The wedding invitation will be the first time that many of your guests discover that you are getting married, so you’d better get it right! Proper wedding invitation wording may seem like a no-brainer at first glance but you’d be surprised at the amount of etiquette and formality that go into these short notes, and that’s what we’re here for. With our help, you’ll learn all about appropriate wedding invitation format and make sure that you hit all of the nuances that some couples overlook.
There are many variables that dictate the exact wedding invitation structure to follow. The first we’re going to cover is your style and theme. Before you get started with your invitations you’ll have to make sure that you’ve firmly decided between a Traditional, Formal, Informal, or completely unique theme so that you can send specific, for example, rustic wedding invitations if that happens to be your theme of choice.
The second item to consider is the time of year. Summer invitations will always be a little different from winter wedding invitations since a formal invitation will include details about the theme and expected dress code.
The next step in planning how to address wedding invitations you’ll want to decide on your delivery method. When choosing between social media,
Emails, Texts, or good old fashioned snail mail, make sure to consider all of the pros and cons. Some methods are faster, more convenient, and easier to make changes to if the need arises. Setting up a Facebook page and event, for example, is a really quick and easy way to spread the word and keep track of your RSVPs. But, some of your guests may not be too tech savvy or check their inbox very often.
Our advice is to go the old fashioned route. Emails are far too easy to miss or forget about, and there’s something special about a handwritten letter printed on nice cardstock.
Whose Name Goes First On The Wedding Invitation?
Now that you have the basics covered, it’s time to get specific. The first question is; who’s name goes first, the bride or the groom? Traditionally, whoever is hosting the wedding will get first billing. This is usually the Bride’s parents, making the Bride’s name the appropriate choice. In cases where there are co-hosts or two brides, the couple will have to decide for themselves. If you’re having difficulty, say the names out loud and see if any option has a better ring to it.
Sample Wedding Invitations From Real Couples
Now that you have the concept in mind, it’s time for some samples! Sample wedding invitations of real couples demonstrate exactly what should be included. They all seem very simple, but if you pay close attention you’ll notice some subtle differences.
Also, check out a general outline of how the wedding invitation often breaks down, with specific examples to follow.
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Source: every.little.something via Instagram
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Mimi Brown & Tim Harder
Will be wed
June 8th, 2019
Sherwood Forest Clubhouse
Annapolis, Maryland
www.mimiandtim.com
formal invitation to follow
Source: every.little.something via Instagram
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Mr. Thomas Clark and Ms. Amy Novick
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Carly Jooyun and James Trenton Tidwell
Saturday, the thirteenth day of October
Two thousand eighteen
at six o’clock in the evening
District Winery
Washington, District of Columbia
Black tie
Source: every.little.something via Instagram
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David & Erica Glass
and
Felicia Nash Weiss
Request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their children
Sarah Marie & Erik Daniel
03.16.2019
at three o’clock in the afternoon
Dos Pueblos Orchid Farm
Goleta, California
Cocktails, dinner and dancing to follow
Source: every.little.something via Instagram
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With great joy
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Tighe Magnuson
Request the Honor of your Presence
At the Marriage of their Daughter
Elizabeth Tighe and Mark Eduard Shaw
Friday, the eighteen of May
two thousand and eighteen
at half past three o’clock
Church of the Holy Spirit
Lake Forest, Illinois
reception to follow
Source: frontline.card via Instagram
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Together with our parents, we.
Elena + Matt
invite you to join us
in the celebrating of our wedding
Saturday the ninth of March
two thousand and nineteen
at two o’clock in the afternoon
Forget me not farm
545 coopers shoot road.
Coopers shoot, NSW
Reception to follow
What To Write On Wedding Invitations
Although it seems simple, but when it comes to putting pen to paper you may find that you’re second-guessing yourself. It’s only a few lines, but there’s tons of information in each word. Don’t worry, the following steps break down the order and significance of everything you have to write.
- The hosting
- A Specific request to attend the wedding
- The Bride and Groom’s names
- The date and time of the wedding
- Location Details
- Reception Details
- Dress Code and Theme Details
- RSVP Cards For The Guests To Return
- Host Line: This line is dedicated to honoring the host. This is typically the Bride’s parents and should begin with the father and then the mother. This is the formal way to write it, but with today’s etiquette, it’s very much appreciated to include both sets of parents. If you are paying and hosting the wedding yourself, place your own names starting with the groom.
- Line of Invitation: “Would love you to join…”, “requests the honor of your presence”, “the pleasure of your company”. Whichever way you choose to say it, it’s a formal invitation to attend your wedding ceremony. It means that you value their relationship and that your ceremony will be enriched with their participation.
- Couple Names: Traditionally the bride’s name goes first. But, with modern families, there are often two brides or two grooms. With these cases there are no wrong answers. Choose amongst yourselves, flip a coin, or go by alphabetical order. Or, whoever popped the question gets their name first.
- Call to Action: This line specifies the main event” the wedding ceremony. Traditional wedding invitations will be written “In witnessing the marriage of their daughter (name) to (groom’s name. if you’re working in a more modern style feel free to get creative with your adjectives.
- When working with religious wedding invitation wording, it’s appropriate to write this line as “to the solemnization in holy matrimony of their daughter (bride’s name) and (groom’s name). The full first, middle and last name should be used for both the bride and the groom.
- Wedding Information: This is arguably the most critical section of the wedding invitation. It tells your guests where the event will take place and exactly when to arrive. To satisfy tradition, write the dates out in full instead of using numbers. This looks a lot fancier and avoids any possible misunderstandings. “The Fifth of April, Two Thousand and Eighteen” is crystal clear. Depending on how you read it, 04/05/18 Could be May 4th or April 5th which would be a terrible mistake.
- You should also be very specific about venues if the ceremony and reception are taking place at different locations. Go to the trouble of including both addresses and both arrival times.
- What to Come: Lastly, point out certain events and expectations. Call out a brunch that takes place prior to the ceremony or the refreshments you’ll be providing between the ceremony and reception. Make sure to suggest any special attire like dancing shoes, and remember to be very clear about location and timing.
Wedding Invitation Wording Etiquette
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Even if you’re working totally against the grain and getting totally creative with every aspect of your wedding, it’s still nice to follow a little bit of tradition. As a bare minimum, here are the basic ingredients that you should try to include.
- Ladies first. It’s customary to give the bride first billing when writing out the couple’s names. If there are any titles involved – esquire, MBA, etc.. – feel free to include these.
- Get as creative as you desire, but some information is critical and must appear on the wedding invitation in order for it to serve its purpose. Include the Host, Line of Invitation, Couple’s Names, Call To Action, Ceremony, Reception, and all other Event details.
- Use a separate card for the RSVP. Include registry details and a clear way for them to choose reception menu items.
- Make sure that dates and times don’t need any explanation, they should be clear as day when read. This is especially true for when there are multiple locations to attend.
- Make sure to include the return address (or digital destination if you’re opting for Emal or Social Media) for the RSVP card. An accurate headcount is crucial for planning meals and seating arrangements.
Related Post: Wedding Wishes: Examples of What to Write in a Wedding Card
Traditional Wedding Invitation Wording
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Traditional wedding invitation wording has spent decades slowly evolving into what we see today. The past few decades, however, have been the most drastic. Not to worry. traditional wording for wedding invites can be easily adapted to work for our modern families including divorced parents, single parents, multiple sets of parents, and all of the other structures. This structured wedding invitation wording also works perfectly well for couples who are hosting their own celebration.
Below you’ll find examples for specific family and host structures. You’ll notice that this first one – and a few others – drop the bride’s last name due to it changing very soon.
For When Divorced Parents and Step Parents are Hosts
Mariah Carol Griffith (mom’s name)
Doctor and & Mrs. Brian Rupert Briggs (father and step mom’s name)
request the pleasure of your company
at the solemnization in holy matrimony of their daughter
Tricia Anne
and
Ryan Chan Bennett
son of
Mom Name and Step-Dad Name
His Dad’s Name
Saturday, the ninth of November
two thousand eighteen
at four-thirty in the afternoon.
The Jolly Place
266 Miles venue
Miami, Florida
Light reception follows.
The color of the day: Green
For When a Single Mom is a Host
Mariah Carol Griffith
invites you to partake in the celebration
of the marriage of her daughter
Tricia Anne
to
Ryan Chan Bennett
Saturday, the ninth of November
two thousand eighteen
at half-past six in the evening
The Oak Park
266 Miles Avenue
Miami, Florida
Dinner and dancing follow
Theme: A touch of champagne gold.
For When The Couple Hosts Their Wedding
Together with their friends, families and four dogs
Tricia Anne
and
Ryan Chan Bennett
Request the honor of your presence as they
Tie the knot
Saturday, November Ninth, Two Thousand Eighteen
At half past four in the afternoon
The Oak Park
266 Miles Avenue
Miami, Florida.
It is a bow tie affair.
Formal Wedding Invitation Wording
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This next section of formal wedding invitation samples focuses on the groom’s parents hosting the event. You’ll see that it shares a lot of similarities with the previous samples, but also some clear differences. We’ll also take a look at how to word wedding invites for when both sets of parents co-host, and when one set hosts but want to show respect to the other parents.
When the Groom’s Parents Host
Mr. and Mrs. Brian Rupert Briggs request the honor of your presence at the marriage of Ms. Tricia Anne to their son Mr. Ryan Chan Bennett on Saturday, the ninth of November, two thousand and eighteen at two o’clock in the afternoon.
Notre Dame Catholic Cathedral
Miami, Florida.
For when the Parents of the Bride and Groom Host
Mr. and Mrs. Brian Rupert Briggs and Elder and Mrs. Castillo Stone Bennett request the honor of your presence at the marriage of Tricia Anne to Ryan Chan Bennett on Saturday, the second of November, two thousand and eighteen at three o’clock.
Christian Pentecostal Missions
Oak Avenue, Ontario.
For When the Bride’s Parents Host, and Include The Groom’s Parents’
Mr. and Mrs. Brian Rupert Briggs request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their daughter, Tricia Anne to Mr. Ryan Chan Bennett, son of Elder and Mrs. Castillo Stone Bennett
Saturday, the ninth of August two thousand and eighteen at six o’clock.
St. Thomas Anglican Cathedral
Manitoba, Winnipeg.
Informal Wedding Invitation Wording
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Informal wedding invitation wording has less of a focus on the particular order of words and lets your personality shine. All of the critical details are still included but leave room for a lighter description of the event, fun fonts, and puts more emphasis on the couple as opposed to the hosts.
When the Bride’s Parents Host
Please share in our joy at the marriage of our daughter Tricia Anne Briggs to Ryan Chan Bennett
November 09, 2018 at four o’clock.
The Grand Oak Cafe
Manitoba, Winnipeg
Dinner and dancing to follow
When the Couple are the Hosts
You are invited to the marriage of Tricia Anne Briggs and Ryan Chan Bennett.
We hope you will join us in celebrating our union on Saturday, the second of June, two thousand and eighteen at six o’clock.
Rock Gold Inn
Miami, Florida
Reception to follow immediately.
When the Groom’s Parents are the Hosts
We will be delectating with your presence at the marriage of Tricia Anne and our son Ryan Chan
Saturday, November 09, 2018, at five – thirty-five
The Green spring Resorts
New York, New York.
A reception will follow the ceremony at the same venue.
Modern Wedding Invitation Wording
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Modern wedding invitation can be more subtle than its traditional counterpart, yet still suitable for couples planning a religious ceremony. With modern wedding invites, the parents are mentioned as a courtesy as opposed to the main focus as in other versions. Sometimes the parents are not mentioned at all, especially if the couple is hosting the event. Again, there is much more flexibility with colors, fonts, and sentence cases. Check out a few modern wedding invitations samples below.
Modern Traditional Wedding Invitation
Mr. & Mrs. Brian Rupert Briggs cordially invite you to attend the wedding ceremony of their daughter Tricia Anne Briggs to Ryan Chan Bennett, son of Mr. & Mrs. Castillo Bennett
Saturday the 2nd of November 2018.
Ceremony to commence at 10 am
All Saints Anglican Church
Miami, Florida
Followed by a formal celebration at 2 pm
Grand Oak Resorts
Miami, Florida.
Creative and Concise Wedding Invitation Wording
TRICIA & RYAN ArE TyInG ThE KnOt!!!
Saturday The 2nd Of November 2018
CEREMONY/RECEPTION NAME
At 1:00 PM
GrEeNsPrInG ReSoRtS
Miami, Florida.
Detailed and Modern Wedding Invite Wording
We request the pleasure of your company
as we celebrate the marriage of
Tricia & Ryan
Saturday the ninth of November 2018
At 10:00 AM
The wedding ceremony takes place
At
City Hall, Florida
And reception begins by 1:00 PM at Greenville Hotel
Miami, Florida.
Dress: Tux affair
Enclosed is RSVP for August 2016
Casual Wedding Invitation Wording
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Casual wedding invitation wording is the polar opposite of traditional invites. All of the usual information is still included, but we love the room for creativity this style provides, especially when it comes to humor. This style of wedding invitation wording also leaves plenty of room for poetry and quotes, and to go crazy with elaborate descriptions of the upcoming event.
Short Invite for When a Poetic Couple Hosts + Parents Included
Your love, friendship, and support has guided us until this day. Together with our parents,
we invite you to share our joy and witness our love, as we exchange vows and celebrate our marriage. Tricia and Ryan
Saturday 16th November at 11 o’clock
The Ascot Villa, Provence.
A celebration with brunch, drinks and dance will follow.
For Poetic Couples who are Forming a Blended Family + a Reverse in Whose Name Comes First
Something borrowed, something blue, our Love as old as Time as our vows we say.
The earth and skies as witnesses, on our wedding day.
Kindly join Ryan & Tricia along with their adorable daughter and sons, Adele, Ace & Adam
as they continue their life journey together a blended family, uniting under the law.
Saturday, 16th November 2018
At 1:00 PM
Cherokee drive
Miami, Florida.
For Couples Who Want a Humorous Causal Wedding Invitation Wording
You are expressly invited to the wedding of Tricia & Ryan Saturday, the twenty-third of November two thousand and eighteen at five in the evening
Grand Oak Park
Miami, Florida
Dinner, drinks, and some weird but exciting dancing follows after the ceremony
See the RSVP card inside and kindly respond within two weeks.
We will be attending your awesome wedding?
Indicate true or false.
Are you confused about…?
Who we are?
Where our wedding is?
Where to stay?
What to do once you get in town?
Your feeding plan?
Visit our website for such information. (Drop URL)
Simple Wedding Invitation Wording
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Sometimes less is more. For couples that want to keep simple wedding invitation wording to a minimum, this style is for you. Perhaps you want to be a little mysterious with the details, or maybe you just want to keep things short and sweet because you’re sending your wedding invites out to hundreds of people. Either way, this wedding invitation wording style allows you to play around with fonts and colors.
When the Couples’ Friends are the Host
With great joy, you are invited to celebrate the marriage of Tricia Anne Briggs and Ryan Chan Bennett Saturday, the twenty-third of November two thousand and eighteen
at twelve forty-five in the afternoon.
The Oakville Resorts
266 Oak Avenue
Miami, Florida
After party of food, drinks and fun follows
When the Couple Hosts
Because you have shared in our lives and supported our love, we Tricia Anne Briggs and
Ryan Chan Bennett request the pleasure of your company at our marriage Saturday, the ninth of November two thousand and eighteen at half-past the hour of two in the afternoon.
The Oakville Resorts
266 Oak Avenue
Miami, Florida
Reception follows immediately.
Short and Precise Simple Wedding Invite Wording
We’re getting hitched!!!
Tricia & Ryan
23.11.2018
at 7:00 p.m.
The Oakville Resorts
A reception of light refreshments follows immediately.
Every couple is different, and although the differences between all of these wedding invitation wording styles are subtle, it’s important to say things in a way which reflects who you are and the type of wedding you want to have. Perfecting your wedding invite wording may have seemed complicated at first, but If you follow our guide and match it with your hopes, dreams, and theme you’ll have no trouble at all.
Check out this simple wedding invitation wording guide to format your own invites!
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