How To Design Your Wedding Invites For The Year 2023

When it comes to wedding invitation wording, the goal is to provide guests with clear information about the wedding ceremony, including the date, time, and location. While wedding invitation etiquette exists, the formality of the invitation depends on the style of the wedding. For example, formal invitations for black-tie weddings tend to use more traditional language, while casual invites are more relaxed.

One of the most notable controversies in wedding invitation wording is whether to write the date as two thousand twelve or two thousand and twelve. While some argue that the British tend to use the and, North Americans typically omit it.

Spell out the year in full

When writing out the year on a wedding invitation, it is best to spell out the year in full. For example, "two thousand twenty-three", not "2023". This is in keeping with the traditional style of wedding invitations, which tend to be more formal.

The traditional way to write the date on a wedding invitation is to spell out the date completely, rather than use numerals. So, for a wedding taking place on Saturday, October 26, 2024, you would write: "Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October two thousand twenty-four".

The day of the week should be capitalised (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 between the 21st and 31st of a month, there is a hyphen between the tens and the ones place in the date. The month is capitalised and written out in full, with no abbreviations.

The year is usually on a separate line from the day of the week and the month, though your invitation style may require a different format. 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.

Note that you are not required to include the day of the week or the year at all, but it is recommended.

If you are hosting a more casual wedding, you can write out the date more informally. For example, for a wedding taking place on Sunday, May 17, 2025, you could say: "Saturday, May 17, 2025".

Try to be consistent with the date formatting on any enclosures in your wedding invitation suite, including the response card. For example, if you are using the traditional wording and your RSVP deadline is April 17, you would write: "Kindly respond by the seventeenth of April".

You could also be more informal on the RSVP card, using language such as: "Please reply by April 17th".

Capitalise the day of the week

When writing out the date on a wedding invitation, it is customary to capitalise the day of the week. For example, if your wedding is on a Saturday, you would write out the date as follows:

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

Or

"Saturday, May 17th, 2025"

The day of the week is always capitalised, whether your invitation uses uppercase or lowercase font. There should be a comma between the day of the week and the date. The month is also capitalised and written out in full.

The year is usually written on a separate line, without any punctuation between the month and the year. There is no "and" between "two" and "thousand". For example, "two thousand twenty-three".

You can also write the date in numerals, especially if you are hosting a more casual wedding. For example, "Saturday, 8/15/2026".

Remember to be consistent with the date formatting on any enclosures in your wedding invitation suite, such as the response card.

Include the couple's full names

When it comes to wedding invitations, it is important to include the full names of the couple. This is essential for formally requesting the honour of your guests' presence and providing clear details about the event. Here are some guidelines to help you with this aspect of the invitation wording:

• Bride's Full Name: Traditionally, only the bride's first and middle names are used if she shares her parents' last name. For example, "Elizabeth Anne" or "Heather Michelle". This is because the bride's parents' names already represent their family name.
• Groom's Full Name: The groom's name is typically spelled out and preceded by a title. For instance, "Mr. Stephen Eugene Hall" or "Corporal Christopher Conrad Ellis". The title "Mr." is usually abbreviated, but longer titles like "Doctor" should be spelled out unless it makes the line too long.
• Consistency: Ensure that the format of the couple's full names is consistent with the invitation's tone and level of formality. For instance, a formal invitation may read, "Doctor and Mrs. Jonathan Lee Edwardson request your presence at the marriage of their daughter, Elizabeth Anne, to Albert Conrad..." A more informal version could be, "Elizabeth Anne and Albert Conrad, together with their parents, invite you to their wedding celebration..."
• Order of Names: The general rule is that the bride's name is written before the groom's name. However, if the groom's parents are hosting, some sources suggest using "and" between the couple's names to indicate the joining of two families. For example, "Elizabeth Anne and Frederick Matthew Adams".
• Honorifics: When referring to the couple's parents or other family members, use appropriate honorifics such as "Mr.", "Mrs.", or "Doctor". Abbreviate these titles, but spell out "Doctor" if it fits comfortably on one line. For widowed women, use their late husband's name, e.g., "Mrs. William Harper".
• Middle Names: Traditionally, middle names are included for the couple and their family members. However, this is not mandatory, and you can choose to omit them if space is a concern.
• Punctuation: Avoid using punctuation at the end of lines, such as commas or periods, within the invitation wording. This includes the couple's names and the names of their family members.

Remember, the invitation should reflect the style and tone of your wedding. While these guidelines provide a traditional framework, you can adapt and personalise the wording to match your unique celebration.

Provide the location

When providing the location of a wedding on an invitation, it is customary to include the full address, including the street name, city, and state. The state can be omitted if all guests are local. Here are some examples of how to format the location:

"The Cheney Mansion, 426 Lake Dora Drive, Oak Park, Illinois"

"Saint Luke Episcopal Church, Richmond, Indiana"

"The Waterfront Terrace, Chicago, Illinois"

"King Family Vineyard, Charlottesville, Virginia"

If the wedding ceremony and reception are held in the same location, you can simply state "Reception to Follow" at the bottom of the invitation. However, if the reception is at a different location or several hours after the ceremony, it is best to include a separate reception card with the full address. For example:

"Please join us for a reception at six o'clock in the evening. JW Marriott Houston Downtown, 806 Main Street, Houston, Texas"

When writing out the location, be sure to spell out all addresses and state names in full. For example, use "Street" instead of "St." and "South Carolina" instead of "SC." The only exception is for honourifics, such as "Mr." and "Mrs.", which can be abbreviated.

Specify the time

When specifying the time of your wedding on your invitations, it's important to consider the formality of your wedding and invitation. Here are some tips and examples to help you specify the time effectively:

Traditional and Formal Weddings:

For traditional and formal weddings, it is customary to write out the time in full using words rather than numerals. For example, if your wedding is at 3:30 pm, you would write "half after three o'clock" or "three-thirty o'clock". The phrases "in the morning", "in the afternoon", or "in the evening" are not usually necessary, unless the wedding is at 8, 9, or 10 o'clock, where there could be confusion about whether it is morning or evening. If your wedding is at noon, simply write "noon". It's worth noting that formal invitations traditionally use the phrase "half after" instead of "half past" for times on the half-hour, and the time should be written in lowercase letters.

• "Saturday, the fourteenth of August two thousand twenty-one at five o'clock in the evening"
• "Saturday, the Seventh of May Two Thousand Eighteen at Four O’clock in the Afternoon"
• "Friday, the Tenth of September Two Thousand Eighteen at Five O’clock in the Evening"

Casual Weddings:

If you're having a more casual wedding, you can be more relaxed and informal in your wording. You can write the time using numerals, such as "4pm" or "5:30 pm". Just remember to match the formality of the time with the date format. For example, if you write the date as "Saturday, June 21st, 2025", you can write the time as "4pm".

• "Saturday, May 17th, 2025 at 4pm"
• "Saturday, August 15th, 2026 at 5:00 pm"

Other Considerations:

• Consistency: Ensure that the date and time formats match on all enclosures, including response cards. For example, if you use the traditional wording for the date, use a similar style for the time.
• Reception Timing: Typically, the main invitation only includes the date and time of the ceremony. If the reception follows immediately in the same location, you can add "reception to follow" at the bottom of the invitation. If the reception is at a different time or location, include a separate reception card with the details.
• Start Time: To avoid late arrivals, some couples opt to print an earlier start time on their invitations, usually not more than 15 minutes earlier.
• End Time: Traditionally, the end time is not included on the invitation, but if you feel it's important for guests to know, you can include it on your wedding website.

Frequently asked questions