Destination Wedding Invitation Wording: Etiquette And Examples

Planning a wedding is an exciting time, and you'll want to give your guests plenty of notice, especially if you're getting married abroad. While you might be tempted to include all the details of your big day, it's important to keep the invitation simple and clear, conveying the essential information. Here's a guide to help you craft the perfect invitation for your destination wedding.

Include the date, time and location

The date, time and location of your wedding are essential pieces of information that your guests will need to know. The more notice you can give, the better, especially if your wedding is abroad. It is important to include the full address of the venue, including the country if it is overseas.

Traditionally, the date and time are spelled out in full on wedding invitations. For example, if your wedding is on September 15, 2024, at 4:30 p.m., the wording could be: "Saturday, the fifteenth of September, two thousand twenty-four, at half after four in the afternoon". The day of the week and the month should be capitalized, and the year should be in lowercase. There is no "and" when spelling out the year.

The time of day can be written as "four o'clock" or "half after four o'clock". From noon until 4:00 p.m. is considered afternoon, and evening begins at 5:00 p.m.

If your wedding is taking place abroad, it is a good idea to send out "save the date" cards in advance, to give your guests plenty of time to plan their trip.

• "Saturday, the seventeenth of August two thousand twenty-four at half after four at [venue name and address]"
• "Saturday, August 17, 2024 at 4:30 in the afternoon at [venue name and address]"
• "Saturday, the twenty-fourth of May nineteen fifty at noon Hotel Boca Chica, Acapulco, Mexico"
• "Saturday, April 10th, 2021 at half past six in the evening Allan House 1104 San Antonio Street New York City, NY"

Provide reception details

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

If you're not serving a full meal, you could say something like, "Join us after the ceremony for cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and dancing."

• Reception immediately following the ceremony
• Dinner and dancing to follow
• Cake, punch, and merriment to follow (if you’re not serving a full meal)
• Feasting and merriment to follow
• Dining, dancing, and happily ever after to follow

If the ceremony and reception are held at the same venue, include the line Reception to follow at the bottom of the invitation. However, if the reception is held at a different location, it should be treated as a separate event—include a separate reception card with the event details as part of the invitation suite.

Make it clear who's hosting

The host line is an important part of a wedding invitation, as it recognises who is hosting the wedding. Traditionally, the bride's family hosted and paid for the wedding, but nowadays the groom’s family, other loved ones, or the couple themselves may host.

If the bride's parents are hosting, the wording could be:

> Mr. and Mrs. John L. Smith request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their son Jack Alexander to Mason Jacob Kim Saturday, the seventeenth of August two thousand twenty-four at half after four at [venue name and address] Reception to follow

If the groom's parents are hosting, the wording could be:

> Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Simon Peter Blunt invite you to the marriage of Emily Olivia Leah and John Burke July 10, 2010 at half past six in the evening Via Regina Teodolinda, 35 Como, Italy Food, wine, and merriment to follow

If both sets of parents are hosting, the wording could be:

> Kenzie M. Smith and Jennifer L. Smith Mark Franklin and Mary Elizabeth Reyes request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their children Olivia Rose and John Michael Saturday, the seventeenth of August two thousand twenty-four at half after four in the afternoon at [venue name and address] Reception to follow

If the couple is hosting, the host line can be omitted or replaced with a warm and welcoming introduction:

> Together with full hearts

> With hearts full of love and joy

Or:

> The honour of your presence is requested at the marriage of Jack Alexander Smith to Mason Jacob Kim Saturday, the seventeenth of August two thousand twenty-four at half after four at [venue name and address] Reception to follow

If the couple is hosting with their families, the wording could be:

> Together with their families

> Olivia Rose Smith and John Michael Reyes together with their parents Kenzie M. Smith and Jennifer L. Smith and Mark Franklin and Mary Elizabeth Reyes request the honour of your presence at their wedding Saturday, the seventeenth of August two thousand twenty-four at half after four in the afternoon at [venue name and address] Reception to follow

If divorced parents are hosting, include the mother's name first, followed by the father's name on a separate line:

> Ms. Pamela Jacobsen

> Mr. and Mrs. Fred Jacobsen

> invite you to share in their wedding festivities at the marriage of their daughter Jordan to Paige Saturday, the tenth of April two thousand and twenty-one at half past six in the evening Hotel Chantelle New York City, NY Dress as you wish, dine as you like, dance as you please

If you want to honour a deceased parent on your invitations, include them in the host line or after the bride or groom's name:

> Mrs. and Mr. Michael Francis Middleton request the honour of your company at the marriage of their daughter Catherine Elizabeth Middleton to Prince William, Duke of Cambridge Son of Charles, Prince of Wales and the late Diana, Princess of Wales Friday, the twenty-ninth of April two thousand and eleven at eleven o'clock in the morning at Westminster Abbey – 20, Deans Yard London, England Reception to follow

If the couple has same-sex parents, there are a few ways to honour them on the invitation. If the parents have different last names, use the courtesy title "Mr.", "Mrs." or "Mx." and list their names in alphabetical order by last name. If the parents have the same last name, use the same courtesy titles and list their names in alphabetical order by first name.

> Mr. Michael and Mr. Sean Flannigan request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter Julie Marie to Stephen Anthony Saturday, the tenth of April two thousand and twenty-one at half past six in the evening Hotel Chantelle New York City, NY Reception to follow

Give guests an RSVP deadline

When you're planning a wedding abroad, it's important to give your guests plenty of notice. Sending out "save the date" cards in advance is a good idea, especially if your wedding is abroad or during a busy holiday period. This gives your guests time to plan their trip and get the best deals on flights and accommodation.

It's also a good idea to set an early RSVP date. This will make planning easier for you, as you'll have a better idea of numbers for budgeting, choosing a venue, and finalising details with suppliers. It's recommended that you ask your guests to reply at least two to three months before the wedding date.

Be Clear and Concise

Keep the wording of your RSVP deadline simple and direct. For example, "Kindly respond by [date]." This ensures your guests know exactly when to reply by and gives them a clear instruction to follow.

Include a Reply-By Date

Specify a date by which you would like your guests to respond. Typically, this is set for three to four weeks before the wedding date. This gives you enough time to provide a final headcount to your caterer and finalise your seating chart.

Provide Multiple Response Options

Offer your guests multiple ways to respond, such as by mail, email, phone, or online through your wedding website. This makes it more convenient for them to RSVP and increases the likelihood of you receiving a timely response.

Include a Stamped Envelope

If you're expecting your guests to mail back their RSVP cards, it's courteous to include a stamped, addressed envelope. This small gesture makes it easier for your guests to respond and ensures they don't have to bear any costs.

Follow Up with Guests

Even with an RSVP deadline, there may be some guests who don't respond on time. It's a good idea to give them a quick call or send a friendly reminder to get their response. This helps you finalise your guest list and ensures no one misses out on the celebration.

Remember, when creating your wedding invitations, it's important to include all the essential information, such as the host line, request line, couple's names, date, time, location, and reception details. You can also include an enclosure card with additional information, such as accommodation suggestions or travel tips for your destination wedding.

Include dress code information

Dress Code Information

Including dress code information is optional, but it can be helpful for guests. If your wedding is black tie, you must include that on the invitation. If you don't include attire information, guests will infer the dress code based on the formality of the invitation. For example, if the invitation is formal, guests will likely anticipate a formal affair. A simpler invite suggests wedding attire that leans more casual.

The dress code line should be listed on a line following the reception location. Here are some examples of dress code wording:

• Black-tie (tuxedos and floor-length gowns)
• Formal attire (suits and dresses)
• Cocktail attire (suits or dress shirts with ties and cocktail dresses)
• Beach-casual (long- or short-sleeve shirts with pants or shorts, sundresses, and sandals)

If you don't want to include dress code information on the invitation itself, you can use a details card or your wedding website to share these details.

Frequently asked questions