Franklin Dean
Wedding invitation wording can be tricky, especially when it comes to including parents' names. Traditionally, the bride's parents are the hosts and are listed at the top of the invite, but nowadays, it's common for multiple sets of parents or the couple themselves to host, so it's essential to consider everyone's preferences and be as considerate as possible. The good news is that there are no hard and fast rules, and you can choose to include both parents' names even if they're not contributing financially.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who should be listed first? | The individuals hosting the wedding are typically listed first. This is usually the couple's parents, though it can also be the couple themselves. |
| How to list remarried parents? | On separate lines, with the mother's name first, followed by the father's name. |
| How to list divorced parents? | On separate lines, with the mother's name first, followed by the father's name. |
| How to list both sets of parents? | For different-sex couples, list the bride's parents' names at the top, then the groom's parents' names. For same-sex couples, list the names according to preference or design. |
| How to list parents without mentioning names? | "Together with their parents" or "Together with their families". |
What You'll Learn
Including both parents' names when the bride's parents are paying
Traditionally, the bride's family assumes most of the financial costs associated with a wedding. This includes the wedding planner, invitations, dress, ceremony, reception, flowers, photography, and music. However, nowadays, it is becoming more common for the couple themselves to pay for their wedding.
If the bride's parents are hosting the wedding, the invitation should include their names. For example:
> Dustin and Margaret Schultz
> request the pleasure of your company
> at the marriage of their daughter
> Brady Christopher Ziegler
> on Saturday, the twelfth of September
> two thousand twenty-six
> at six o'clock in the evening
> Bluxome Street Winery
> San Francisco, California
If both the bride and groom's parents are contributing financially, it is customary to include both sets of parents' names on the invitation. For example:
> Charles and Delaney Tout and Harold and Claudia Kohn invite you to celebrate with their children Amelia and Stephen.
If the couple is paying for the wedding themselves, only their names need to be on the invitation. For example:
> Together with our families, Casey Collet and Felix Edgers invite you to join in celebrating their marriage.
It is important to note that the way you word your invitation not only tells your guests where and when to be but also signals who is hosting and the formality of the wedding.
Uninvited to Son's Wedding: Strategies for Emotional Resilience
You may want to see also
Honouring mothers in the invite
If you want to honour both mothers in the wedding invites, you can include both sets of parents on the invitation, regardless of whether they are contributing financially. This is because the parents whose names are on the invites are considered to be "hosting" the wedding, which is an honorary duty.
> request the honour of your presence
>
> at the wedding of their daughter
>
> Mr. and Mrs. Bride's Mom
>
> Mr. and Mrs. Bride's Dad
>
> at 4 o'clock in the afternoon
If the mothers are no longer married, you can put them on separate lines, like this:
> request the honour of your presence
>
> at the wedding of their daughter
>
> Mr. Bride's Mom
>
>
> and Mrs. Bride's Stepdad
>
>
> Mr. Bride's Dad
>
>
> and Mrs. Bride's Stepmom
>
>
> at 4 o'clock in the afternoon
If you are feeling squeamish about the length of the invitation, you can say something like "together with their parents" instead of naming names. Just make sure everyone involved is okay with that first.
- Include a special segment in the ceremony that is all about the parents. Thank them for their influence, guidance and love over your lifetime, and make a particular point of honouring the mothers.
- Have a sand ceremony where both mums of the couple pour sand to represent each of their families.
- Ask the mothers to do a reading at the wedding.
- Present the rings: at the part of the ceremony where the couple exchanges their rings, each mum could be asked to come forward and present the ring to their son or daughter.
- Give each mum a rose as your first gift of love. As the newlyweds walk down the aisle together, they can give their rose to their mother.
- Give your mother the honour of being your witness on the legal paperwork.
- Include the mothers in the bridal walk: as the music starts, both mothers walk down the aisle together, then kiss each other before taking their seats, and then the processional begins.
- The collective giving away: both mum and dad of the bride or groom walk down the aisle together, and when asked who presents the bride to be married, both say "We do".
- Giving the bride away: if the bride does not have the luxury of having her father with her, the mum can walk her down the aisle.
- Include a special moment with your mum while you're getting ready for the wedding.
Addressing Wedding Invites: Singularly Perfect Etiquette
You may want to see also
Both sets of parents hosting
When both sets of parents are hosting the wedding, there are a few ways to word the invitation. Here are some examples:
Formal Wording
> Kenzie M. Smith and Jennifer L. Smith
> Mark Franklin and Mary Elizabeth Reyes
> request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their children
> Olivia Rose and John Michael
> Saturday, the seventeenth of August two thousand twenty-four at half after four in the afternoon at [venue name and address]
> Reception to follow
Fun Wording
> Kenzie Smith and Jennifer Smith
> Mark Franklin and Mary Reyes
> hope you'll join them on the dance floor to celebrate the marriage of their children
> Olivia Rose and John Michael
> Saturday, August 17, 2024 at 4:30 in the afternoon at [venue name and address]
> Merriment to follow
Casual Wording
> Kenzie and Jennifer Smith along with Mark and Sally Reyes
> invite you to share and celebrate the marriage of their children
> Olivia Rose and John Michael
> Saturday, August 17, 2024 at 4:30 in the afternoon at [venue name and address]
> Reception to follow
Creative Wording
> Kenzie and Jennifer Smith and Mark and Sally Reyes
> can't wait to celebrate with you at the marriage of
> Olivia Rose and John Michael
> Saturday, August 17, 2024 at 4:30 in the afternoon at [venue name and address]
> Party to follow
Modern Wording
> Kenzie and Jennifer Smith and Mark and Sally Reyes
> hope you will attend the marriage of
> Olivia Rose and John Michael
> Saturday, August 17, 2024 at 4:30 in the afternoon at [venue name and address]
> Reception to follow
Simple Wording
> Kenzie and Jennifer Smith and Mark and Sally Reyes
> invite you to the wedding of
> Olivia Rose and John Michael
> Saturday, August 17, 2024 at 4:30 in the afternoon at [venue name and address]
> Reception to follow
Remember, these are just examples, and you can customise the wording to suit your style and tone.
Guide to Addressing Wedding Invites: Parents' Names
You may want to see also
Couple hosting with their families
When it comes to wedding invitation wording, the most important rule is to create something that represents you, your love, and the big day to come. Here are some ideas for wording your wedding invitations when the couple is hosting with their families:
Formal Wording
If you're going for a formal feel, you can include the names of all the people hosting. This is a gracious option, even if not all the parents are financially contributing. Here's an example:
> Kenzie M. Smith and Jennifer L. Smith
> Mark Franklin and Mary Elizabeth Reyes
> request the honor of your presence
> at the marriage of their children
> Olivia Rose and John Michael
> Saturday, the seventeenth of August, two thousand twenty-four
> at half after four in the afternoon
> [venue name and address]
> Reception to follow
If you want to keep the invitation shorter, you can say "together with their families" instead of naming all the hosts. Here's how that might look:
> Olivia Rose Smith and John Michael Reyes
> together with their families
> request the honor of your presence
> at their wedding
> Saturday, the seventeenth of August, two thousand twenty-four
> at half after four in the afternoon
> [venue name and address]
> Reception to follow
Informal Wording
For a more casual or informal wedding, you might prefer to use a more conversational tone in your invitation wording. Here's an example that still includes the names of all the hosts:
> Kenzie and Jennifer Smith, along with Mark and Sally Reyes,
> invite you to share in the joy and celebrate the marriage of their children
> Olivia Rose and John Michael
> Saturday, August 17, 2024, at 4:30 in the afternoon
> [venue name and address]
> Reception to follow
Or, for a shorter option:
> Jack Alexander Smith and Mason Jacob Kim, together with their families,
> invite you to their wedding
> Saturday, August 17, 2024, at 4:30 in the afternoon
> [venue name and address]
> Reception to follow
Creative Wording
If you want to think outside the box, feel free to add a creative twist to your invitation wording. Here's an example that still includes the names of the hosts:
> Kenzie and Jennifer Smith and Mark and Sally Reyes
> can't wait to celebrate with you
> at the marriage of their children
> Olivia Rose and John Michael
> Saturday, August 17, 2024, at 4:30 in the afternoon
> [venue name and address]
> Party to follow
Or, for a creative twist on the shorter option:
> Jack Smith and Mason Kim, together with their joyful parents,
> hope you will attend their wedding
> Saturday, August 17, 2024, at 4:30 in the afternoon
> [venue name and address]
> Reception to follow
When to Set Your Wedding RSVP Date
You may want to see also
Wording for divorced parents
If your parents are divorced, it is standard to write their names on separate lines with no "and" between them. The mother's name is always listed first. Using "Ms." instead of "Mrs." will eliminate any confusion about marital status. Here is an example:
> Ms. Sarah Smith
>
> Mr. John Smith
>
> request the pleasure of your company at the wedding of their daughter
If your mother is remarried and has a different last name, it is appropriate to include the bride's last name to prevent confusion:
> Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Jones
>
> Mr. John Smith
>
> request the pleasure of your company at the wedding of their daughter
>
> Michael Alan Timmons
If both of your parents are remarried, include both of their new spouses' names:
> Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Jones
>
> Mr. and Mrs. John Smith
>
> request the pleasure of your company at the wedding of their daughter
>
> Michael Alan Timmons
If your parents are divorced and jointly hosting the wedding, you can include both of their names:
> Mrs. Michelle Wright and Mr. John Monroe
>
> request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter
>
> Elizabeth Ann Monroe to Kevin Charles Black
If one of your divorced parents is hosting with their new spouse, you can include both of their names:
> Michelle & Timothy Wright
>
> request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of her daughter
>
> Elizabeth Ann Monroe to Kevin Charles Black
If you are concerned about space on the invitation, you could use the phrase "together with their parents" instead of naming each individual. However, make sure everyone involved is comfortable with this wording first.
Coworkers and Your Wedding: Who to Exclude Tactfully
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
It is not necessary, but it is acceptable and gracious to list the names of both sets of parents. It is also possible to include them by saying "together with their parents" or "together with their families".
For different-sex couples, the bride's parents' names are listed first, followed by the groom's parents' names. For same-sex couples, the names can be listed according to preference or in the order that looks best with the invitation design.
For divorced parents, the mother's name is listed first, and each name gets its own separate line. For remarried parents, the mother's name is still listed first, but the spouses' names can be included.
