Writing Your Wedding Date: The Numerical Way

There are many different ways to write your wedding date in numbers. The traditional way is to spell out the date in full, without using numerals. For example, Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October, two thousand and twenty-four. Here, the day of the week is capitalised, there is a comma between the day and the date, and no comma between the month and the year. However, if you're hosting a more casual wedding, you can write the date more informally, for example, Saturday, May 17th, 2025. You can also use numerals as a design choice on your invitation, for example, Saturday, August 15, 2026.

It's worth noting that the traditional way of writing dates can be tricky, as it requires spelling out numbers in full and using specific formats for the time of day. For instance, 7:30 pm would be written as half after seven in the evening or half past seven o'clock in the evening.

Some couples also consider the numerology of the wedding date, choosing a date based on the life path numbers of the couple or numbers that hold positive meanings. For example, the number 6 represents domestic happiness and responsibility, while the number 1 signifies new beginnings.

Dates and times are among the trickiest parts of wedding invites

• The day of the week should be capitalized (unless your wedding invitation's font is all uppercase or lowercase), and there should be a comma between the day of the week and the date.
• If your wedding takes place on the 21st through the 31st of a month, there is a hyphen between the tens and the ones place in the date.
• The month is capitalized and written out fully, without any abbreviations.
• The year is usually on a separate line from the day of the week and the month, and there is no comma between the month and the year.
• There is no hyphen between "two thousand" but there is a hyphen between the tens and the ones numbers in the year.
• You're not required to include the day of the week or the year, but it is recommended.

However, if you're hosting a more casual wedding, you can write out your wedding date more informally. For example, if your wedding will take place on Sunday, May 17th, 2025, you could say: "Saturday, May 17th, 2025".

Times

As with dates, there are several different ways to write the time of day on your invitations. For more traditional wedding invitations, you would write out the time fully, with no numerals. So if your wedding begins at 3:30 p.m., you would write: "at half after three o'clock".

If the time is on the hour, you would simply write: "four o'clock". It's also worth noting that formal wedding invitations traditionally say "half after" (not "half past") for times on the half-hour. The time should be written in all lowercase letters.

You do not have to write "in the morning," "in the afternoon," or "in the evening," unless the wedding is scheduled for 8, 9 or 10 am or pm (where there could be some confusion over whether it's morning or evening!). If you'd like to include these phrases, note that any time after 5 pm is considered evening, and between noon and 4:30 pm is the afternoon. And if your wedding will take place at 12 pm, just write "noon".

There are other ways to write the time on your wedding invitations, particularly if you're hosting a more casual event. If you're writing the date more informally (Saturday, June 21st, 2025), you can also write the time as "4pm" or "5:30pm". Just remember that the date and time should match in formality—don't write out the date fully and then use numerals for the time.

Other Considerations

• Typically, the main wedding invitation only includes the date and time of the ceremony. If your reception is immediately following your reception in the same location, you can just write "reception to follow" or "dinner and dancing to follow" on the bottom of the invitation.
• Traditionally, the ceremony and reception's end times are not included on the wedding stationery. However, if you feel that it is important for guests to know when the wedding ends, you can include this information on your wedding website.
• To help avoid too many wedding guests arriving late to the ceremony, many couples opt to print an earlier start time on their invitations (for example, saying the ceremony starts at 5:00 pm when it actually begins at 5:15 pm). It is recommended that you don't pad the time by more than 15 minutes, or your on-time guests may get bored and think you're running late!

Numerals vs. words

When it comes to wedding invitations, there are several different ways to write the date and time, depending on the desired level of formality.

Traditionally, wedding invitations are written out in words rather than numerals. For example, if your wedding is on Saturday, October 26th, 2024, you would write:

> "Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October two thousand twenty-four."

Here, the day of the week is capitalized, and there is a comma between the day and the date. The month is also capitalized and written out in full, and the year is on a separate line.

However, if you're having a more casual wedding, you can write the date more informally, using numerals. For instance, for a wedding on Saturday, August 15th, 2026, you could simply write:

> "Saturday, August 15th, 2026."

You can also mix and match, using numerals as a design choice on your invitation or save-the-date card, while still writing out the day and month in words.

Other Considerations

When writing out the date and time in words, there are a few other things to keep in mind:

• Compound numbers, such as May 28th, have a hyphen and are written as "Saturday, the TWENTY-EIGHTH of May."
• The number of the month is not capitalized, but the day of the week and the month itself are.
• The year is written out in full, with no "and" included. For example, "two thousand sixteen" instead of "two thousand and sixteen."
• The time of day is written out as "morning," "afternoon," or "evening," rather than using "am" or "pm."
• For times on the half-hour, traditional invitations use "half after" instead of "half past."
• The time is written in lowercase letters, with no capitalization.

In the end, the most important thing is to be consistent with your chosen style and to ensure your invitation suits the formality of your wedding.

Formal vs. informal

When it comes to wedding invitations, there are many different ways to write the date and time. While wedding invitation etiquette does come into play here, you have options when it comes to the exact wording. When figuring out how to write the date and time, you need to take the formality of your wedding (and invitation) into account. More formal invitations for black-tie weddings include more traditional language, while casual invites can be more relaxed and informal.

Formal

The traditional way to write the date on wedding invitations is to spell it out completely, rather than using numerals. For example, if your wedding will take place on Saturday, October 26th, 2024, you would write:

> Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October, two thousand twenty-four

The day of the week should be capitalized (unless your wedding invitation's font is all uppercase or lowercase), and there should be a comma between the day of the week and the date. The month is capitalized and written out fully, without any abbreviations. The year is usually on a separate line from the day of the week and the month, and there is no hyphen between "two thousand".

For the time, formal wedding invitations traditionally write out the time fully, with no numerals. So, if your wedding begins at 3:30 p.m., you would write:

> at half after three o'clock

Or

> half past three o'clock

Although "half past" is less traditional). If the time is on the hour, you would write:

> four o'clock

Informal

If you're hosting a more casual wedding, you can write out your wedding date more informally. For example, if your wedding will take place on Sunday, May 17th, 2025, you could say:

> Saturday, May 17th, 2025

You may also wish to just use numerals as a design choice on your invitation or save-the-date card. So Saturday, August 15th, 2026 would be simply:

> Saturday, August 15th, 2026

As with the date, there are several different ways to write the time of day on your invitations. If you're writing the date more informally (Saturday, June 21st, 2025), you can also write the time as "4pm" or "5:30pm". Just remember that the date and time should match in formality—don't write out the date fully and then use numerals for the time.

Date and time formatting

There are many different ways to format the date and time on a wedding invitation. The style you choose will depend on the formality of your wedding and the invitation style. More formal, traditional invitations for black-tie weddings tend to use more conventional language, while casual invites can be more relaxed and informal. Here are some tips to help you format your wedding date and time:

• Spell out the date: Traditionally, wedding invitations spell out the date in full rather than using numerals. For example, "Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October two thousand and twenty-four".
• Capitalisation: The day of the week is usually capitalised (unless your wedding invitation's font is all uppercase or lowercase). The month is also capitalised, but the day of the month is not. For example, "Saturday, the Twenty-Sixth of October".
• Hyphens: If your wedding takes place on the 21st to the 31st of a month, use a hyphen between the tens and the ones place in the date. For example, "Saturday, the Twenty-Sixth of May".
• Line breaks: The year is usually on a separate line from the day of the week and the month. However, your invitation style may require a different format.
• Comma usage: There should be a comma between the day of the week and the date. However, there is no comma between the month and the year.
• Writing out the year: It is recommended to write out the full year rather than using numerals. There is no "and" in the year; for example, write "two thousand twenty-four" instead of "two thousand and twenty-four".
• Spell out the time: For formal invitations, write out the time in full without using numerals. For example, "half after three o'clock" or "seven o'clock".
• Use of "o'clock": It is generally recommended to include "o'clock" when writing the time. However, it is acceptable to drop "o'clock" for half-hour times, such as "half after four".
• Use of "half after" vs "half past": Formal wedding invitations traditionally use the phrase "half after" instead of "half past".
• Time of day: It is not necessary to include "in the morning", "in the afternoon", or "in the evening" unless there could be confusion about the time of day. For example, if your wedding is at 10:00, specify whether it is in the morning or evening.
• Consistency: Ensure that the date and time formatting match in formality. For example, don't write out the date fully and then use numerals for the time.

Remember, these are just guidelines, and you can adapt them to fit your personal style and the tone of your wedding. Working with a stationer can also help you determine the best wording and formatting for your invitations.

Numerology

• Number 1: New beginnings, unity, and the start of a new chapter.
• Number 2: Partnership, harmony, and balance.
• Number 3: Creativity, fun, and artistic expression.
• Number 4: Commitment, strong foundation, and traditional values.
• Number 5: Excitement and adventure, and possibly a destination wedding.
• Number 6: True love, home, family, and children.
• Number 7: Deep spiritual connection, introspection, and soulful bonding.
• Number 8: Successful business and career partnership, which could create tricky power dynamics.
• Number 9: Endings rather than beginnings; not ideal for a wedding day.

Tips for Choosing a Wedding Date with Numerology

• Choose numbers that represent love, expansion, partnership, and growth.
• The best numbers for a successful marriage are 4 (foundation) and 6 (love).
• Avoid unfriendly numbers like 7, 9, and sometimes 5.
• April and June are excellent months to get married as they are the 4th and 6th months.
• Calculate your life path number and choose a wedding date that is compatible with it.
• Consider both partners' life path numbers and select a date that reduces to either of these numbers or their sum.
• Use astrology alongside numerology by checking the position of planets and zodiac signs on your chosen date.

Frequently asked questions