Guide To Crafting Out-Of-Town Wedding Invites

Wedding invitation wording can be tricky, but it's a chance to set the tone for your celebration and convey important details about the big day. The good news is that the rules of wedding invitation etiquette are straightforward, and there's room to make your invites your own. Here's a guide to what to write for out-of-town wedding invitations.

Host Line

The host line is the opening line of a wedding invitation and typically names the hosts of the event, or those who are paying for the wedding. The host line is usually placed at the very top of the invitation, with the names of the event hosts appearing. The host line can be omitted if the couple is hosting the wedding themselves.

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 their names.

Example: "Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Timothy Williams" (for a very formal wedding)

Hosted by Both Sets of Parents:

• List the bride's parents' names first if the couple is different-sex.
• List the parents' names in alphabetical order by last name if the couple is same-sex.

Example: "Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Wong and Mr. and Mrs. Adam Hollis" (formal)

Hosted by the Couple:

The couple can skip the host line or start the invitation with a welcoming introduction.

Example: "Amal Alamuddin and George Timothy Clooney request the pleasure of your company at the celebration of their marriage..." (formal)

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 their names.

Example: "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 Parent, Including Deceased Parent:

Include the phrase "the late" before the name of the deceased parent.

Example: "Mrs. and Mr. Michael Francis Middleton request the honour of your company at the marriage of their daughter Catherine Elizabeth Middleton..." (formal)

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.

Example: "Mr. Michael and Mr. Sean Flannigan request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter Julie Marie to Stephen Anthony..." (formal)

Request Line

The request line is a crucial part of a wedding invitation, inviting your guests to join your wedding celebration. Here are some tips and examples to help you craft the perfect request line for your out-of-town wedding invitations:

Traditional and Formal Wording

If you're having a formal or traditional wedding, you may want to use more formal language in your request line. Here are some examples:

• "Request the honour of your presence" (The British spelling of "honour" indicates a formal tone and suggests the ceremony will be held in a church or another house of worship.)
• "Request the pleasure of your company"
• "Invite you to celebrate with them"
• "Would love for you to join them"

Casual and Modern Wording

If your wedding is more casual or modern, you can use more casual language in your request line. Here are some ideas:

• "Please join us as we celebrate our wedding"
• "Together with our families, we invite you to share in our joy"
• "Join us for the wedding of [bride's name] and [groom's name]"
• "Kindly join us at the wedding"
• "Please come help us celebrate our love"

Creative and Whimsical Wording

If you want to add a creative or whimsical touch to your invitations, feel free to get creative with the request line! Here's some inspiration:

• "You are cordially invited to celebrate the marriage of [bride's name] and [groom's name]"
• "We're getting married! Please join us"
• "Let's eat, drink and be married!"
• "Love is in the air, and we want you to be a part of it!"

Remember, these are just some examples to get you started. Feel free to personalise your request line to match your wedding theme, style, and tone. Happy writing!

Couple's Names

Couples' Names

The couple's names should be front and centre on the invitation. 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. If you are hosting the wedding yourself, it is up to you to decide whose name precedes the other.

If you are using traditional wedding invitation wording, follow these rules to format names:

• Capitalise 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

Examples

• Amal Alamuddin and George Timothy Clooney request the pleasure of your company at the celebration of their marriage
• Miss Beyonce Knowles and Shawn "Jay Z" Carter are getting married
• Mr. and Mrs. Ernie Lively invite you to share in the joy of the marriage uniting their daughter, Blake Ellender, to Ryan Rodney
• Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Simon Peter Blunt invite you to the marriage of Emily Olivia Leah and John Burke

Date, Time and Location

When it comes to writing out the date, time and location of your wedding, there are a few things to keep in mind, especially if you're creating a formal invitation. Here are some instructive paragraphs to guide you:

Date

For formal invitations, it is customary to write out the date in full, including the day of the week, the date, the month and the year. For example, "Saturday, the twenty-sixth of October two thousand twenty-four". The day of the week should be capitalised, and there should be a comma after it. If the date is between the 21st and 31st of the month, use a hyphen, e.g. "twenty-sixth". The year is usually written on a separate line with no comma before it.

For more casual weddings, you can be more relaxed, e.g. "Saturday, May 17th, 2025". You may also choose to use numerals as a design choice, e.g. "Saturday, 8/15/2026".

Time

For formal invites, write out the time in full, with no numerals, e.g. "half after three o'clock". If your wedding starts on the hour, simply write the number, e.g. "three o'clock". Avoid writing "twelve o'clock" and instead use "noon". It is also worth noting that formal invites traditionally say "half after" instead of "half past". The time should be written in lowercase.

For casual invites, you can use numerals, e.g. "4pm" or "5:30pm". Just ensure that the date and time match in formality.

Location

For out-of-town guests, it is important to include the full address of the ceremony venue. Include the name of the homeowners if the wedding is taking place at a private residence, e.g. "Mr and Mrs Charles Darwin, 260 East Market Street".

If the reception is at a different location, include this on a separate card for formal invites. For less formal invites, include it on the invitation itself, below the ceremony location.

You do not need to include the address if the location is well-known or obvious. For example, "Brooklyn Museum of Art".

Reception Details

The reception details section of your wedding invitation is where you can include information about the venue, time, and any other pertinent details. If the ceremony and reception are held 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 relevant information on a separate details card tucked in with the main invitation.

• "Reception immediately following the ceremony"
• "Dinner and dancing to follow"
• "Cake, punch, and merriment to follow" (if you're not serving a full meal)
• "Feasting and merriment to follow"
• "Join us after the ceremony for cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and dancing"
• "Reception to follow at [venue name and address]"
• "Dinner to follow at [venue name and address]"

If the reception is at a different location, be sure to include the name and full address of the venue. You may also want to include directions or transportation information, especially if the ceremony and reception venues are far apart.

If the reception is not immediately following the ceremony, be sure to include the time. For example, "Reception at 7:00 pm at [venue name and address]".

For a more casual reception, you could use wording such as:

• "Dinner and dancing to follow"
• "Followed by dinner and dancing"
• "Drinks and dancing to follow"
• "Dinner, drinks, and dancing to follow"
• "Cocktails, dinner, and dancing to follow"

For a more formal reception, consider wording such as:

• "An evening of celebration to follow"
• "Followed by an evening of celebration"
• "Reception immediately following at [venue name and address]"

If you are having an open house-style reception, you can include the start and end times, such as: "Please join us for refreshments from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm".

If you are having a destination wedding reception, you can include the date and location of the wedding ceremony, followed by the date and location of the reception. For example:

"We are happy to announce that [couple's names] were married in a private ceremony on [date] in [location]

Please come celebrate at their reception on [date] at [time] at [venue name and address]"

Remember to include an RSVP card with your invitations so that you can get an accurate headcount for the reception.

Frequently asked questions