The Classic Wedding Invitation: A Guide To Traditional Etiquette

Wedding invitation wording can be a tricky task, but it's important to get it right as it's one of the first things your guests will see. The classic way to word a wedding invitation includes the following elements:

- Host line: Traditionally, the bride's parents are the hosts and their names come first, but nowadays it's also common to include both sets of parents or for the couple to host themselves.

- Request line: This is where you invite your guests to join the celebration. Formal wording such as request the honour of your presence is usually used for religious ceremonies, while more casual language like invite you to join or please join us to celebrate is often chosen for non-religious services.

- Couple's names: The bride's name typically comes first, followed by the groom's full name. For same-sex couples, names can be listed alphabetically or based on what looks best with the invitation design.

- Date, time, and location: These details should be included to ensure your guests know where and when to show up. Formal invitations usually spell out the date, time, and location in full, while informal invitations may use numerals.

- Reception details: If the ceremony and reception are at the same venue, you can simply say reception to follow. If the reception is at a different location, include the address on a separate card or on the invitation itself if there is room.

The host line

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; the 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 first, 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 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, such as:

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

The attendance request

Wording Options

The wording of the attendance request can vary depending on the formality of your wedding and your personal preferences. Here are some classic options:

• "Request the honour of your presence" (denotes a formal, religious ceremony)
• "Request the pleasure of your company" (denotes a non-religious or more casual ceremony)
• "Invite you to celebrate with them"
• "Would love for you to join them"
• "The pleasure of your company is requested"

Honour vs. Honor

Note the British spelling of "honour" is often used to indicate a more formal tone, while the American spelling "honor" is more commonly used for casual invitations.

Examples

• "Mr. and Mrs. John Smith request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter, Jane Smith, to Mr. John Doe."
• "Together with their families, Jane Smith and John Doe request the honour of your presence at their wedding celebration."
• "Mr. and Mrs. Smith invite you to share in their joy at the marriage of their daughter, Jane Smith, to Mr. John Doe."
• "Jane Smith and John Doe, together with their families, request the pleasure of your company at their wedding."

Remember to include the names of the couple, the hosts (if different from the couple), and the date, time, and location of the wedding ceremony. The attendance request should be written in a clear and elegant style, reflecting the tone and formality of your wedding celebration.

The couple's names

If the bride's parents' names are listed at the top of the invitation, the bride's name can just be her first and middle name, without her last name. In that case, the groom's name is either listed in full or his first and middle names are listed, followed by the line "Son of Mr. & Mrs." and his parents' names.

Traditionally, the date and time are spelled out in full, for example, "Saturday, the twentieth of June, [two thousand fifteen], at half after three o'clock". The day of the week and the month should be capitalised, and the year should be in lowercase. The time of day should be written as "four o'clock" or "half after four o'clock".

If you are using classic, formal wording, the invitation might look something like this:

"Mr. and Mrs. James Stuart Evans, Jr.

Request the honour of your presence

At the marriage of their daughter

Miss Brian Charles Jamison

To

Mr. Robert Smith

Saturday, the twentieth of June

[two thousand fifteen]

At half after three o'clock

First Congregational Church

Spring Hill, Minnesota

And afterward at the reception

Spring Hill Golf Club"

However, if you are hosting the wedding yourselves, you can skip the host line and instead start with a warm and welcoming introduction, such as:

"Together with full hearts

Talia Camila Flores and Stephen Anthony Byrne

Request the honour of your presence at their marriage

Saturday, the eleventh of June, two thousand and twenty-three, at twelve o'clock in the afternoon

Arctic Club Hotel

700 Third Avenue

Seattle, Washington

Reception to follow"

Date, time and location

The date, time, and location are essential details to include in a wedding invitation. Here are some tips and examples to help you word this information in a classic and traditional way:

Date and Time:

For formal wedding invitations, it is customary to spell out the date and time in full. For example:

> Saturday, the fifteenth of September, two thousand twenty-one, at half after four in the afternoon

The day of the week and the month should be capitalised, and the year should be in lowercase letters. The time of day should be indicated as "four o'clock" or "half after four o'clock". Noon is midday, and from noon until four o'clock is considered the afternoon. Evening begins at five o'clock.

For a more casual or modern invitation, you may choose to use numerals for the date and time, but be sure to use a legible font to avoid confusion.

Location:

The location section of the invitation should include the name and full address of the wedding venue, including the city and state. For a destination wedding or if you have guests travelling from out of town, it is helpful to include the country as well.

> The Ritz-Carlton, 9999 Example Street, Springfield, Illinois

If the wedding is taking place at the host's home, you may choose to include the street address. Otherwise, for local weddings, the street address is usually omitted unless its exclusion may cause confusion.

Additional Information:

If the ceremony and reception are at the same venue, you can simply state "Reception to follow" or "Dinner and dancing to follow". If the reception is at a different location, include the full address on a separate card or on the same line if there is room.

> Reception to follow at The Ritz-Carlton, 9999 Example Street, Springfield, Illinois

If the reception is not immediately after the ceremony, include the time. You may also include additional details about the reception, such as:

> Cocktails, dinner and dancing to follow

Reception details

The reception details are an important part of a wedding invitation and can be included in a few different ways. If the ceremony and reception are at the same venue, a simple "Reception to follow" or "Dinner and dancing to follow" can be added at the bottom of the invitation. If the reception is at a separate venue, its address can be included on a separate card. This card can also include other pertinent information, such as dress code and how guests should RSVP.

If the reception is not immediately following the ceremony, include the time. The level of formality of the wedding can also be indicated in the reception details. For a formal wedding, the reception details might look like:

> Reception immediately following at [address]

For a more casual wedding, the reception details could be:

> Join us after the ceremony for cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and dancing

The reception details are a great place to set the tone for the celebration.

Frequently asked questions