Wording Date And Time On Wedding Invites: A Simple Guide

When it comes to wedding invitations, there are many ways to word the date and time. The traditional way to write the date is to spell it out completely, using words instead of numerals. For example, Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October two thousand twenty-four. The time of day should also be written out in full, such as half after three o'clock or four o'clock. However, it's becoming more common to use numerals for informal or modern weddings, such as 4:00 pm or 4:30 pm. Ultimately, the wording of the date and time on a wedding invitation depends on the formality of the event and the couple's personal preference.

Spell out the date for formal invitations

When it comes to wedding invitations, the date and time are crucial elements to ensure your guests know when and where to show up. Here are some tips to help you spell out the date for formal wedding invitations:

Spell Out the Date

For formal invitations, it is customary to spell out the date rather than using numerals. This adds a touch of elegance and tradition to your wedding stationery. Here's how to format it:

• Begin with the day of the week, followed by a comma: "Friday, the twenty-ninth".
• Add the month, preceded by the word "of": "Friday, the twenty-ninth of April".
• If you decide to include the year, spell it out: "two thousand and eighteen".
• Capitalize the day of the week and the month, but keep the year in lowercase letters.
• For dates from the 21st to the 31st of a month, use a hyphen between the tens and ones place: "Friday, the twenty-ninth".
• If your wedding is on a date from the 1st to the 9th, you can simply write out the number without a hyphen: "Friday, the first of April".
• The year is usually written on a separate line from the day and month.
• There is no need to include "and" when spelling out the year: use "two thousand" instead of "two thousand and".

Formality and Consistency

While the traditional style calls for spelling out the date, you have some flexibility based on the formality of your wedding. Spelling out dates is acceptable regardless of how formal your event is. If you're having a casual wedding, you can write the date more informally, such as "Saturday, May 17th, 2025".

However, remember to maintain consistency in your invitation suite. If you use numerals for the date on the main invitation, do the same for any enclosures like the response card. For example, if your wedding is on "April 17th", the RSVP card could say, "Kindly respond by the seventeenth of April".

Other Considerations

When deciding how to word your wedding invitations, keep in mind that clarity and consistency are key. Proofread your invitations carefully and consider working with a stationer to ensure your invitations are both elegant and accurate.

Include the day of the week

When it comes to wedding invitations, the day of the week is typically written out in full in a formal invitation, with the first letter capitalised (unless the invitation font is all uppercase or lowercase). For example, "Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October two thousand twenty-four".

If you're opting for a more casual wedding, you can write the date in a more informal style. For instance, "Saturday, May 17th, 2025".

Capitalisation and Punctuation

The day of the week should be capitalised, and there should be a comma following it, before the date. For example, "Saturday, May 17th". Avoid using punctuation unless necessary.

Formal and Traditional Wording

For formal and traditional invitations, it is customary to spell out the day of the week in full. For example, "Saturday, the twenty-eighth of May" or "Saturday, the twenty-eighth of May, two thousand and twenty-two".

Informal and Modern Wording

If you're having a more casual or modern wedding, you can use numerals and a more concise format. For instance, "Saturday, 5.28.22" or "Saturday, May 28, 2022".

Consistency

Ensure that the formatting of the day of the week is consistent with the rest of the invitation suite, including any enclosures or response cards.

Proofreading

Proofread your invitations carefully and consider having someone else review them as well to catch any errors.

Design Considerations

If your invitation design has space constraints, you may need to be creative with the wording to ensure it fits well within the layout.

Remember, these are just guidelines, and you can customise your invitations to fit your unique wedding style.

Write out the time of day

When writing the time of day on a wedding invitation, it's important to consider the formality of your wedding and invitation. Here are some guidelines to help you word the time of day appropriately:

Formal Invitations

For formal wedding invitations, it is customary to write out the time of day in full, using the placement of hands on a clock as a guide. For example, if your wedding begins at 3:30 p.m., you would write "half after three o'clock" or "half past three o'clock". The time should be written in lowercase letters, and you can omit "in the morning", "in the afternoon", or "in the evening" unless the wedding is scheduled between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., where there could be confusion. Any time after 5 p.m. is considered evening, and between noon and 4:30 p.m. is the afternoon. If your wedding is at noon, simply write "noon" without specifying "noon o'clock".

Informal Invitations

If you're having a more casual wedding, you have the option to be more flexible with the wording. You can write the time as "4 p.m." or "5:30 p.m." Just remember to maintain consistency in the level of formality between the date and time. For example, if you write out the date in full, it's best to spell out the time as well.

Additional Considerations

When writing out the time of day, avoid using "a.m." or "p.m." For a more informal invitation, you can specify the time of day, such as "in the morning", "in the afternoon", or "in the evening". However, it's worth noting that there is some debate about when afternoon ends and evening begins. Traditionally, afternoon is considered noon to 6 p.m., with evening starting at 6 p.m. However, some sources suggest that evening begins at 5 p.m. If your wedding is at 5:30 p.m., you can write "half past five in the afternoon" or "half past five in the evening", depending on your preference. Ultimately, the most important consideration is to ensure that your guests have all the information they need to arrive at the right time.

Include the location of the ceremony

Including the location of the ceremony is an important part of your wedding invitation. This is how your guests will know where to go! Here are some tips on how to word this information:

The Venue Name and Location

The name of the venue and its location should be included on separate lines. For example:

> The Ritz-Carlton

> Bachelor Gulch

> Beaver Creek, Colorado

For formal weddings, the state name is usually spelled out in full. Abbreviations are acceptable for more casual weddings.

Address

The venue's street address is traditionally not included unless the venue is a private residence. However, if omitting the address would cause confusion, it is best to include it. Zip codes are generally not included. Here is an example of how to format the address:

> First Methodist Church

> 260 East Market Street

Reception Details

If the reception is at the same location as the ceremony, you can simply say:

>Reception to follow

>Dinner and dancing to follow

>Cake, punch, and merriment to follow

If the reception is at a different location, include the venue name and address on a separate line or on a separate insert card, known as a reception card. If you're not serving a full meal, you can add:

>Join us after the ceremony for cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and dancing.

Timing

If the wedding reception is not immediately following the ceremony, be sure to include the time.

Dress Code

Including the dress code on the invitation is optional, but it can be helpful for guests. If you're having a black-tie wedding, it's important to include this information. If no dress code is specified, guests will infer the formality of the event from the invitation design.

Add the reception information

If your wedding reception is at the same location as the ceremony, you can simply write "Reception to follow" or "Dinner and dancing to follow" at the bottom of the invitation. If the reception is at a different location, you can list the venue on the following line or on a separate insert card, called a reception card.

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

If the reception is elsewhere, the location goes on a different line. Include the time if the wedding reception is not immediately following the ceremony.

> 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 and hors d'oeuvres 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 immediately following the ceremony. 285 East Market Street.

> Dinner and dancing to follow at Casa de la Guerra, Santa Barbara, California.

> Reception to follow at Acre Baja, San Jose del Cabo, Mexico.

> Reception immediately after at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church, Newport, California.

> Cake, punch, and merriment to follow at The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, Beaver Creek, Colorado.

> Feasting and merriment to follow at The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Como, Italy.

> Dining, dancing, and happily ever after to follow at Chateau de la Gaude, Aix-en-Provence, France.

If the reception is at a different location or several hours after the ceremony, it's best to include a separate reception card as part of your invitation suite to share all the details.

Frequently asked questions