Wording The Date On Your Wedding Invitation: A Guide

There are many considerations to make when writing the date on a wedding invitation. The tone of the wedding and invitation is important to consider, as formal invitations tend to follow traditional language, whereas casual invites can be more relaxed and informal. For example, a formal wedding invitation might include the full written-out date, such as Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October, two thousand twenty-four, whereas a casual invitation might simply say Saturday, October 26th, 2024. It is also worth noting that the British tend to use the and in the year, whereas North Americans tend not to.

Spell out the date for formal invites

When writing the date on a formal wedding invitation, it is customary to spell out the date, day of the week, and month in full, rather than using numerals. Here are some guidelines to help you format the date on your formal wedding invitations:

Spell Out the Day of the Week and Date

The day of the week should be capitalised, followed by a comma. For example, if your wedding is on a Saturday, you would write:

> Saturday,

Next, spell out the date in full. For dates from the 1st to the 9th of the month, simply write out the number. For example, "the first" or "the ninth". If your wedding is on the 10th to the 19th, add an "-eth" suffix to the number. For example, "the twentieth" or "the nineteenth". Dates from the 21st to the 31st follow a similar pattern but with a hyphen. For instance, "the twenty-first" or "the thirty-first". So, if your wedding is on Saturday, October 26th, 2024, the date line would look like this:

> Saturday, the twenty-sixth

Add the Month and Year

After the date, include the month, preceded by the word "of". Capitalise the month and write it out in full without any abbreviations. Using the previous example, you would write:

> ...of October

Finally, add the year. Write out the number in full, and use a separate line for the year. There should be no comma between the month and the year. For the year 2024, you would write:

> two thousand twenty-four

Putting it all together, the complete date line for a wedding on Saturday, October 26th, 2024, would be:

> Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October two thousand twenty-four

Additional Tips

• If your wedding is on a date that doesn't require a suffix or hyphen (1st to 19th), you can write it as "Saturday, May twenty-eighth" as an alternative to "Saturday, the twenty-eighth of May".
• The year is usually written without "and". For example, write "two thousand eighteen" instead of "two thousand and eighteen".
• While it is recommended to include the day of the week and the year, they are not mandatory.

Write the day of the week, date, and month

When writing the date on a wedding invitation, it's important to consider the formality of the event. Traditional and formal invitations tend to follow stricter rules, while casual weddings can be more relaxed in their formatting. Here are some guidelines for writing the day of the week, date, and month:

Day of the Week

The day of the week should be written out in full and capitalised. For example, "Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October two thousand twenty-four". If your wedding invitation already uses all uppercase or lowercase letters, you can forgo capitalising the day of the week. It is also acceptable to write the date in a more casual format, such as "Saturday, May 17th, 2025".

Date

When writing the date, it is traditional to spell out the numbers rather than using numerals. For example, "twenty-sixth" instead of "26th". If the date includes a compound number, such as May 28th, use a hyphen: "twenty-eighth". The day of the month is not capitalised, but the month is. So, for a wedding on May 10th, you would write: "Saturday, the tenth of May".

Month

The month should be written out in full and capitalised. For example, "October" instead of "Oct." This rule applies regardless of the formality of your wedding.

Year

The year should be written out in numbers, such as "two thousand twenty-four". There is no need to include "and" in the year, so avoid writing "two thousand and twenty-four". The year is usually written on a separate line from the day and month.

Remember, these are general guidelines, and you can adapt them to fit the style and formality of your wedding. Working with a stationer can help you determine the best wording and formatting for your invitations.

Include the year

Including the year on your wedding invitation is important for providing clear information to your guests. While it is not mandatory, it is recommended to include the year to avoid any potential confusion, especially if your wedding date is close to the turn of the year. Here are some tips and guidelines for including the year in your wedding invitation:

Traditional Format:

The traditional way to write the date on a wedding invitation is to spell out the year in full. For example, for the year 2024, you would write "two thousand twenty-four". Avoid using "and" in the year, so instead of "two thousand and twenty-four", stick with the standard format. Additionally, there is no need to capitalise any part of the year.

Consistency:

Ensure that you maintain consistency in the formatting of the date throughout your wedding invitation suite, including any enclosures or response cards. For instance, if you decide to write out the year in full on the invitation, continue this format on any other cards included in the envelope.

Formal vs Casual:

The style of your wedding invitation can dictate how you choose to include the year. Formal invitations typically follow traditional guidelines, spelling out the year in full. However, for casual weddings, you have the option to use numerals, such as "2025", offering a more relaxed and informal approach.

Day, Month, and Year Combination:

When writing out the date, the day of the week and the month should be capitalised, while the year is not. For example, "Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October two thousand twenty-four". The year is usually written on a separate line from the day and month, and there is no comma between the month and the year.

Flexibility:

While it is recommended to include the year, it is not a requirement. Ultimately, the decision to include the year or not depends on your preference and the style of your wedding invitation. You may opt for a more concise format, especially for casual weddings, where space on the invitation is limited.

Remember, the key purpose of your wedding invitation is to provide clear and essential information to your guests, ensuring they know when and where your special day will take place. Including the year is a helpful way to achieve this, reducing any potential ambiguity.

Write the time of day

When writing the time of day on a wedding invitation, there are several different ways to format it, depending on how formal your wedding is.

For formal wedding invitations, it is customary to write out the time of day in full, using no numerals. For example, if your wedding begins at 3:30 p.m., you would write "half after three o'clock". If your wedding starts on the hour, you would write "four o'clock". It is also worth noting that formal wedding invitations traditionally say "half after" (not "half past") for times on the half-hour. The time should be written in lowercase letters.

You do not need to write "in the morning", "in the afternoon", or "in the evening" unless the wedding is scheduled for 8, 9, or 10 a.m. or p.m., where there could be confusion over whether it is morning or evening. If you wish to include these phrases, note that any time after 5 p.m. is considered evening, and between noon and 4:30 p.m. is the afternoon. If your wedding is at 12 p.m., simply write "noon".

There are other ways to write the time of day on your wedding invitations, especially if you are hosting a more casual event. If you are writing the date more informally, you can also write the time as "4pm" or "5:30pm". Just remember that the date and time should match in formality—don't write out the date fully and then use numerals for the time.

Include the location

When it comes to wedding invitations, the location of the ceremony and reception is an important piece of information that your guests will need to know. Here are some tips and guidelines for including the location on your wedding invitations:

Providing Clear and Detailed Information:

• Include both the ceremony and reception locations on your invitations. If they are at the same place, you can simply add a line like "Reception to Follow" or "Dinner and Dancing to Follow."
• When providing the address, include the full name of the venue and the full address, especially for out-of-town guests. For example: "First Methodist Church, 260 East Market Street."
• If the wedding is taking place at a private residence, include the names of the homeowners: "At the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Darwin, 260 East Market Street."
• For well-known institutions with only one location, such as "Brooklyn Museum of Art," you don't need to include the address.
• If the reception is at a different location, include a separate reception card with the address and start time.
• Be mindful of font choice for the address. Ensure the font is easy to read for all guests, especially if they need to refer to it while travelling.

Formatting and Etiquette:

• The traditional way to write out the date and time is to spell it out completely, rather than using numerals. For example, "Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October two thousand twenty-four."
• Capitalize the day of the week and the month. For instance: "Saturday, the tenth of May."
• If the date falls between the 21st and 31st of a month, use a hyphen between the tens and ones place: "Saturday, the twenty-eighth of May."
• You can write out the time of day instead of using a.m. or p.m. For example: "four o'clock in the afternoon."
• For formal invitations, it is customary to use “o'clock” when writing the time: "half after four o'clock."
• If the ceremony and reception are in the same location, you can indicate this on the invitation: "Reception to Follow" or "Dinner and Dancing to Follow."
• If the reception is at a different location, include a separate card with the address and time.

Additional Considerations:

• If your wedding spans a weekend with multiple events, consider including a weekend events card with a full itinerary for your guests.
• For destination weddings or guests travelling from another country, provide recommended online travel information and any other helpful details for navigating to the destination.
• Remember to proofread your invitations carefully and consider having someone else review them as well to catch any errors or typos.

Frequently asked questions