil ceremony wedding invitation should read:
Mr & Mrs John Smith
and Mr & Mrs Alan Jones
request the pleasure of
[guest name/your company]
at the marriage of their children
Jessica and Edward
[location]
[date]
[time]
followed by a reception
R.S.V.P by 30th June to [parents’ address]
An informal civil ceremony wedding invitation should read:
Together with their parents,
[couple]
invite you to celebrate their wedding!
[location]
[date]
[time]
followed by a reception
R.S.V.P by 30th June to [parents’ address]
3. Wedding Invitation Wording with the Couple as Hosts
If your parents haven’t chipped in for the wedding, or you just feel like you’d like the invitations to come directly from you, then you don’t need to include their names on your wedding invitations. You can simply put yourself down as hosts – just tweak the text accordingly following the above examples to reflect whether you’re having a church or civil ceremony.
Usually an invite from the couple is more informal and might look like:
Jessica and Edward are getting hitched!
[location]
[date]
[time]
followed by drinking and dancing
R.S.V.P by 30th June to [couple’s address]
Other wording might include:
- Join us to celebrate our wedding
- [Couple] invite you to join them as they say “I do!”
- Please join [couple] as we tie the knot!
- [Couple] invite you to share in our joy as we get married
- A very simple ‘The wedding of [couple]’, followed by location, time and date details
Image: Project Pretty
4. Divorced and Remarried Parents Wedding Invitation Wording
It can be tricky to know how to word your wedding invitations if your parents are divorced or have remarried. If they are divorced but have kept the same surname, you would use both parents’ full names on the invite:
Mr John Smith & Mrs Beth Smith
request the pleasure of
[guest name/your company]
at the marriage of their daughter
Jessica
to
Mr Edward Jones
[location]
[date]
[time]
followed by a reception
R.S.V.P by 30th June to [parent’s address]
If your parents have remarried but are still hosting the wedding together, you would name them separately and use your mother’s new married name, like so:
Mr John Smith & Mrs Beth Howard
request the pleasure of
[guest name/your company]
at the marriage of their daughter
Jessica
to
Mr Edward Jones
[location]
[date]
[time]
followed by a reception
R.S.V.P by 30th June to [parent’s address]
Image: Fox & Ivy Paper Co.
5. Step-Parents Wedding Invitation Wording
If your parents split up a long time ago and they have since remarried or met a new partner and your step-parent is a part of hosting the wedding instead of one of your biological parents, there are a couple of ways around this in your wedding invitation wording.
You would use their separate names if they’re not married but, if the invitation is coming from your parent and step-parent, the wording should look something like this (the use of his and her is interchangeable depending on whether it’s your father or mother hosting.)
Mr & Mrs Paul Howard
request the pleasure of
[guest name/your company]
at the marriage of her daughter
Jessica Smith
to
Mr Edward Jones
[location]
[date]
[time]
followed by a reception
R.S.V.P by 30th June to [parent’s address]
If both parents and respective step-parents are hosting, it’s always best to start with ‘Together with their families’.
6. Widowed Parents Wedding Invitation Wording
Addressing a wedding invitation from a widowed parent can be sensitive. It is traditional to just use the name of the parent who is requesting the company of the guest, if they are hosting alone or haven’t remarried.
If they’ve remarried and you’re happy to have both names on your invitations, you’re best to follow the step-parent format above. If it is from the father and he has not remarried, you’d just use his name. If it’s the mother that is the surviving parent, and she has not remarried, you’d use her married title.
Below is an example of wedding invitation wording from a widowed parent:
Mrs Beth Smith
request the pleasure of
[guest name/your company]
at the marriage of her daughter
Jessica Smith
to
Mr Edward Jones
[location]
[date]
[time]
followed by a reception
R.S.V.P by 30th June to [parent’s address]
Image: Big Day Bespoke
7. Both Families Wedding Invitation Wording
Perhaps both sets of parents have helped contribute towards the wedding, or you would just like to reference both sets of families on your wedding invitations? This is an increasingly popular way to word your wedding invitations.
For formal invitations from both sets of parents, you would use both their names:
Mr and Mrs John Smith
&
Mr and Mrs James Jones
invite you to celebrate the marriage of their children
Jessica and Edward
[location]
[date]
[time]
followed by a reception
R.S.V.P by 30th June to [parents’ address]
If you feel like having both sets of parents’ names on there is a bit clunky, you can word it slightly more informally. “Together with their parents” works well if both sets of parents are still together, but if one party is widowed or there are any remarriages involved, “Together with their families” is a nice option that acknowledges everyone.
Here’s an example of an informal invitation from both sets of parents:
Together with their families,
Jessica Smith
&
Edward Jones
invite you to join them as they say “I do!”
[location]
[date]
[time]
followed by a reception
R.S.V.P by 30th June to [couple/parents’ address]
8. Same-Sex Wedding Invitation Wording
The rules are almost exactly the same for same-sex couples, the only difference is which name goes first.
Traditionally the name of the bride comes at the top as her parents pay for the wedding, but if there are two brides or two grooms then this rule doesn’t directly apply.
If one set of parents are paying for the wedding then etiquette dictates their names will go first, but otherwise it is your choice how you list your names. Alphabetically might solve any potential issues!
A same-sex wedding invitation should read:
Together with their parents,
Edward Jones
&
Jack Andrew
request the pleasure of your company
at their wedding
[location]
[date]
[time]
followed by a reception
R.S.V.P by 30th June to [couple/parents’ address]
Image: Rose, Paper, Scissors
9. Second Marriage Wedding Invitation Wording
For those planning a second marriage, it’s likely that you’ll be at a different stage in your life and might have quite a different style of wedding in mind. Almost always the invite will just come from the couple as hosts.
If you still have your surname from your previous marriage, you might choose to leave off your title (or refer to yourself as ‘Ms’). If the bride doesn’t have a title on the invitation, the groom shouldn’t either.
An informal second wedding invitation might look like:
Jessica Carter
&
Edward Jones
invite you to celebrate their union
[location]
[date]
[time]
followed by a reception
R.S.V.P by 30th June to [couple‘s address]
10. Wedding Invitation Wording with Your Children as Hosts
This is a cute idea if you and your partner have children together already, or have children from previous relationships that you want to include on your wedding invitations.
Here’s how to word your invitation if the children are from your relationship:
Jennifer and Jacob Jones
invite you to join them
for the marriage of their parents
Jessica Smith
&
Edward Jones
[location]
[date]
[time]
followed by a reception
R.S.V.P by 30th June to [couple‘s address]
If the children are from a previous relationship they should be listed in age order from oldest to youngest, with the bride’s children appearing first (in age order only for a same-sex marriage).
We love this as invite wording for a blended family, if you want to present your new family unit:
Jennifer Carter
Jacob Carter
& Michael Jones
request the pleasure of
[guest name/your company]
at the marriage of their parents
Jessica Carter
&
Edward Jones
[location]
[date]
[time]
followed by a reception
R.S.V.P by 30th June to [couple‘s address]
Image: Rodo Creative
11. Evening-Only Wedding Invitation Wording
Sometimes there just isn’t enough room on the guest list to invite everyone to the day. If you need to invite someone to the evening reception only, make sure you word it clearly so your guests aren’t confused.
Here’s a traditionally worded wedding evening invitation to inspire you:
Mr & Mrs John Smith
request the pleasure of
[guest name/your company]
at a reception to celebrate the marriage of their daughter
Jessica
to
Mr Edward Jones
[location]
[date]
[time e.g. 7pm]
followed by a reception
R.S.V.P by 30th June to [parents‘ address]
An informal evening-only invite would look like:
Jessica and Edward
invite you to an evening of drinks and dancing
to celebrate their wedding!
[location]
[date]
[time e.g. 7pm]
followed by a reception
R.S.V.P by 30th June to [couple’s address]
12. Adults-Only Wedding Invitation Wording
For couples who want an adult-only celebration, it is worth specifying this on your invitations. Some people may assume their children are invited, even if they haven’t been named.
Address your invitations as normal with just the names of the adults invited and then add a line at the bottom expressly stating kids aren’t invited. You can politely point out your choice on your invitation like so:
- Unfortunately, children are not invited – we hope you understand
- We have chosen to have a child-free wedding. We hope you are still able to celebrate with us
- Our wedding will be a child-free occasion. We hope you can still come and enjoy a night off
Once you’ve decided how to word your wedding invitations, don’t miss our round up of the best alternative wedding invitation ideas – your guests will love them!