Wording Your Wedding Invite: 30-Minute Guide

When it comes to wedding invites, it's important to provide clear information about the time and date of the ceremony to ensure your guests arrive on time. There are several ways to word a time of 30 minutes past the hour on a wedding invitation, depending on the desired level of formality. For a more traditional or formal wedding invitation, it is customary to write out the time in full, using phrases such as half after three o'clock or half past three o'clock. Alternatively, for a less formal event, a more modern approach can be taken, such as writing the time in numerals as 3:30 pm or 15:30. It is worth noting that the time of day should also be included in the invitation, specifying whether the ceremony will take place in the morning, in the afternoon, or in the evening.

Spell out the time in full for formal invites

When it comes to wedding invitations, it's important to provide clear details about the timing of your big day to ensure your guests' timely presence. Here are some instructive guidelines on how to spell out the time in full for formal invites:

Spell Out the Time in Full

It is generally recommended to spell out the time in full for formal wedding invitations. For instance, if your wedding commences at 3:30 p.m., the suggested wording is "half after three o'clock" or "half past three o'clock." The time should be written in lowercase letters, and the phrase "half after" is traditionally preferred over "half past."

Omit "In the Morning," "In the Afternoon," or "In the Evening"

It is not necessary to specify "in the morning," "in the afternoon," or "in the evening" unless there is a potential ambiguity. For instance, if your wedding is at 8, 9, or 10 a.m. or p.m., you may want to include these phrases for clarity. Any time after 5 p.m. is considered the evening, and the afternoon spans from noon to 4:30 p.m. If your celebration begins at noon, simply write "noon."

Traditional and Casual Wording

The traditional approach for formal invites is to use "o'clock" for round hours and "half after" for half-hour times. For a more casual event, you can use a combination of numerals and words, such as "4:00 p.m." or "5:30 p.m." However, ensure that the date and time match in formality—avoid mixing fully written dates with numerical times.

Consistency in Formality

Maintain consistency in the formality of your date and time formatting. For example, if you're using the traditional wording for the date, such as "Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October two thousand twenty-four," continue with the traditional time format, like "half after three o'clock." On the other hand, if you opt for a more casual date format, such as "Saturday, October 26th, 2024", you can also use a numerical time, such as "3:30 p.m."

Reception Timing

If your reception immediately follows the ceremony in the same location, a simple "Reception to follow" or "Dinner and dancing to follow" will suffice. However, if the reception is at a different time or venue, include a separate reception card with the relevant details.

Remember, the key is to provide clear and consistent information about the timing of your wedding day, ensuring that the formality of your date and time formatting aligns.

Write the time as half after three o'clock

When writing out the time "half after three o'clock", it is important to consider the formality of the event and the invitation. For a formal wedding invitation, the time is usually written out in full, with no numerals. This traditional way of writing the time is common in formal and official communication when emphasising the exact time is important.

For a formal wedding invitation, the time half after three o'clock would be written as "half after three o'clock". This is the traditional way to write out the time, and it is common to use "half after" instead of "half past" for times on the half-hour. The time should be written in lowercase letters, and you do not need to include "in the afternoon" unless there could be confusion over whether the event is in the morning or evening.

For a less formal wedding invitation, you could write the time as "3:30 pm" or "3.30 pm". Using numerals is clearer and more precise, especially in scientific and technical writing. Numerals are also commonly used in informal communication when the exact time is unimportant.

When writing out the time "half after three o'clock", it is also important to consider any style guides that may apply. For example, the Chicago Manual of Style suggests using words, while the AP Stylebook recommends using numerals. Consistency is key, so be sure to apply one style throughout the invitation.

Write the time as four-thirty in the afternoon

When writing out the time "four-thirty in the afternoon" on a wedding invitation, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, the level of formality of the wedding and invitation will dictate the style of the time written on the invite. For a formal wedding, traditional language is used, whereas a casual wedding can be more relaxed and informal.

If you are opting for a traditional, formal wedding invitation, the time should be written out in full, with no numerals. So, for a time of 4:30 p.m., you would write "half after four o'clock" or "half past four o'clock". You could also write it as "four-thirty in the afternoon", which is also acceptable for a traditional invitation.

However, if your wedding is more casual, you can be more flexible with the wording. You could write the time as "4:30 p.m." or "4:30 p.m. in the afternoon". It is important to maintain consistency in the level of formality between the way you write out the date and the time.

Additionally, when writing out the time in words, you can use "after" or "past" for intervals up to half an hour past the hour, and "to" for any interval after the half-hour up to the hour. So, for 4:30 p.m., you could write "half after four in the afternoon" or "half past four in the afternoon".

Remember, the goal is to provide your guests with clear information about the timing of your wedding, so choose a wording style that best suits your wedding theme and ensures your guests arrive on time!

Write the time as half past four o'clock in the afternoon

When writing out an invitation for a wedding, it is important to be clear about the time and date of the event. This is especially important for weddings, where guests need to arrive on time to ensure the happy couple can be legally wed.

If you are writing out the time in full, the traditional way to write half past four o'clock in the afternoon is: "half after four o'clock". This is the formal way to write out the time and is the most common way to see it on wedding invites.

However, there are other ways to write this time. For a less formal wedding, you could write "half past four in the afternoon" or "4:30 in the afternoon". You could also write it as "four-thirty in the afternoon".

If you are writing a very formal wedding invitation, you may want to include the "after" instead of "past", as in "half after three o'clock". This is a more traditional phrasing.

It is also worth noting that you do not need to include "in the afternoon" unless there is a chance of confusion about whether the event is in the morning or evening. For example, you would include it for a time like 8 o'clock, but not usually for 4 o'clock.

Write the time as half past four in the evening

When writing out an invitation for a wedding scheduled for 4:30 p.m., it is important to provide clear information about the time to your guests. Here are some ways to word this time of day:

Traditional Wedding Invitation Wording

For a formal wedding invitation, you would typically write out the time in full, without using numerals. In this case, you would phrase the time as "half after four o'clock" or "half past four o'clock". It is worth noting that formal wedding invitations traditionally use the phrase "half after" instead of "half past". Additionally, the time should be written in lowercase letters.

Including "In the Evening"

If you wish to be more explicit about the time of day, you can include the phrase "in the evening". Your invitation would then read "half after four o'clock in the evening" or "half past four o'clock in the evening". This phrasing provides clarity, especially if your wedding is scheduled for a time when there could be confusion about whether it is morning or evening.

Casual Wedding Invitation Wording

If you are hosting a more casual wedding, you have the option to write out the time in a less formal manner. In this case, you could use numerals and simply write "4:30 p.m." or "4:30 in the evening". Remember to maintain consistency in the level of formality between how you write out the date and the time.

Matching Formality with Your Invitation Design

While the level of formality of your wedding invitation largely dictates the wording, you may also want to consider the layout and design of your invitations. Working with a stationer can help you determine the best wording and design to ensure your invitations are both clear and aesthetically pleasing.

Frequently asked questions