Wording
wedding invitations feels like a pretty simple task until you sit down to do it. Whose name comes first? Do you include your parents? What if you don’t
want to include your parents? And then there are the potential mistakes. We’ve seen plenty of invitations that inadvertently leave off the starting time of the ceremony, address of the venue or even include the wedding date but not the month. Eek! Take a deep breath. We’re here to teach you how to word wedding invitations, which means knowing what details should always be included and what order they should go in.
WEDDING INVITATION WORDING ESSENTIALS
First, let’s talk about the detail you MUST include on your wedding invitation. The four most important pieces of information become your essential checklist so you can avoid any invitation wording mistakes:
- Who’s getting married
- Who’s hosting
- What time the ceremony and reception will take place
- Where the ceremony and reception will take place
WEDDING INVITATION TONE
Now that you know the details that you must include, let’s talk tone. How you word your wedding invitations depends on the type of wedding you’re having, whether it be a traditional affair or a laid-back day of celebration. How you word it also depends on your own personalities and what reaction you want your guests to have when they open the invitations. Here are two examples of two opening lines of a wedding invitation that present the same information with very different tones –
The honour of your presence is requested
at the marriage of
Elizabeth Anne Harrison
and
William Philip Evanston
We joyously invite you
to celebrate with us,
Elizabeth Anne Harrison
and
William Philip Evanston
A big difference, right? Remember, your wedding invitation sets the tone for your entire wedding day so wording it right is key. Next, we’ll talk hosts and give you examples of both traditional and casual wedding invitation wording.
WEDDING INVITATION WORDING EXAMPLES
Now that you have your tone in mind, let’s talk about who to include on your wedding invitation. Traditionally, the person or people paying for the wedding are usually considered the “hosts” and should be mentioned on the invitation. So, if one set of parents are footing the bill for the entire wedding, be sure to word your invitation in a way that makes it clear they are hosting. The other set of parents can also be mentioned, even if they are not paying. If the couple and parents are helping pay for the wedding, everyone can be mentioned! And if you’re like many couples, and paying for your entire wedding on your own, neither set of parents need to be mentioned unless the couple would prefer to do so. Lastly, we encourage you to stick to the basics. There are plenty of things that should not be included on your wedding invitation. If you have extra details, be sure to include an information card or direct guests to your wedding website.
Let’s put it all together! Below are examples of traditional and casual wedding invitation wording. Remember, choose the host situation that best fits your family dynamic.
Couple-Only Hosting: Traditional Wording Example
Mary Ann Smith
and
Edward Malcolm Jones
request the honour of your presence
at their marriage
Saturday, the nineteenth of August
two thousand and twenty one
at one o’clock in the afternoon
Triumph Lutheran Church
4238 Fourth Street
Lanesboro, Minnesota
Couple-Only Hosting: Casual Wording Example
Mary Ann Smith
and
Edward Malcolm Jones
invite you to share in the joy
when they exchange marriage vows
on Saturday, the nineteenth of August
two thousand and twenty one
at one o’clock in the afternoon
Triumph Lutheran Church
4238 Fourth Street
Lanesboro, Minnesota
One Set of Parents Hosting: Traditional Wording Example
Mr. and Mrs. John L. Smith
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Mary Ann
and
Edward Malcolm Jones
Saturday, the nineteenth of August
two thousand and twenty one
at one o’clock in the afternoon
Triumph Lutheran Church
4238 Fourth Street
Lanesboro, Minnesota
One Set of Parents Hosting: Casual Wording Example
Mr. and Mrs. John L. Smith
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Mary Ann
and
Edward Malcolm Jones
on Saturday, the nineteenth of August
two thousand and twenty one
at one o’clock in the afternoon
Triumph Lutheran Church
4238 Fourth Street
Lanesboro, Minnesota
Both Parents Hosting: Traditional Wording Example
Mr. and Mrs. John L. Smith
and
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Franklin Jones
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their children
Mary Ann
and
Edward Malcolm
on Saturday, the nineteenth of August
two thousand and twenty one
at one o’clock in the afternoon
Triumph Lutheran Church
4238 Fourth Street
Lanesboro, Minnesota
Both Parents Hosting: Casual Wording Example
Mr. and Mrs. John L. Smith
and
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Franklin Jones
invite you to share in the joy
of the marriage uniting their children
Mary Ann
and
Edward Malcolm
This celebration of love will be
on Saturday, the nineteenth of August
two thousand and twenty one
at one o’clock in the afternoon
Triumph Lutheran Church
4238 Fourth Street
Lanesboro, Minnesota
Everyone is Hosting: Traditional Wording Example
Mary Ann
and
Edward Malcolm
together with their parents
Mr. and Mrs. John L. Smith
and
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Franklin Jones
request the honor of your presence
at their marriage
Saturday, the nineteenth of August
two thousand and twenty one
at one o’clock in the afternoon
Triumph Lutheran Church
4238 Fourth Street
Lanesboro, Minnesota
Everyone is Hosting: Casual Wording Example
Together with their families
Mary Ann Smith
and
Edward Malcolm Jones
Saturday, the nineteenth of August
two thousand and twenty one
at one o’clock in the afternoon
Triumph Lutheran Church
4238 Fourth Street
Lanesboro, Minnesota
Clearly, there are many different ways to word wedding invitations and we’ve sure given you a lot to think about. If you’re still feeling overwhelmed, no worries; when you personalize your wedding invitations on our site, our tool will walk you through each step.
