Lyla Dejesus
Wedding invitation wording can be tricky, especially when navigating unique family dynamics. If your parents are divorced, you might be unsure about how to include them both on your wedding invitation. The good news is that there are no hard-and-fast rules, and you can choose the option that feels right for you and your family. Here are some tips and examples to help you craft the perfect invitation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Divorced parents' names on the same line | No |
| Order of parents' names | Mother's name first unless she is not contributing financially to the wedding |
| Including step-parents | Acceptable |
| Including remarried parents | Acceptable |
| Including deceased parents | Acceptable |
What You'll Learn
Divorced parents' names never appear on the same line
If you're following traditional wedding invitation etiquette, divorced parents' names never appear on the same line, even if they both remain unmarried. This is because the "and" between names signifies marriage and is only used to unite married couples.
If you're including both parents' names on the invitation, the mother's name goes first unless she is not contributing financially to the wedding. If this is the case, the father's name goes first. Here are some examples of how to word the invitation:
Divorced parents who are not remarried, woman kept her married name:
Ms. Sarah Smith
Mr. John Smith
Request the pleasure of your company at the wedding of their daughter
Divorced parents who are not remarried, woman uses maiden name:
Ms. Sarah Jones
Mr. John Smith
Request the pleasure of your company at the wedding of their daughter
Michael Alan Timmons
Divorced parents, woman remarried:
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Jones
Mr. John Smith
Request the pleasure of your company at the wedding of their daughter
Michael Alan Timmons
Divorced parents, both parents remarried:
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
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The mother's name goes first unless she isn't contributing financially
When it comes to wedding invitation wording, it's important to remember that every family is unique and you should do what feels right. That being said, here are some guidelines and examples to help you navigate this potentially tricky situation:
Traditional Rules for Wording Wedding Invitations with Divorced Parents:
- The mother's name usually goes first unless she is not contributing financially to the wedding. In this case, the father's name goes first.
- Divorced parents' names never appear on the same line, even if they are both unmarried. They are listed on separate lines with no "and" between them.
- Traditionally, only the parents' names appear on the invitation, but it is acceptable to include step-parents if you wish.
Examples of Wedding Invitation Wording with Divorced Parents:
Both parents are contributing financially:
> Ms. Sarah Smith
> Mr. John Smith
> request the pleasure of your company at the wedding of their daughter
>
> Michael Alan Timmons
Mother is hosting and has kept her married name:
> Ms. Sarah Smith
> Requests the honor of your presence
> at the marriage of her daughter
Father is hosting and is remarried:
> Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Jones
> Request the pleasure of your company
> at the marriage of Mr. Jones' daughter
>
> Michael Alan Timmons
Both parents are remarried:
> 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
Additional Tips:
- If one parent has been remarried for a significant amount of time and the stepparent has played an important role in your life, you may include their name on the same line as their spouse.
- If you are dealing with multiple sets of remarried parents, you can list each couple on their own line or use the phrase "Together with their families" to keep the invitation uncluttered.
- Be sure to specify who is related to the bride or groom, especially if a parent is widowed and remarried.
- Always use full names and titles (Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr., etc.), and be consistent with the use of "honor" or "honour".
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It's acceptable to include step-parents
Including step-parents on your wedding invitation is perfectly acceptable. If your parent has remarried and you have a step-parent who has played an important role in your life, it is appropriate to include their name on the same line as your parent's name.
For example, if your mother has remarried, you can write:
> Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Jones
Or, if your father has remarried:
> Mr. John Smith and Mrs. Sarah Smith
If you are close with your step-parent and would like to include them, but they are not married to your parent, there are ways to word the invitation to reflect this. For instance:
> Mr. Thomas Jones and Amber Radcliffe
Or:
> Ms. Sarah Smith and Kenneth Peterson
If you are close with both your parent and step-parent, you can include both of their names, keeping them on the same line:
> Mr. Thomas Jones and Amber Radcliffe request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of Thomas's daughter
> Ms. Sarah Smith and Kenneth Peterson invite you to the marriage of Sarah's daughter
If you are fortunate enough to have multiple step-parents in your life that you would like to include, you can do so by listing each couple on their own line:
> Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Jones
> Mr. John Smith and Mrs. Amber Radcliffe
Or, if you would like to keep the invitation less cluttered, you can use the phrase:
> Together with their families
Other Considerations
When including divorced parents and step-parents, it is important to remember a few key rules. Firstly, divorced parents' names should never appear on the same line, even if they are both unmarried. Secondly, the mother's name is usually listed first, unless she is not contributing financially to the wedding, in which case the father's name goes first.
Additionally, if you are including the names of both sets of parents as hosts, it is best to keep each parent on a separate line. This can be adjusted if you are including a step-parent, by keeping them on the same line as their partner.
> Dr. Vance and Elizabeth Gregory
> Mr. James Abner and Lydia Abner
> Mr. Harold and Jane Hyland
> invite you to the wedding of their children Amy Abner and Charles Hyland
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If the mother is not remarried, use Ms. or Mrs
If the mother is not remarried, the wedding invitation should use either "Ms." or "Mrs." before her name. The mother's name is always listed first, followed by the father's name on a separate line with no "and" between them. This format is used regardless of who is paying for the wedding. Here are some examples:
If the mother kept her married name:
> Ms. Sarah Smith
> Mr. John Smith
> request the pleasure of your company at the wedding of their daughter
If the mother uses her maiden name:
> Ms. Sarah Jones
> Mr. John Smith
> request the pleasure of your company at the wedding of their daughter
> Michael Alan Timmons
If the mother is the only parent inviting:
> invites you to the marriage of her daughter
> Preston Lucille Price
> Matthew Trevor Scott
If you would like to add the groom's parents:
> and Mr. & Mrs. Hank Scott
> invite you to the marriage of their children
> Preston Lucille Price
> on Friday, the twenty-eighth of October
> two thousand twenty-seven
> at four o'clock in the evening
If the mother is remarried and you would like to include your stepfather:
> Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Jones
> Mr. John Smith
> request the pleasure of your company at the wedding of their daughter
> Michael Alan Timmons
Remember, the most important thing is to do what feels right for you and your family. Wedding invitation wording can be tricky, but it's ultimately your decision how you choose to word your invitations.
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If the mother is remarried, include the bride's last name to prevent confusion
If the mother is remarried, it is appropriate to include the bride's full name to prevent confusion. Here is an example of how to word the invitation:
> Mr. and Mrs. [Mother's New Last Name] Mr. [Bride's Father's Last Name] request the pleasure of your company at the wedding of their daughter [Bride's Full Name].
In this example, the mother's new last name is included, followed by the bride's father's last name, with both names appearing on separate lines. The mother's name is listed first, following traditional wedding invitation etiquette.
If the mother has remarried and the father is also remarried, the invitation can be worded as follows:
> Mr. and Mrs. [Mother's New Last Name] Mr. and Mrs. [Bride's Father's Last Name] request the pleasure of your company at the wedding of their daughter [Bride's Full Name].
Again, both parents' names appear on separate lines, with the mother's name listed first.
If the bride's parents are divorced, and the mother is the only parent hosting, the invitation can be worded as follows:
> Ms. [Mother's Maiden Name or Previous Married Name] requests the pleasure of your company at the wedding of her daughter [Bride's Full Name].
If the bride's mother is remarried and hosting the wedding alone, the invitation can be worded as follows:
> Mr. and Mrs. [Mother's New Last Name] request the pleasure of your company at the wedding of her daughter [Bride's Full Name].
In all of these examples, including the bride's full name helps to prevent confusion, especially when the mother's last name is different from the bride's last name.
Remember, these are just guidelines, and you can ultimately choose to word your wedding invitations in a way that feels right for you and your family dynamics.
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Frequently asked questions
It's up to you! Every family is different, so do what feels right. If you're following old-school etiquette, the general rule is that divorced parents' names never appear on the same line, even if they are both unmarried.
The mother's name usually goes first, unless she is not contributing financially to the wedding, in which case the father's name would go first.
Yes, it is completely acceptable to include step-parents. If a step-parent has played an important role in your life, you can include their name on the same line as your parent's name.
If only one parent is hosting, their name can be listed first, followed by the other parent's name on a separate line. For example:
> Ms. Sarah Smith
> Mr. John Smith
> request the pleasure of your company at the wedding of their daughter
