Format Dates And Years On Wedding Invites: Comma Rules

When it comes to wedding invitations, there are many ways to format the date and year. The traditional way to write the date is to spell it out completely, using the day of the week, followed by the date, month, and year. For example, Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October, two thousand and twenty-four. The day of the week should be capitalised, and there should be a comma between the day and the date. The year is usually on a separate line and is spelled out in full, with no comma between the month and year. However, casual weddings may use a more informal format, such as Saturday, May 17th, 2025. Ultimately, the choice of format depends on the formality of the wedding and the couple's preference.

Spell out the date, day of the week, and month

When it comes to wedding invitations, tradition dictates that no numerals are used and that the date, day of the week, and month are spelled out in full. Here are some guidelines to achieve this:

Spell Out the Date

The date should be written out in words rather than using numerals. For example, if your wedding is on the 26th of October 2024, the date would be written as "the twenty-sixth of October". It is important to note that only the day of the week ("Saturday") and the month ("October") are capitalized, while the day of the month ("twenty-sixth") is not. For dates that fall between the 21st and 31st of the month, a hyphen is used between the tens and the ones place, as in "twenty-sixth".

Spell Out the Day of the Week

The day of the week should be capitalized and included in your wedding invitation. For example, "Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October". There should be a comma after the day of the week, followed by the date.

Spell Out the Month

The month should be capitalized and written out in full without any abbreviations. For example, "Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October". The year is usually printed on a separate line from the day and month, and there is no comma between the month and the year.

Additional Tips

• The traditional way to write the year is to spell it out as "two thousand twenty-four" without using the word "and". However, it is also acceptable to use numerals for the year if you prefer.
• When writing out the date, it is recommended to include the year, especially for formal invitations.
• If your wedding falls on a date that may be written as two words (such as "twenty-eighth"), use hyphens to ensure it is clear. For example, "Saturday, the TWENTY-EIGHTH of May".
• For a less traditional approach, you may write the date as "Saturday, May twenty-eighth".

Include the year, but on a separate line

When it comes to wedding invitation wording, the goal is to provide your guests with clear information about when and where your wedding will take place. The date and time are crucial, but there are different ways to format this information. Here are some tips and guidelines for formatting your wedding invitations with the year on a separate line:

Formal and Traditional Style:

The traditional way to write the date and year on a wedding invitation is to spell out the details rather than use numerals. For example, if your wedding is on Saturday, October 26th, 2024, you would write:

> Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October

>

> Two thousand twenty-four

The day of the week should be capitalised, and there should be a comma after it. The month is also capitalised and written out in full. The year is written in numeral form and placed on a separate line from the day and month. There should be no comma between the month and year. This format maintains a formal and elegant style for your invitations.

Punctuation and Capitalisation:

It is generally recommended to avoid punctuation on wedding invitations, except for a comma between the day of the week and the date. However, some sources suggest including a comma after the date as well. As for capitalisation, only proper nouns are typically capitalised. The year can be written with a capital "T" in "Two" for added emphasis. Using a font with all capital letters is another option to avoid capitalisation debates.

Informal Variations:

While the traditional style is formal and preferred for black-tie weddings, there is room for flexibility. For a more casual wedding, you can write the date and year more informally. For instance, if your wedding is on Sunday, May 17th, 2025, you could write:

> Sunday, May 17th, 2025

This style uses numerals for the date and includes the year on the same line. It is important to maintain consistency in the chosen format throughout your invitation suite, including any enclosures or response cards.

In conclusion, when including the year on a separate line in your wedding invitations, the traditional style involves spelling out the date and year in full, with specific capitalisation and punctuation. However, for casual weddings, a more relaxed format with numerals can be used, offering flexibility in how you choose to present your wedding details.

Use numerals or write out the year

When it comes to wedding invitations, the general rule is to write out the year in full, using words instead of numerals. For example, "two thousand sixteen" for the year 2016.

However, this is not a strict rule and there is some variation in how the year can be written. For instance, some sources suggest that it is acceptable to include an "and" in the year, so it would be written as "two thousand and sixteen". This variation is more common in British English, whereas American English tends to favour leaving out the "and".

Ultimately, the most important consideration is to maintain consistency in the formatting of the date throughout the invitation and any enclosures, such as response cards.

It is worth noting that using numerals for the year may be more appropriate for more casual or modern weddings, as traditional wedding invitations tend to favour writing out the year in full.

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

"Saturday, the twenty-eighth of May, two thousand sixteen"

"Saturday, May 17th, 2025"

Remember to consider the formality of your wedding and invitation when deciding whether to use numerals or write out the year in full. Working with a stationer can also help you determine the best wording and formatting for your wedding invitations.

Include the day of the week or not

When it comes to wedding invitations, the general goal is to provide guests with clear information about when and where the wedding will take place. While there are traditional guidelines for how to format the date, time, and year, couples are not required to follow them strictly and can adapt them to fit their preferences and the formality of their event.

Including the day of the week on the invitation is optional but recommended. Here are four to six paragraphs elaborating on this:

Including the day of the week can provide helpful context for your guests, especially if your wedding falls on a day that is not typically associated with social events, such as a weekday. It reinforces the date and reduces the risk of confusion or errors in interpretation.

If you choose to include the day of the week, it should be capitalised (unless your invitation's font is all uppercase or lowercase). For example, if your wedding is on a Saturday, you would write "Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October two thousand twenty-four".

On the other hand, if you opt for a more concise format, you can leave out the day of the week. This approach is often used for casual weddings or modern invitation styles. For instance, if your wedding is on a Sunday in May 2025, you could simply write "Sunday, May 17th, 2025".

The decision to include or omit the day of the week ultimately depends on your personal preference and the tone you wish to set for your invitation. If you're unsure, consulting with a stationer can be helpful in determining the best wording for your invites.

Additionally, it's worth noting that the traditional way to write out the date on wedding invitations is to spell out the numbers rather than use numerals. This adds to the formality and elegance of the invitation.

Add a comma after the date

When writing the date and year on a wedding invitation, there are a few different ways to format your wording. Here are some tips and guidelines to help you decide how to format your invitation with a comma after the date:

Formal and Traditional Style:

The most traditional and formal way to write the date is to spell out the day of the week, followed by the date, and then the month. For example:

> Saturday, the twenty-ninth of April

The day of the week and the month should be capitalised, while the day of the month should not be. A comma should be included after the day of the week. If the date is between the 21st and 31st of the month, use a hyphen between the tens and ones place. For instance:

> Saturday, the twenty-first of October

The year is usually written out on a separate line and can include the word "and". For instance:

> two thousand and twenty-three

Alternatively, you can include the phrase "in the year" for a more formal tone:

> in the year two thousand and twenty-three

Informal Style:

For a more casual wedding invitation, you can write the date more informally. For example, if your wedding is on Sunday, 17 May 2025, you can write:

> Sunday, May seventeenth, 2025

You may also use numerals and write the date as:

> Sunday, 5/17/2025

General Tips:

• The date and time on your invitation should match in formality. If you write out the date formally, use spelled-out numbers for the time as well.
• Be consistent with the date formatting on any enclosures, such as RSVP cards.
• Remember that the traditional style for invitations is to avoid punctuation unless absolutely necessary. So, while you would include a comma after the day of the week, avoid adding a comma between the month and year.
• If your wedding is taking place in the afternoon, you can specify the time as "in the afternoon" or use the 24-hour clock time format.

Frequently asked questions