Guide To Perfectly Worded Wedding Invitations

Wedding invitations are an important piece of the planning puzzle. They are one of the first things your guests will see, touch, and feel, and they convey critical information. The proper wording of a wedding invitation provides all the essential details, like the couple's full names, who's hosting the nuptials, the ceremony location, and the reception venue.

The wording you choose can also hint at your wedding's level of formality. For example, if you're telling guests to come eat cake with you, it's fair for them to assume they can leave their black-tie ball gown at home.

1. Host Line: The opening line on a wedding invitation names the hosts of the event. The hosts are typically the people paying for the wedding. If you're hosting the wedding yourselves, this line can be omitted.

2. Attendance Request: The request to attend lets guests know exactly what they're being invited to.

3. Couple's Names: The names of the couple are usually displayed in larger text and sometimes in a fancy typeface. For heterosexual couples, the bride's name traditionally comes first, but you can order the names however you prefer. For same-sex couples, the names can be listed alphabetically, by age, or however you choose.

4. Date and Time: Traditional wedding invitation wording requires the date and time to be spelled out in full, while numerical figures are often used on modern invites.

5. Location: Include the name and full address of your wedding venue, including the state and zip code. If your wedding is taking place abroad, include the country as well.

6. Reception Details: If the ceremony and reception are at the same venue, just say reception to follow. If the reception is elsewhere, you can include the full address and other pertinent information on a separate card.

7. Optional Dress Code: Including dress code information isn't compulsory, but it can be helpful. Mention the dress code in the lower corner or bottom center of the invite, or use a separate card or your wedding website to share these details.

Host Line

The host line is the first line of a wedding invitation and is dedicated to the host(s) of the wedding, also known as the party covering the expenses. The host line is important as it recognises the people who are paying for the wedding and sets the tone and formality of the event. Here are some examples of how to word the host line depending on who is hosting:

Hosted by One Set of Parents

The bride's family traditionally hosts and pays for the wedding. However, it is becoming more common for the groom's family or other loved ones to host. If one set of parents is hosting, their full names are included, with middle names for formal invites. For married couples with different surnames, join the two names with "and". For example:

> Mr. and Mrs. Ernie Lively invite you to share in the joy of marriage uniting their daughter Blake Ellender to Ryan Rodney

Hosted by Both Sets of Parents

If both sets of parents are hosting, list the bride's parents' names first if the couple is different-sex. For same-sex couples, list the names in alphabetical order. For example:

> Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Adams and Mr. and Mrs. David Beckham request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their children Victoria Caroline to David Robert Joseph

Hosted by the Couple

It is becoming more common for the couple to host their own wedding. If the couple is hosting, the host line can be omitted or replaced with a welcoming introduction. For example:

> Amal Alamuddin and George Timothy Clooney request the pleasure of your company at the celebration of their marriage

Hosted by Divorced Parents

To include divorced parents, list the mother's name first followed by the father's name on a separate line without "and" between them. If the mother is not remarried, use the courtesy title "Ms." followed by her preferred last name. For example:

> Mr. Angiolo Guiseppe and Ms. Elettra Rossellini invite you to share in the joy of marriage uniting their son Roberto Rossellini to Ingrid Bergman

Hosted by Parent, Including Deceased Parent

It is acceptable to include a deceased parent on the invitation. Use the phrase "the late" before their name. For example:

> Mr. & Mrs. Jon Flores and Mr. Tom Byrne & the late Mrs. Nancy Byrne request the honor of your company at the marriage of their children Talia Flores & Stephen Byrne

Request Line

The request line is a crucial element of a wedding invitation, inviting your guests to join your wedding celebration. Here are some tips and examples to help you craft the perfect request line:

Traditional vs. Casual Wording

Traditionally, the request line for a formal religious ceremony uses formal wording such as "request the honour of your presence". The British spelling of "honour" indicates a more formal tone. For modern or non-religious celebrations, more casual language can be used, such as "invite you to join" or "please join us to celebrate".

Examples of Request Lines

• "Request the Pleasure of Your Company"
• "Invite You to Celebrate the Marriage of"
• "Request the Honour of Your Presence" (for a ceremony in a place of worship)
• "The Pleasure of Your Company"
• "At the Marriage of Their Children"
• "Would Love for You to Join Them"
• "Invite You to Celebrate with Them"
• "Honor of Your Presence"

Customisation

Feel free to customise the request line to match your wedding's theme and your personal style. For a fun or creative wedding, you could use a quirky request line such as "Come eat cake with us" or "Good food, good drinks, good friends".

Key Considerations

• Honouring Deceased Parents: If you want to honour a deceased parent, you can include them in the request line, e.g., "Lauren Martinez, daughter of Marta Martinez, and the late Robert Martinez".
• Same-Sex Couples: For same-sex couples, the traditional rule of the woman's name coming first does not apply. You can order the names alphabetically, by age, or however you prefer.
• Middle Names: It is common to include middle names in the request line for very formal invitations. However, you may need to drop the middle names if the line becomes too long.

Couple's Names

When it comes to wedding invitation wording, there are a few different scenarios and rules to follow, especially when it comes to addressing the couple's names. Here are some tips and examples to help you properly address the invitations to your guests:

Married Couple With the Same Last Name:

For a heterosexual couple, the outer envelope can be addressed as "Mr. and Mrs. [First name] [Last name], or "Mr. and Mrs. [Last name]." For a same-sex couple, either name can go first. If the couple is sensitive to the woman's name being left out, you can address the outer envelope as "Mr. [First name] [Last name] and Mrs. [First name] [Last name]."

Married Couple With Different Last Names:

Write their full names on separate lines on the outer envelope, with the woman's name first. If they have different last names but one person has taken the other's name, you can address them with that shared last name.

Married Couple With One Hyphenated Last Name:

Address the outer envelope with both of their full names, including the hyphenated last name. For example, "Mr. [First name] [Last name] and Mr. [First name] [Hyphenated last name]."

Unmarried Couple:

Invitations to an unmarried couple living at the same address can be addressed to both people on one line, with the person you are closest to listed first. For example, "Mr. [First name] [Last name] and Ms. [First name] [Last name]." If you are equally close to both, list the names alphabetically.

Same-Sex Couple:

Same-sex couples have two options for addressing their invitations: alphabetical order or choosing the order based on what sounds the best. Middle names are optional and can be included or left out based on personal preference and the level of formality desired.

Couple Hosting Their Own Wedding:

If the couple is hosting the wedding themselves, the invitation wording can be simple. Here are some examples:

"Together with their families, [Couple's names] invite you to celebrate their love."

"The honour of your presence is requested as [Couple's names] exchange marriage vows."

"Join us as we celebrate our wedding day."

"Please join us as we celebrate our union."

If one or both members of the couple have distinguished titles, such as doctors, lawyers, judges, or military personnel, it is proper to address them by those titles on the invitation envelope. List the guest with the higher-ranking title first, followed by their partner's name.

Date, Time and Location

The date, time, and location of your wedding are essential details that your guests need to know. Here are some tips and guidelines for including this information on your wedding invitations:

Date

For formal invitations, it is customary to write out the date in full rather than using 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 capitalized, and there should be a comma after it. The year is usually written on a separate line and without commas.

If you're opting for a more casual wedding, you can be less formal. For instance, "Saturday, May 17th, 2025" or using all numerals like "Saturday, 8/15/2026".

Time

Similarly, for formal invitations, the time is also written out. Instead of "3:30 pm", you would write "half after three o'clock". You can drop "o'clock" for half-hour times. For times on the hour, you would write "three o'clock".

For casual invitations, you can use numerals like "4pm" or "5:30pm".

Location

For the location, include the full address for out-of-town guests or if the venue is hard to find. You can omit the street address if the location is well-known and easily identifiable.

If the ceremony and reception are in the same place, you can simply add "reception to follow" or "dinner and dancing to follow". If they are in different locations, it is best to include a separate card with the reception details.

> Please join us for a reception at six o'clock in the evening. JW Marriott Houston Downtown, 806 Main Street, Houston, Texas.

>

> Please join us after the ceremony for dinner and dancing. Cocktails will be served at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. The Foundry at Herban Feast, 4136 First Avenue South, Seattle, Washington.

Reception Details

If the ceremony and reception are at the same venue, you can simply write "reception to follow" or "dinner and dancing to follow". If the reception is at a different venue, you can include the full address and other pertinent information on a separate details card tucked in with your main invitation.

If you're having a small wedding reception, it might be fine to invite people verbally. However, if you're having a large wedding reception, it's recommended to send invitations. These can be more casual and cheaper than your wedding invitations. You can save money by only buying as many as you need to send (one per household, not per guest), adding an online RSVP option instead of a response card, and including extra information like accommodation and travel details on the back of the invitation.

The reception details can be included in the main invitation or on a separate card. If the ceremony and reception are at the same venue, the reception details can be included in the main invitation by adding a line such as "reception to follow" or "dinner and dancing to follow". If the reception is at a different venue, you can include the full address and other details on a separate card.

The separate card for the reception details can be included in the same envelope as the main invitation. This card can include the start time and address of the reception, as well as other pertinent information. It's also an option to include an online RSVP option on this card instead of a response card to save money on postage.

The reception details can also be included on your wedding website, which you can share with your guests via a separate insert card. This way, guests can easily access all the information they need in one place.

Frequently asked questions