Wedding Invite Etiquette: Formatting Dates The Right Way

When it comes to wedding invites, there are many ways to format the date. The traditional way is to spell out the date in full, using words instead of numerals, and to include the day of the week. For example, Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October two thousand and twenty-four. However, for more casual weddings, it is also acceptable to write the date in a more informal style, such as Saturday, May 17th, 2025. The level of formality of the wedding and invitation is an important consideration when deciding on the date format.

Spell out the date for formal invites

When it comes to wedding invitations, the date and time are essential pieces of information. Here are some tips and guidelines for spelling out the date on formal wedding invites:

Spell Out the Date

For formal wedding invitations, it is customary to spell out the date in full rather than using numerals. This ensures clarity and makes the invitation more elegant and traditional. For example, if your wedding is on Saturday, October 26th, 2024, the date would be written as "Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October two thousand twenty-four".

Day of the Week

The day of the week should be capitalised and included in the date. For example, "Saturday, the twenty-ninth of April". If your wedding is on a date between the 21st and 31st of the month, use a hyphen between the tens and ones place. For instance, "Saturday, the twenty-eighth of May".

Month

When spelling out the date, always write out the full month in capital letters. For example, "the twenty-sixth of October". Avoid using abbreviations or numerals for the month.

Year

The year should be written out in full as well. For the year 2024, write "two thousand twenty-four". Avoid using the word "and" in the year, so instead of "two thousand and twenty-four", stick with the standard format.

Consistency

Remember to maintain consistency in spelling out dates. If you decide to spell out the date for the wedding invitation, ensure you do the same for any enclosures, such as the response card. For example, if the RSVP deadline is April 17th, write it as "the seventeenth of April" to match the format of the invitation.

Formality

Spelling out the date is particularly important for formal invitations. It adds a sense of elegance and tradition to your wedding invites. However, if you're having a more casual wedding, you have the flexibility to be less formal. You can choose to use numerals or a combination of words and numerals, such as "Saturday, May 17th, 2025".

In conclusion, when creating formal wedding invitations, spelling out the date in full is the recommended approach. This ensures clarity for your guests and adds a touch of elegance and tradition to your wedding stationery.

Include the day of the week

When writing your wedding invitation, it is important to include the day of the week. This is a key element of the date and ensures your guests have all the information they need to attend your wedding.

The day of the week should be written in full, in title case, and placed at the beginning of the date line. For example, "Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October two thousand and twenty-four". The day of the week should be capitalised, unless your wedding invitation's font is all uppercase or lowercase. There should be a comma after the day of the week.

If you are having a formal wedding, it is best to stick to this traditional format. However, if your wedding is more casual, you can be more flexible with the wording. For example, you could write "Saturday, May 17th, 2025".

It is also worth noting that the year is usually written on a separate line from the day and month, and there is no comma between the month and year.

Write out numbers, not numerals

When writing out the date on your wedding invites, it's best to write out numbers in full, rather than using numerals. This is the traditional way to format the date on a wedding invitation. 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 capitalized (unless your wedding invitation's font is all uppercase or lowercase).
• There should be a comma between the day of the week and the date.
• If your wedding takes place on the 21st through the 31st of a month, use a hyphen between the tens and the ones place in the date (e.g., "twenty-sixth").
• The month is capitalized and written out in full, without any abbreviations.
• The year is usually on a separate line from the day and month, with no comma between the month and year.
• There is no hyphen between "two thousand," but there is a hyphen between the tens and ones numbers in the year (e.g., "two thousand twenty-four").
• You don't have to include the day of the week or the year, but it is recommended to avoid any confusion.

Writing out the numbers in full helps to ensure your guests have all the information they need and avoids any potential confusion that could arise from using numerals. It also adds a touch of formality and elegance to your invitations.

However, if you prefer a more casual or modern style, you can use numerals for the date. For example, "Saturday, 10/26/2024." Ultimately, the choice is yours, and you can decide what best fits the style and tone of your wedding invitations.

Include o'clock when writing the time

When writing the time on a wedding invite, it is important to consider the formality of the event. For traditional, formal weddings, there are certain etiquette rules to follow. For instance, it is customary to write out the time in full, including "o'clock", and avoiding numerals. So, for a wedding beginning at 3:30 p.m., the invite would read: "at half after three o'clock".

Including "o'clock" is a traditional way to indicate the time on a wedding invitation. For example, if the wedding is at 4 p.m., the invite would say: "four o'clock". It is worth noting that some sources suggest it is acceptable to drop "o'clock" when referring to half-hour times, so in this instance, it would be "half after four".

It is also important to specify whether the wedding is taking place "in the morning", "in the afternoon", or "in the evening". Morning is any time before 12 noon, afternoon is from 12 noon to 5 p.m., and evening is any time after 5 p.m. (although some sources suggest that 6 p.m. is the start of the evening). So, for a wedding at 11 a.m., the invite would read: "eleven o'clock in the morning".

However, these rules do not apply if the wedding is more casual or modern. In this case, it is perfectly acceptable to write the time numerically, such as "4pm" or "5:30pm". Just remember to match the style of the time with the style of the date. For example, if you write out the date in full, write out the time as well.

Write the year in full

When writing the date on a wedding invitation, it is customary to write out the year in full, rather than using numerals. For example, for a wedding taking place in 2024, you would write "two thousand twenty-four".

• The year is usually written on a separate line from the day of the week and the month. However, depending on your invitation style, you may need to format it differently.
• There is no comma between the month and the year.
• There is no hyphen between "two thousand", but there is a hyphen between the tens and ones numbers in the year (e.g., "two thousand twenty-four").
• You are not required to include the year, but it is recommended for clarity.
• For more casual weddings, you can write the year in a more informal way, such as using numerals (e.g., "Saturday, May 17th, 2025").
• Be consistent with the date formatting on any enclosures in your wedding invitation suite, such as the response card.

Remember, these are general guidelines for traditional wedding invitations. You can always adapt the format to fit your personal style and the tone of your wedding.

Frequently asked questions