Wording The Date On Your Wedding Invite: A Guide

Wedding invitations are often the first glimpse your guests will have of your special day, so it's important to get them right. There are many different ways to format the date and time of your wedding, depending on how formal an event you are planning. This article will give you some tips on how to write out the date and time on your wedding invites in a way that matches the tone of your celebration.

Write out the date, day of the week, month, and year

When writing out the date, day of the week, month, and year on a wedding invite, there are a few things to keep in mind. Firstly, the day of the week and the month should always be capitalised, while the year and numerical date should not be. For example, "Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October, two thousand twenty-four".

The day of the week should be followed by a comma, and there should be no comma between the month and the year. The year is usually written on a separate line from the day and month. If your wedding date falls between the 21st and 31st of the month, use a hyphen between the tens and ones place in the date, for example, "Saturday, the twenty-first of May, two thousand twenty-four".

For a more casual wedding, you can write the date more informally, for example, "Saturday, May 17th, 2025". Alternatively, you may choose to use only numerals as a design choice, for instance, "Saturday, 8/15/2026". However, remember to maintain consistency in the formatting of the date throughout your invitation suite, including any enclosures or response cards.

It is recommended to include the year in your wedding invitation, but this is not mandatory. If you decide to omit it, your invitation date line could look something like this: "Saturday, the twenty-ninth of April".

Capitalise the day of the week and the month

When writing a wedding date on an invitation, the day of the week and the month should be capitalised. For example, if your wedding is on a Saturday, you would write "Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October two thousand twenty-four".

The day of the week is always capitalised, and there should be a comma after it. For example, "Saturday," not "Saturday". The same goes for the month. For example, write "October," not "October".

If your wedding is on the 21st to the 31st of the month, there should be a hyphen between the tens and the ones place in the date. For example, "Saturday, the twenty-first of May".

The year is usually written on a separate line from the day of the week and the month. There should be no comma between the month and the year. For example, "Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October, two thousand twenty-four".

It is recommended to include the day of the week and the year in your wedding invitation. However, if you prefer a more casual style, you can omit them. For instance, "Saturday, May seventeenth, two thousand twenty-five".

Remember that the date and time formats on your invitation should match in formality. If you write out the date in full, use spelled-out times rather than numerals. For instance, "half after three o'clock" instead of "3:30 p.m.".

Use a hyphen for compound dates

When writing out the date for your wedding invitations, it's important to ensure that you're providing clear information for your guests. Using a hyphen for compound dates is a great way to improve readability and ensure your guests arrive on the right day! Here are some tips and examples to help you out:

Understanding Compound Dates

Compound dates refer to dates that use a hyphen to separate the tens and the ones place in the day of the month. This style is typically used for dates ranging from the 21st to the 31st of a month. For example, if your wedding is on the 28th of May, you would write "Saturday, the TWENTY-EIGHTH of May" or "Saturday, May twenty-eighth". The hyphen helps your guests quickly identify the specific date, especially when written in words rather than numerals.

Formal and Casual Invitations

It's important to consider the formality of your wedding and invitations when deciding on the date format. Formal invitations for black-tie weddings typically follow more traditional language and spelling conventions. On the other hand, casual invitations can be more relaxed and informal in their wording. For instance, if you're having a casual wedding on Sunday, May 28th, 2025, you could write it as "Saturday, May 28th, 2025" or use numerals: "Saturday, 5/28/2025".

Consistency is Key

Remember to maintain consistency throughout your wedding invitation suite, including any response cards or enclosures. If you're using the traditional spelling-out format for the date on your invitation, carry that through to other elements. For example, if your wedding is on May 28th, your response card could say, "Kindly respond by the twenty-eighth of May." Alternatively, if you use numerals for the date on the invitation, stick to numerals on the response card: "Please reply by 5/28."

Additional Tips

• Capitalize the day of the week and the month.
• Use commas to separate the day of the week from the date and the date from the year.
• Write out the year in full, such as "two thousand twenty-five," without using "and."
• Avoid using abbreviations for the month or day of the week.
• If desired, include the day of the week before the date for added clarity.

By following these guidelines, you'll be able to confidently write out compound dates for your wedding invitations, ensuring that your guests have all the information they need to join you on your special day!

Include the time of day

When it comes to wedding invites, the time of day is an important element to include, ensuring your guests arrive at the right moment to celebrate with you. Here are some tips and guidelines for including the time of day on your wedding invitations:

Spell Out the Time

It is generally recommended to spell out the time of day in full on traditional wedding invitations. Instead of using numerals, write out the time using words, such as "four o'clock" or "half after four o'clock". This adds a touch of elegance and formality to your invitation.

Include "O'Clock"

When writing out the time, it is customary to include the phrase "o'clock". For example, "four o'clock in the afternoon" or "half after four o'clock in the evening". However, some sources suggest that it is acceptable to drop "o'clock" when referring to half hours, such as "half after four in the afternoon".

Avoid Using Numerals

Traditional wedding invitation etiquette dictates that you should avoid using numerals for the time of day. Instead of writing "4:00 p.m.", opt for the written-out version. This ensures a cohesive and elegant look for your invitations.

Specify the Time of Day

To provide clarity for your guests, include the time of day along with the time. You can indicate whether the wedding will take place "in the morning", "in the afternoon", or "in the evening". This is especially important when your wedding is scheduled at a time that could be ambiguous, such as 8:00 a.m. or 6:00 p.m.

Morning, Afternoon, or Evening?

There is some flexibility in defining the time of day. Morning is typically considered to be from midnight to noon, afternoon from noon to 5:00 p.m., and evening from 5:00 p.m. onwards. However, some sources suggest that evening can start at 6:00 p.m., especially when it comes to wedding invitation etiquette.

Consistency is Key

Remember to maintain consistency in the format of your invitation. If you choose to write out the time of day in full, ensure that the rest of your invitation follows a similar style. This means spelling out other details, such as the date, and avoiding the use of numerals or abbreviations.

In conclusion, including the time of day on your wedding invitations is an important aspect of wedding etiquette. By following these guidelines and tailoring them to your wedding's style and formality, you can ensure that your guests have all the information they need to join you on your special day.

Write out the time for formal invites

When writing out the time on a formal wedding invitation, there are a few things to keep in mind. Firstly, it is recommended to write out the time in full, using words instead of numerals. For example, if your wedding begins at 3:30 p.m., you would write "half after three o'clock". Using "half after" instead of "half past" is also considered more traditional.

You should also consider including phrases like "in the morning", "in the afternoon", or "in the evening" to indicate the time of day. These phrases are especially important if your wedding is scheduled for 8, 9, or 10 o'clock, where there could be confusion between morning and evening. For example, you would write "eleven o'clock in the morning" or "seven o'clock in the evening". Generally, "morning" refers to any time before 12 noon, "afternoon" for times between 12 noon and 5 pm, and "evening" for any time after 5 pm.

It is also worth noting that you should not write "twelve o'clock" and instead, refer to 12:00 pm as "noon". Additionally, avoid using "a.m." or "p.m." and instead, indicate the time of day using the phrases mentioned above.

While these are the general guidelines for formal wedding invitations, you can always choose to break tradition and write the time in a more casual or creative way. Ultimately, the most important thing is to provide your guests with clear information so they know when and where your big day will take place.

Frequently asked questions