Deborah Chan
When it comes to wedding invites, it's traditional to include parents' names, giving the impression that they're inviting guests to the celebration. But what's the correct wedding invitation wording if a parent has passed away? While some sources suggest that deceased parents shouldn't be listed on invites, others offer suggestions for how to include them elegantly and respectfully. For instance, by adding the late before the deceased parent's name, their memory is honoured while making clear that they're no longer living. Ultimately, it's a personal choice—including a deceased parent's name on a wedding invitation is a meaningful way to keep their memory alive, but it's also perfectly fine to omit their name if that feels like the right decision.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Bride's mother is hosting | Mrs [Bride's mother's name] requests the honour of your presence at the marriage of her daughter [Bride's name] and [Groom's name] |
| Bride and groom are hosting | [Bride's name], daughter of [Bride's mother's name] and the late [Bride's father's name], and [Groom's name], son of [Groom's parents' names] invite you to share the joy of their marriage |
| Both parents are deceased | [Engaged Person's name], child of the late [Parent's name] and [Parent's name] |
| Surviving parent is remarried | [Engaged Person's name], child of [Parent's name] and [Step-parent's name], the late [Deceased parent's name] |
What You'll Learn
Including the bride's late father's name
Including the name of a parent who has passed away on a wedding invitation can be a thoughtful way to honour their memory. Here are some suggestions for how to word invitations to include the name of the bride's late father:
Formal Wording
A formal approach is perfect for a traditional wedding. The following example is for a bride with parents who are divorced or separated, with the father being the late parent:
> Mrs. Sharon Henderson
>
> and the late Mr. Nathan Henderson
>
> request the honour of your presence
>
> at the marriage of their daughter
>
> [Bride's name]
>
> [Date, time and location]
If the bride's parents are married or in a relationship, the following example can be used:
> [Mother's name] and the late [Father's name]
>
> request the honour of your presence
>
> at the marriage of their daughter
>
> [Bride's name]
>
> [Date, time and location]
Informal Wording
If a more casual tone is preferred, the following example can be used, regardless of the marital status of the bride's parents:
> [Mother's name] and the late [Father's name]
>
> the families and friends of
>
> at the celebration of the marriage of
>
> [Bride's name] and [Groom's name]
>
> [Date, time and location]
Alternative Wording
If the bride's mother is the only parent listed as hosting the wedding, the following example can be used:
> [Mother's name]
>
> requests the honour of your presence
>
> at the marriage of her daughter
>
> [Bride's name], daughter of [Mother's name] and the late [Father's name]
>
> [Date, time and location]
Additional Notes
It is important to note that including the name of a deceased parent on a wedding invitation is a personal choice, and there is no obligation to do so. Some people may prefer to honour their late parent in other ways during the wedding ceremony or reception. Additionally, it is worth considering that, traditionally, a deceased person cannot be listed as hosting an event, so including the late father's name may require a slight adjustment to the wording format.
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Including the groom's late father's name
There are a few ways to include the groom's late father's name on a wedding invitation. Here are some examples:
If the groom's parents are divorced, you can include the groom's mother's name and the late father's name, followed by the bride's parents' names:
> Mr. and Mrs. Jay Courier
> Mrs. Hannah Fullerton and the late Andrew Fullerton
> request the honor of your presence
> at the marriage of their children
> on Saturday, the twenty-first of July
> Two-thousand and twenty-six
> at six o'clock in the evening
> 912 Sixth Street South
> Minneapolis, Minnesota
If the groom's parents are deceased, you can include both of their names, followed by the bride's parents' names:
> Mr. and Mrs. Jay Courier
> The late Mr. and Mrs. Fullerton
> request the honor of your presence
> at the marriage of their children
> on Saturday, the twenty-first of July
> Two-thousand and twenty-six
> at six o'clock in the evening
> 912 Sixth Street South
> Minneapolis, Minnesota
If the groom's father is deceased and the mother is remarried, you can include the mother's new spouse's name, followed by the late father's name, and then the bride's parents' names:
> Mr. and Mrs. Jay Courier
> Mrs. Hannah Schiller and the late Andrew Fullerton
> request the honor of your presence
> at the marriage of their children
> on Saturday, the twenty-first of July
> Two-thousand and twenty-six
> at six o'clock in the evening
> 912 Sixth Street South
> Minneapolis, Minnesota
Alternative Ways to Honour the Late Father
If you are unsure about including the late father's name on the invitation, there are alternative ways to honour him. You can choose to not include his name on the invitation and instead find other ways to remember him on your wedding day. Here are some ideas:
- Have his favourite poem read at the ceremony.
- Play his favourite song.
- Light a candle for him.
- Share a few words about how you wish he were there.
- Write a tribute for your wedding program.
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Wording for a remarried parent
If you have remarried parents, there are a few ways to include them on your wedding invitation. Here are some examples:
Both Biological Parents Are Remarried
If both of your biological parents are remarried, you can list all four of them as hosts, keeping each parent on a separate line. Here's an example:
> 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
> 01.06.18 | 4 p.m.
> Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church
> Newport, California
> Reception immediately after
One Biological Parent Is Remarried
If one of your biological parents is remarried, you can include their spouse's name on the same line. Here's an example:
> Michelle and Timothy Wright
> request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of Mrs. Wright's daughter Elizabeth Ann Monroe
In this example, the daughter's paternal surname is included to honour the deceased parent.
One Biological Parent Is Remarried and the Other Is Deceased
If one of your biological parents is remarried, and the other is deceased, you can still include both of them on the invitation. Here's an example:
> Moira and Alistair Schiller
> request the honour of your presence
> at the marriage of her
> and the late Porter Blackman's daughter
> on Saturday, the twenty-first of July
> Two thousand and twenty-six
> at six o'clock in the evening
One Biological Parent Is Remarried, and the Step-parent Is Not Included
If you prefer not to include your step-parent, you can simply list your biological parents, even if one is remarried. Here's an example:
> Mrs. Sharon Henderson
> and the late Mr. Nathan Henderson
> request the honour of your presence
> at the marriage of their daughter
> Preston John Brackman
> on Saturday, the twenty-first of July
> Two thousand and twenty-six
> at six o'clock in the evening
> Dripping Springs, Texas
General Tips for Wording Wedding Invitations
- It is traditional to include the names of both sets of parents as hosts, regardless of who is paying for the wedding.
- If the couple is hosting the wedding themselves, the invitation can be worded as: "Together with their parents, [bride's name] and [groom's name] request the pleasure of your company..."
- The bride's name traditionally comes first, followed by the groom's name.
- For same-sex couples, you can choose the order of names based on alphabetical order or what sounds better.
- The year is optional, and the assumption is that the wedding is on the nearest date.
- The street address of the venue is usually not needed unless omitting it would cause confusion or the wedding is at the host's home.
- Very formal invitations include reception information on a separate card, while less formal invitations can include it on the invitation itself.
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Wording for a single parent, widow or widower
If you are a single parent, a widow or a widower, you may choose to only include yourself on the wedding invitation. Here are some examples of how to word an invitation from one parent only:
> Mrs. Angela Eldridge
> requests the honour of your presence
> at the marriage of her daughter
> Trevor Patrick Everett
> on Saturday, the twenty-first of July
> Two thousand and twenty-six
> at six o'clock in the evening
> 1982 North Bay Avenue
Or:
> Invites you to the marriage of his daughter
> on Saturday, the twenty-first of July
> Two thousand and twenty-six
> at six o'clock in the evening
> 1254 Harrington Road
> Knox Bay, Rhode Island
If you are the child of a widow or widower, you may want to include both of your parents' names on the invitation, even if one of them is deceased. Here is an example of how to do this:
> [Your name]
> child of [Parent's name] and the late [Deceased parent's name]
> [Your partner's name]
> child of [Parent's name] and [Parent's name]
> request the honour of your presence at their marriage
If your parent died a long time ago or you would prefer not to include them, you may choose to omit them from the invitation entirely. This is also perfectly acceptable.
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Honouring a deceased father at the wedding
Honouring a deceased parent, especially a father, on your wedding day can be difficult. Here are some ways to include their memory in your wedding traditions and service, so it feels like they are there with you in spirit:
During the Wedding Speech
Include your father's memory in your wedding speech or ask another loved one to do so. You could read a poem, either one you've written yourself or a classic, or offer a toast in your father's name with his favourite drink. You could also read a letter from your father, or write one yourself, explaining what he means to you and why you wanted him to be a part of your wedding.
During the Wedding Ceremony
- Leave an open seat for your father at the front of the ceremony.
- Light a memorial candle in honour of your father.
- Write a tribute to your father in the program. This could be as simple as mentioning his name or including a prayer.
- Walk down the aisle with another trusted loved one, such as an uncle, family friend, step-parent, sibling, or your mother.
- Wear a memento in honour of your father, such as something he gave you or his handkerchief.
- Mention your father's name during the ceremony. Speak to your officiate beforehand, and they can suggest quotes, passages, and other tributes to include.
During the Wedding Reception
- Play your father's favourite song at the reception, or for your first dance.
- Ask a trusted loved one to stand in for your father during the father-daughter dance and share their favourite memories of your dad.
- Create a memorial slideshow with photos and videos of your father.
- Visit your father's grave after the ceremony or reception and leave your bouquet.
Wedding Invitations
If you want to include your deceased father on your wedding invitations, here are some examples of wording:
- "Mrs Sharon Henderson and the late Mr Nathan Henderson request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter Preston John Brackman".
- "Fatima and the late Arjun Sharma, the families and friends, at the celebration of their marriage".
- "Daughter of the late Gregory Smith and Janet Doe Smith, son of Michael Brown and Anne Jones Brown, request the honour of your presence".
You could also include a small cross next to your father's name to indicate that he has passed away.
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Frequently asked questions
It is traditional to include parents' names on wedding invitations, and it is common to want to honour a deceased parent in this way. You can include your passed father by adding the word "late" before his name, for example: "child of [your name] and the late [father's name]".
It is also common for people to choose not to include a deceased parent on their wedding invitations. This might be the case if your father passed away a long time ago, or if your mother has remarried. This is absolutely fine, and it will make the wording of your invitations less tricky!
Yes, it is possible to honour all of your loved ones and extended family on your wedding invitations. You can include your stepfather on the invitation by listing him before your late father, for example: "child of [step-parent's name] and [parent's name], the late [father's name]".
You can list as many names as you like on your wedding invitation, but this can quickly get overwhelming and may use up all of the available space. Less is usually more, but it is up to your personal preference.
Yes, there are many ways to acknowledge your father's memory during your wedding. You could light a memorial candle, reserve a seat for him at the ceremony and reception, include a note "in loving memory" of him in your wedding program, give a toast in his honour, or read a memorial poem during the ceremony or reception.
