Country Wedding Invitation Wording: Etiquette And Examples

Planning a wedding in the countryside? Here are some ideas for your invitations.

If you're going for a formal tone, you could say:

> The honour of your presence is requested at the marriage of [bride] and [groom] on [date] at [time] at [venue name and address]. Reception to follow.

If you want to keep things casual, try:

> [Bride] and [groom] invite you to join them as they exchange vows on [date] at [time] at [venue name and address]. Reception to follow.

If you're looking for something in between, how about:

> Together with their families, [bride] and [groom] invite you to celebrate with them on [date] at [time] at [venue name and address]. Dinner and dancing to follow.

How to list the hosts

The host line is the opening line on a wedding invitation and names the hosts of the event. If multiple parties are hosting, you only need to include names if you want a formal feel. If you're hosting the wedding yourselves, this line can be omitted.

Traditionally, the bride's parents are the hosts of the wedding and are named at the top of the invitation. However, including the names of both sets of parents as hosts is a gracious option, no matter who foots the bill. It's also increasingly common for couples to host their own weddings, or to do so together with their parents.

If the couple's parents are divorced and you want to include both as hosts, include them all, keeping each parent on a separate line. If you're going to include the name of a stepparent, keep it on the same line as their partner.

If the couple is hosting with their parents, you can opt for something like, "Together with their parents" or "Together with their families."

If you want to include the name of a deceased parent, you'll need to rearrange things a bit, as someone who has passed can't serve as a host. Try this, for example:

> Julia French, daughter of Mr. Adam French and the late Iris French, and Austin Mahoney, son of Mr. Camden and Elizabeth Mahoney, request the honour of your presence at their wedding on the fifth of May, two thousand seventeen at one o'clock in the afternoon.

If the couple is hosting by themselves, their titles are optional.

Examples

Bride's parents hosting

• Mrs Lauryn and Mr Robert Devine request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter Sophia Anne Devine to Matthew Paul Johnson on Saturday the sixteenth of October Two thousand and ten at four o’clock in the afternoon.
• Mr. and Mrs. Ernie Lively invite you to share in the joy of marriage uniting their daughter Blake Ellender to Ryan Rodney Saturday, the ninth of September two-thousand twelve at noon.

Groom's parents hosting

Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Simon Peter Blunt invite you to the marriage of Emily Olivia Leah and John Burke July 10, 2010 at half past six in the evening.

Both sets of parents hosting

• Kenzie M. Smith and Jennifer L. Smith 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.
• 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 Saturday, the fourth of July Nineteen ninety-nine at half past seven in the evening.

Couple hosting

• Sophia Devine and Matthew Johnson invite you to join them as they exchange vows on Saturday the sixteenth of October 2020 at four o'clock in the afternoon.
• Amal Alamuddin and George Timothy Clooney request the pleasure of your company at the celebration of their marriage Saturday, 27 September 2014 at noon.

The request to attend

Formal Wording

• "Request the pleasure of your company"
• "The honour of your presence" (the British spelling of "honour" traditionally indicates a ceremony held in a church or another house of worship)
• "Invite you to celebrate with them"
• "Would love for you to join them"
• "At the marriage of their children"

Casual Wording

• "Joyfully invite you"
• "Cordially invite you"
• "Invite you to share in their joy"
• "With hearts full of love and joy"
• "Together with full hearts"

Creative Wording

• "Come eat cake with you"
• "Come party with us"
• "Eat, drink and be merry"
• "Good food, good drinks, good friends"
• "Join us as we smile, laugh, cry, eat"

Modern Wording

• "Would love to"
• "Please join us to celebrate"
• "Love the pleasure of your company"
• "Invite you to join"
• "Joyfully request the pleasure of your company"

Couple's names

The wording of a wedding invitation is important as it provides essential details such as the couple's full names, the hosts of the event, the ceremony location, and the reception venue. Here are some suggestions for how to word the invitations with a focus on the couple's names:

Formal Wording

The traditional format for wedding invitations is formal, with everything spelled out in full. This includes the date, time, and full names of the hosts and the couple. For example:

"The honour of your presence is requested at the marriage of [Bride's first and middle names] and [Groom's full name] on [Date] at [Time] at [Venue name and address]. Reception to follow."

If the couple is hosting the wedding themselves, the invitation could read:

"The honour of your presence is requested at the marriage of [Bride's full name] to [Groom's full name] on [Date] at [Time] at [Venue name and address]. Reception to follow."

Informal Wording

For a more casual or modern approach, you can use numerals for the date and time and be more creative with the wording. Here are some examples:

"Together with their families, [Bride's full name] and [Groom's full name] invite you to share in their joy as they exchange marriage vows and begin their life together on [Date] at [Time] at [Venue name and address]. Reception to follow."

"With great pleasure, [Bride's full name] and [Groom's full name] invite you to witness their new beginning as they exchange marriage vows on [Date] at [Time] at [Venue name and address]. Dinner and dancing to follow."

Same-Sex Couples

For same-sex couples, the traditional rule of the woman's name coming first does not apply. You can choose to list the names alphabetically or simply go with what sounds better. Here is an example:

"The honour of your presence is requested at the marriage of [Partner 1's full name] and [Partner 2's full name] on [Date] at [Time] at [Venue name and address]. Reception to follow."

"Join us as we celebrate the wedding of [Partner 1's full name] and [Partner 2's full name] on [Date] at [Time] at [Venue name and address]. Dinner, drinks, and dancing to follow."

Date, time and location

The date, time, and location are essential details to include in your wedding invitation. Here are some tips and examples to help you word this section effectively:

Date and Time:

• Traditional wedding invitation wording spells out the date and time in full, while modern invites often use numerical figures. For a formal invitation, write out the date and year, such as "Saturday, the fifteenth of September, two thousand twenty-one, at half after four in the afternoon."
• For a casual or contemporary invitation, you can use numerals and abbreviate the date, such as "Saturday, 9/15/2021, 4:30 p.m."
• Specify the time of day, such as "in the afternoon" or "in the evening." Afternoon typically refers to the time between noon and four o'clock, while evening starts at five or six o'clock.

Location:

• Include the name and full street address of your wedding venue, especially if it's a destination wedding or if you have out-of-town guests.
• For a formal invitation, spell out the city and state in full. You may also include the country if the wedding is taking place abroad.
• If the wedding is held at a well-known venue or a private residence, you may omit the street address.
• If the ceremony and reception are at the same location, you can simply state, "Reception to follow" or "Dinner and dancing to follow."
• If the reception is at a different venue, include the full address on a separate line or on a reception card enclosed with the invitation.

Bride's Parents Hosting:

> Mr. and Mrs. John L. Smith request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their son Jack Alexander to Mason Jacob Kim on Saturday, the seventeenth of August two thousand twenty-four, at half after four in the afternoon at [venue name and address]. Reception to follow.

Both Sets of Parents Hosting:

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

Couple Hosting:

> The honor of your presence is requested at the marriage of Jack Alexander Smith and Mason Jacob Kim on 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:

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

Reception details

If the ceremony and reception are at the same venue, you can simply write "Reception to follow" or "Dinner and dancing to follow". If the reception is at a different location, you can include the full address and other pertinent information on a separate details card tucked in with your main invitation.

If the reception is not immediately following the ceremony, include the time. If the ceremony and reception are at different locations, include the addresses on separate cards for formal wedding invitations.

Your wedding reception card wording should let your guests know what type of festivities they should expect, whether it's dinner and dancing, a light luncheon, or cocktails and canapes. For example:

• "Cake, punch, and merriment to follow"
• "Feasting and merriment to follow"
• "Dining, dancing, and happily ever after to follow"
• "Dinner and dancing to follow"
• "Merriment to follow"
• "Cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and dancing to follow"
• "Join us after the ceremony for cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and dancing"
• "Dinner and merriment to follow"
• "Dinner and dancing to follow at [venue name and address]"
• "An evening of dinner and dancing to follow"
• "And afterward at the reception"
• "Reception immediately following the ceremony"
• "Reception to follow at [venue name and address]"

Frequently asked questions