How To Properly Address Wedding Invitations

Wedding invitations are an important piece of the planning puzzle. They set the tone for the wedding and convey critical information. The host line is located at the very top of the invitation and typically includes the name(s) of the people who are paying for the wedding. Depending on who's hosting, the wording will vary slightly. It could be one set of parents, both sets of parents, the couple and their parents together, or just the couple.

Who is the host?

The host line is the very top of the invitation, where the name(s) of the event hosts appear. The hosts are usually the people who are paying for the wedding. Depending on who is hosting, the wording will vary slightly. Here are some examples of different wedding hosts and how to word the invitation accordingly:

One Set of Married Parents Hosting

Include the parents' full names (with middle names for very formal weddings). If they have different last names, write "and" to join the two names.

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Timothy Williams (very formal; middle name is included)

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Williams (formal)

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher and Sarah Williams (formal; includes both first names)

Christopher and Sarah Williams (less formal)

One Set of Divorced Parents Hosting

Include the mother's name first, followed by the father's name. Do not use "and" to connect the two names; instead, give each name its own line.

Both Sets of Parents Hosting

For different-sex couples, list the bride's parents' names at the top of the invite, then the groom's parents' names. For same-sex couples, list the names according to preference or in the order that looks best with the invitation design.

Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Wong and Mr. and Mrs. Adam Hollis (formal)

Aaron and Alisha Wong together with Adam and Beatrice Hollis (less formal)

Couple Is Hosting With Their Families

When the couple and both of their families are contributing to the cost of the wedding, many choose to add a line such as "Together with their families" as the host line.

Together with their families

Together with our families

Together with their parents

Couple is Hosting Themselves

If the couple is hosting the wedding themselves, you can skip the host line altogether or start the invitation wording with a warm and welcoming introduction, such as:

Together with full hearts

With hearts full of love and joy

Host is a Widowed Parent

Addressing a wedding invitation from a widowed parent can be sensitive. It is traditional to just use the name of the parent who is requesting the company of the guest if they are hosting alone or haven't remarried.

If they've remarried and you're happy to have both names on your invitations, you're best to follow the step-parent format. If it is from the father and he has not remarried, you'd just use his name. If it's the mother that is the surviving parent, and she has not remarried, you'd use her married title.

Host is Same-Sex Parents

If your parents identify as the same sex, there are a few ways to honour them on your invitation.

To include the names of two parents with different last names, use the courtesy title "Mr.", "Mrs." or "Mx." and list their names in alphabetical order by last name.

To include the names of two parents with the same last name, use the courtesy title "Mr.", "Mrs." or "Mx." and list their names in alphabetical order by first name.

Other Considerations

If you are writing your own invitations from scratch, follow these requirements line-by-line as you fill out this piece of your wedding stationery:

• Capitalize proper names and titles.
• Don't use punctuation, except after courtesy titles.
• Avoid abbreviations; in general, spell everything out except courtesy titles.
• Don't spell out courtesy titles, except for "Doctor" in the case of medical doctors.
• Consider using both partners' full legal names. If you prefer to go by a nickname, use it on the save-the-date or other, less formal pieces of the invitation suite.
• Drop the bride's and/or groom's middle names if they become too long to fit on one line.

What is the host line format?

The host line is the very top of the invitation and it includes the name(s) of the event host(s). The host is typically the person or people who are paying for the wedding. Depending on who is hosting, the wording will vary slightly. Here is a breakdown of how to format the host line in different scenarios:

Hosted by One Set of Parents:

Include the parents' full names, with middle names included for very formal weddings. If the parents have different last names, write "and" to join the two names. For example:

• Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Timothy Williams (very formal, middle name included)
• Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Williams (formal)
• Mr. and Mrs. Christopher and Sarah Williams (formal, includes both first names)
• Christopher and Sarah Williams (less formal)

Hosted by Both Sets of Parents:

For different-sex couples, list the bride's parents' names first, followed by the groom's parents' names. For same-sex couples, list the names in alphabetical order or in the order that looks best with the invitation design. For example:

• Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Wong and Mr. and Mrs. Adam Hollis (formal)
• Aaron and Alisha Wong together with Adam and Beatrice Hollis (less formal)

Hosted by the Couple and Their Families:

When the couple and both of their families are contributing to the cost of the wedding, you can add a line such as "Together with their families" or "Together with our families". For example:

• Together with their families
• Together with our families
• Together with their parents

Hosted by the Couple:

If the couple is hosting the wedding themselves, you can skip the host line or start the invitation with a warm and welcoming introduction. For example:

• Together with full hearts
• With hearts full of love and joy

Hosted by Divorced Parents:

Include the mother's name first, followed by the father's name on a separate line. Do not use "and" to connect the names. If the mother is divorced and not remarried, use the courtesy title "Ms." followed by her preferred last name (maiden or married). For example:

• Mr. Angiolo Guiseppe and Ms. Elettra Rossellini
• Ms. Pamela Jacobsen and Mr. Fred Jacobsen

Hosted by Parent, Including Deceased Parent:

To honour a deceased parent on the invitation, include their name in the host line or after the bride or groom's name, preceded by the phrase "the late". For example:

• Mrs. and Mr. Michael Francis Middleton (mother hosting, father deceased)
• Mrs. Louisa Compton and Mr. Gerald Compton (both deceased)

Hosted by Same-Sex Parents:

To include the names of two parents with different last names, use the courtesy titles "Mr.", "Mrs." or "Mx." and list their names in alphabetical order by last name. To include the names of two parents with the same last name, use the courtesy titles and list their names in alphabetical order by first name. For example:

• Mr. Michael Flannigan and Mr. Sean Flannigan (different last names)
• Mr. Michael Flannigan and Mr. Sean Flannigan (same last name)

What if the couple is hosting?

If the couple is hosting the wedding themselves, you can skip the host line altogether or start the invitation wording with a warm and welcoming introduction. Here are some examples of wording:

• "Together with full hearts"
• "With hearts full of love and joy"
• "Together with our families"
• "Together with their parents"

If the couple is hosting, the wording of the invitation should include:

• A proper request line: "Invite you to join", "Please join us to celebrate", and "Love the pleasure of your company" are some options.
• The couple's names: For heterosexual couples, the bride's name traditionally comes before the groom's. For same-sex couples, the wording of the host line may dictate whose name comes first.
• The date, time, and location of the ceremony: Include the wedding venue and the full address for a destination wedding or out-of-town guests.
• Reception details: Let guests know what type of festivities to expect, such as dinner and dancing, a light luncheon, or cocktails and canapes.
• "Amal Alamuddin and George Timothy Clooney request the pleasure of your company at the celebration of their marriage Saturday, 27 September 2014 at noon Aman Canal Grande Hotel in Venice, Italy. Festivities to follow."
• "Miss Beyonce Knowles and Shawn 'Jay Z' Carter are getting married Friday, April 4th, 2018 at four o'clock in the afternoon. Join us for dinner and drinks."
• "Jessica and Jane are getting hitched! [location] [date] [time] followed by drinking and dancing. R.S.V.P by 30th June to [couple's address]."

What if the bride's parents are hosting?

If the bride's parents are hosting the wedding, their names will be at the top of the invitation. This is true even if it is a very formal affair. Here are some examples of how to word the invitation:

Formal Wording

• "Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Timothy Williams request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter [Bride's name] and [groom's name] on [date] at [time] at [venue name], [venue location]."
• "Marcus and Liza Cannon request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter [Bride's name] to [groom's name] on [date] at [time]."

Less Formal Wording

• "Christopher and Sarah Williams invite you to the wedding of their daughter [Bride's name] and [groom's name] on [date] at [time] at [venue name], [venue location]."
• "Samuel and Mindy Peters, the families and friends of Matthew John Masterson, invite you to the ceremony and celebration on [date] at [time] at [venue name], [venue location]."

If both parents are contributing financially to the wedding, be sure to include both of their names. Traditionally, the bride's parents' first names and last name are mentioned, while the bride's first and middle names are used, and the groom's first, middle, and last names are included.

What if both sets of parents are hosting?

If both sets of parents are hosting the wedding, you can include both of their names on the invitation. Here are some examples of how to word this:

Formal Wording

For a formal wedding invitation, you can use the following format:

> [Names of bride's parents] and [names of groom's parents] request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their children [names of couple] [date and time] at [venue name and address]

For example:

> Kenzie M. Smith and Jennifer L. Smith and Mark Franklin and Mary Elizabeth Reyes request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their children Olivia Rose and John Michael Saturday, the seventeenth of August two thousand twenty-four at half after four in the afternoon at [venue name and address] Reception to follow

Less Formal Wording

If you prefer a less formal tone, you can use first names and a more casual phrase such as "are delighted to invite you":

> [Names of bride's parents] and [names of groom's parents] are delighted to invite you to the marriage of their children [names of couple] [date and time] at [venue name and address]

For example:

> Kenzie and Jennifer Smith and Mark and Mary Reyes invite you to share in the joy of their children's wedding, Olivia Rose and John Michael, Saturday, August 17, 2024 at 4:30 in the afternoon at [venue name and address] Reception to follow

Both Sets of Parents with the Couple

If both sets of parents are hosting along with the couple, you can include all of their names:

> [Names of bride's parents], [names of groom's parents] and [names of couple] request the honour of your presence at their wedding [date and time] at [venue name and address]

For example:

> Kenzie M. Smith and Jennifer L. Smith, Mark Franklin and Mary Elizabeth Reyes, and Olivia Rose and John Michael request the honour of your presence at their wedding, Saturday, the seventeenth of August two thousand twenty-four at half after four in the afternoon at [venue name and address] Reception to follow

Together with Their Families

If you want to emphasise the unity of the families, you can use wording such as "together with their families":

> [Names of couple], together with their families, [names of bride's parents] and [names of groom's parents], request the honour of your presence at their wedding [date and time] at [venue name and address]

For example:

> Olivia Rose Smith and John Michael Reyes, together with their families, Kenzie M. Smith and Jennifer L. Smith, and Mark Franklin and Mary Elizabeth Reyes, request the honour of your presence at their wedding, Saturday, the seventeenth of August two thousand twenty-four at half after four in the afternoon at [venue name and address] Reception to follow

Frequently asked questions