Wedding Invitation Etiquette: Punctuation, What's The Deal?

Wedding invitations are an important piece of the planning puzzle. They are often the first thing your guests will see, touch, and feel when it comes to your wedding. They also convey critical information, so it's important to be clear and appropriate with your wedding invitation wording. One of the most important aspects of this is punctuation. So, is there supposed to be punctuation on wedding invitations?

Dates: Write out the date in full, including the day of the week, and avoid using numbers

When writing out the date on a wedding invitation, it is best practice to write out the date in full, including the day of the week, and avoid using numbers. This is considered the traditional way to write out the date on a wedding invitation.

> 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). There should be a comma between the day of the week and the date. If your wedding takes place on the 21st to the 31st of a month, there should be a hyphen between the tens and ones place in the date. The month is capitalised and written out in full, without any 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 ones numbers in the year.

You are not required to include the day of the week or the year, but it is recommended.

If you are hosting a more casual wedding, you can write out the date more informally. For example, if your wedding is on Sunday, May 17, 2025, you could write:

> Sunday, May 17, 2025

You may also use numerals as a design choice on your invitation or save-the-date card.

Times: Always spell out the time and avoid using a.m. or p.m

When it comes to times, there are a few rules to follow for wedding invitations. Firstly, always spell out the time and avoid using a.m. or p.m. For example, write "in the morning", "in the afternoon", or "in the evening" instead. This also includes avoiding using "o'clock" for times that aren't on the hour, and instead using "half after" or "quarter after". For instance, if your wedding is at 5:30 pm, write "half after five in the evening".

It's also important to note that the time of day should dictate the phrasing you use. For instance, 12:00 pm is "noon", 12:01 pm to 5:59 pm is "in the afternoon", and 6:00 pm onwards is "in the evening". Midnight is, of course, "midnight".

While it's preferable to spell out the time on the wedding invitation, you can use numerals on enclosure or accessory cards. If you do use numerals, be sure to include "a.m." or "p.m." and remain consistent with the date format. For example, if you write "6:00 p.m." for the time, use "July 2, 2025" for the date.

Finally, avoid using "immediately" alongside a specified time. For example, "Reception immediately following the ceremony at six o'clock in the evening" is incorrect. Instead, use "Reception immediately following the ceremony" or specify the time without "immediately".

Titles: Capitalise proper names and titles, and spell out 'Doctor' in full

When it comes to titles on wedding invitations, there are a few rules to follow to ensure proper etiquette. Firstly, always capitalise proper names and titles. This includes names like "Mr.", "Mrs.", "Miss", and "Ms.", as well as professional titles like "Doctor". It is important to spell out the title "Doctor" in full, rather than using the abbreviation "Dr.". For example, "Mr. and Mrs. James Godfrey Bennet request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter Fitzwilliam Randolph Darcy..."

In addition to capitalising titles and names, there are a few other punctuation guidelines to keep in mind. Avoid using punctuation, except after courtesy titles. For example, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith request the honour of your presence..." It is also standard to capitalise the first letter of the year when writing out dates. For instance, "Saturday, the twenty sixth of September, two thousand and twenty-one..."

While these are the general rules for titles and punctuation on wedding invitations, there may be some variations depending on the style and formality of the invitation. For instance, in more modern or informal invitations, you may choose to use less formal language and punctuation to match the tone of the event. Ultimately, the most important thing is to convey critical information clearly and appropriately, setting the right tone for the wedding celebration.

Hosts: Include a host line at the top, indicating who is hosting and paying for the wedding

The host line is located at the very top of the wedding invitation and indicates who is hosting and paying for the wedding. The host line is usually followed by a request line, which invites guests to the wedding celebration.

The host line is an important part of the invitation as it sets the tone for the wedding. It is also a way to recognise the hosts of the wedding, who are typically the people paying for the event. The wording of the host line will vary depending on who is hosting. This could be one set of parents, both sets of parents, the couple and their parents, or just the couple.

Hosted by One Set of Parents:

• Formal invitation: "Mr. and Mrs. Ernie Lively invite you to share in the joy of the marriage uniting their daughter Blake Ellender to Ryan Rodney."
• Casual invitation: "Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Simon Peter Blunt invite you to the marriage of Emily Olivia Leah and John Burke."

Hosted by Both Sets of Parents:

• Formal invitation: "Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Adams and Mr. and Mrs. David Beckham request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their children Victoria Caroline to David Robert Joseph."
• Casual invitation: "With great pleasure, Kimberly and Jonathan Biel, and Lynn Bomar Harless and Randall Timberlake invite you to celebrate the marriage of their children Jessica and Justin."

Hosted by the Couple:

• Formal invitation: "Amal Alamuddin and George Timothy Clooney request the pleasure of your company at the celebration of their marriage."
• Casual invitation: "Miss Beyonce Knowles and Shawn 'Jay Z' Carter are getting married. Join us for dinner and drinks."

Hosted by Divorced Parents:

• Formal invitation: "Mr. Angiolo Guiseppe and Ms. Elettra Rossellini invite you to share in the joy of the marriage uniting their son Roberto Rossellini to Ingrid Bergman."
• Casual invitation: "Ms. Pamela Jacobsen, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Jacobsen invite you to share in their wedding festivities at the marriage of their daughter Jordan to Paige."

Hosted by a Parent, Including a Deceased Parent:

• Formal invitation: "Mrs. and Mr. Michael Francis Middleton request the honour of your company at the marriage of their daughter Catherine Elizabeth Middleton to Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, son of Charles, Prince of Wales, and the late Diana, Princess of Wales."
• Casual invitation: "Together with their families, Malaak Compton, daughter of Gerald and Louisa Compton, and Christopher Rock, son of the late Julius Rock and Rosalie Rock, invite you to share in their wedding festivities."

Hosted by Same-Sex Parents:

• Formal invitation: "Mr. Michael and Mr. Sean Flannigan request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter Julie Marie to Stephen Anthony."
• Casual invitation: "Ms. Jane and Ms. Courtney Lowe invite you to attend the marriage of their daughter Madison to Colton."

When writing the host line, be sure to capitalise proper names and titles, and avoid using punctuation except after courtesy titles.

RSVP: Avoid redundancy by using 'RSVP' or 'kindly respond by' instead of 'please RSVP by'

When it comes to wedding invitations, punctuation and manners are essential. While the rules of punctuation can be bent in creative and informal contexts, wedding invitations are generally quite formal and require careful attention to punctuation.

RSVP is an abbreviation of the French "répondez, s'il vous plaît," which means "please respond." Therefore, "please RSVP by [date]" is redundant. Instead, you can use "kindly respond by" or "the favour of a reply is requested" by. These phrases are more elegant and avoid the redundancy of "please RSVP by."

• Include a reply-by date that is at least two to four weeks before the wedding date. This will give you enough time to provide a final headcount to the caterer and create your seating chart.
• Specify the number of guests they are allowed to bring and how they should respond. For example, you can include a stamped envelope for mailed responses or provide a wedding website, email address, or phone number.
• Include an RSVP deadline, especially if you are expecting mailed responses.
• Traditional RSVP cards usually offer two options: "Accepts With Pleasure" or "Regretfully Declines." However, you can personalise the wording to match the tone and style of your wedding. For example, for a casual wedding, you could write, "We're ready to join your adventure!"
• The RSVP card is also a great place to collect guests' meal choices, dietary restrictions, song requests, or photo submissions for a wedding slideshow.

Remember, the RSVP section is crucial for gathering the information you need to plan your big day. By following these tips, you can make the process smoother for both you and your guests.

Frequently asked questions