The Perfect Words For Your Parent's Wedding Invite

Wedding invitation wording can be tricky, but the most important rule is to create a beautiful wedding invitation that represents the couple, their love, and communicates the vital details of the wedding. The first line of most traditional wedding invites is where you mention the host, or the person/people paying for the majority of the celebration. This is usually the bride's parents, but nowadays it is becoming more common for the couple themselves, or the couple and both sets of parents, to share expenses.

If the bride's parents are hosting, the invitation might begin with Mr. and Mrs. [Father's first name] [Father's last name] request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter [Daughter's first and middle name] to [Partner's first, middle, and last name].... If both parents are contributing, it is gracious to include everyone. For example, Mr. and Mrs. [Father's first name] [Father's last name] request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter [Daughter's first and middle name] and [Partner's first, middle, and last name], son of Mr. and Mrs. [Partner's father's first name] [Partner's father's last name]....

If the couple is hosting, the invitation might begin with The honour of your presence is requested at the marriage of [Bride's first and middle name] and [Groom's first, middle, and last name].... If the couple is hosting along with both sets of parents, the invitation might begin with Together with their families, [Bride's first and last name] and [Groom's first and last name], together with their parents, [Bride's parents' names] and [Groom's parents' names], request the honour of your presence at their wedding....

The rest of the invitation should include the date, time, and location of the wedding, as well as any dress code information.

Host Line: Include the names of the bride's parents, or both sets of parents if both are contributing

The first line of most traditional wedding invites mentions the host, which is usually the bride's parents. However, nowadays, it's becoming more common for both sets of parents to host, or for the couple to host with their parents.

> Together with their families...

> It is with joy that, together with their families...

> With the support of our families, we are excited to...

If you have the space, you can also include your parents' or stepparents' names in a line below.

If the bride's parents are hosting, the invitation should include their first and last names. The bride's first and middle names should be included, while the groom's first, middle, and last names should be listed.

• 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)

If both sets of parents are hosting, the bride's parents' names are listed first, followed by the groom's parents' names. For same-sex couples, the names can be listed 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

If the couple is hosting with their families, you can include a line such as:

> Together with their families

> Together with our families

> Together with their parents

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

> Together with full hearts

> With hearts full of love and joy

Attendance Request: Let guests know what they're being invited to, e.g. request the honour of your presence

The following are some examples of how to word the attendance request on your parents' wedding invites:

Formal Wording

"Mr. and Mrs. John L. Smith request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter [Bride's Name] to [Groom's Name] [Date] at half after four at [venue name and address] Reception to follow."

Both Sets of Parents

"Kenzie M. Smith and Jennifer L. Smith, Mark Franklin and Mary Elizabeth Reyes request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their children [Bride's Name] and [Groom's Name] [Date] at half after four in the afternoon at [venue name and address] Reception to follow."

Couple is Hosting

"The honor of your presence is requested at the marriage of [Bride's Name] to [Groom's Name] [Date] at half after four at [venue name and address] Reception to follow."

Together with their Families

"Together with their families, [Bride's Name] and [Groom's Name] together with their parents Kenzie M. Smith and Jennifer L. Smith and Mark Franklin and Mary Elizabeth Reyes request the honor of your presence at their wedding [Date] at half after four in the afternoon at [venue name and address] Reception to follow."

Fun Wording

"John and Betty Smith invite you to raise a glass at the marriage of their son [Bride's Name] to [Groom's Name] [Date] at 4:30 in the afternoon at [venue name and address] Dinner and dancing to follow."

Casual Wording

"John and Eliza Smith invite you to share in their joy at the marriage of their son [Bride's Name] to [Groom's Name] [Date] at 4:30 in the afternoon at [venue name and address] Reception to follow."

Creative Wording

"It's a wedding! John and Eliza Smith invite you to celebrate their son [Bride's Name] as he weds [Groom's Name] [Date] at 4:30 in the afternoon at [venue name and address] Party to follow."

Names: Display the couple's names in larger text and/or a fancy typeface

The names of the couple are the main event and should be displayed in larger text and/or a fancy typeface. Traditionally, the bride's name is listed before the groom's name. However, this tradition is not set in stone and same-sex couples may choose to list names alphabetically or based on what sounds better.

For formal weddings, write out full names, including middle names. For less formal affairs, first names only are fine. If the bride's parents' names are listed at the top of the invite, the bride's name can just be her first and middle name, without her last name. In that case, the groom's name is usually listed in full.

• "The honour of your presence is requested at the marriage of Jack Alexander Smith to Mason Jacob Kim..."
• "Together with their families, Olivia Rose Smith and John Michael Reyes request the honour of your presence at their wedding..."
• "Come party with us, Jack Alexander Smith and Mason Jacob Kim are tying the knot..."
• "Good food, good drinks, good friends. Jack Smith & Mason Kim request you celebrate with them as they get hitched..."
• "With much love, John and Eliza Smith invite you to celebrate their son, Jack Alexander, at his wedding to Mason Jacob Kim..."
• "Together with their families, Jack Smith & Mason Kim invite you as they say 'I do'..."

Date and Time: Spell out the date and time in full for formal invites, or use numerals for modern invites

When it comes to the date and time on your wedding invites, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, the formality of the wedding and invitation. Formal invites tend to include more traditional language, while casual invites are more relaxed and informal. Here are some guidelines and examples to help you out:

Formal Invites

For formal wedding invitations, it is traditional to spell out the date and time in full, rather than using numerals. Here's how you can do it:

• Spell out the day of the week and capitalize it (unless your wedding invitation font is all uppercase or lowercase). For example, "Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October".
• Use a comma after the day of the week and before the date.
• Hyphenate compound numbers such as 28th as "twenty-eighth".
• Write out the month in full and capitalize it. For instance, "October".
• Include the year on a separate line, without a comma between the month and year. For example, "two thousand twenty-four".
• Omit "and" in the year. So, write "two thousand" instead of "two thousand and twenty-four".

Here's an example of how to word a formal invitation:

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

Now, let's talk about the time. For formal invites:

• Spell out the time in full, without numerals. For 3:30 p.m., write "half after three o'clock".
• Use "half after" instead of "half past". For example, "half after four o'clock".
• Include "o'clock" when writing the time, except for half-hour times, where it can be omitted.
• Specify the time of day as "morning", "afternoon", or "evening". Morning is up until noon, afternoon is from noon to 5 pm, and evening is any time after 5 pm.
• Do not use "am" or "pm".
• Write "noon" for 12:00 pm.

Here's an example of how to specify the time on a formal invite:

> at half after three o'clock in the afternoon

Casual Invites

If you're having a more casual wedding, you can be more relaxed in your wording. Here are some tips:

• Use numerals for the date if desired. For example, "Saturday, August 15th, 2026".
• Write out the month and capitalize it, even with numerals.

Here's an example of a casual invite date wording:

> Saturday, August 15th, 2026

For the time on casual invites:

Use numerals and abbreviations for the time. For instance, "4:00 pm" or "5:30 pm".

Here's an example of a casual invite time wording:

> 4:00 pm

Remember, these are just guidelines, and you can adapt them to fit your wedding's style and tone. Working with a stationer can also help you figure out the best wording for your invites.

Location: Include the venue's name and full address, including the state and zip code

When it comes to wedding invites, the location is a very important element. Here are some tips and examples to help you craft the perfect wedding invitation for your parents' special day.

Location Details

The location section of the wedding invitation should include the name and full street address of the wedding venue. This means including the venue's road name and number, as well as the city, state, and zip code. If the wedding is taking place abroad, be sure to also include the country.

> The Ritz-Carlton

> 1234 Main Street

> San Francisco, CA 94102

Or for a wedding taking place outside of the United States:

> The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Hotel

> Santa Barbara, California 93109

> United States of America

Additional Tips

• If the wedding is taking place at a well-known venue, such as a museum or historic site, you can include the venue's name and city without the street address.
• For formal invitations, it is customary to write out the full state name rather than using the postal code abbreviation.
• If the wedding is taking place at a private residence, it is appropriate to include the street address.
• Zip codes are not usually included, unless omitting it might cause confusion.
• 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, include the full address and other pertinent information on a separate details card tucked into the invitation.

Sample Wording

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

> Saturday, the seventeenth of August two thousand twenty-four

> at half after four

> The Ritz-Carlton

> 1234 Main Street

> San Francisco, CA 94102

> Reception to follow

Or for a more casual tone:

> Jack Alexander Smith & Mason Jacob Kim

> invite you to share in their joy at their wedding

> Saturday, August 17, 2024

> at 4:30 in the afternoon

> The Ritz-Carlton

> 1234 Main Street

> San Francisco, CA

> Reception to follow

Frequently asked questions