How To Word Wedding Invitations

Etiquette For Wedding Invitations With Deceased Parents Explained

Theres a typical etiquette for wedding invitations thats common whether your parents are living or deceased. The general format is as follows:

child of and

child of and

request the honor of your presence at their marriage.

Another common etiquette, though less common today, is for the invitations to be issued by the parents. This is when the engaged couple’s family requests guests join them for the celebration of the union.

If the parent died a long time ago or the surviving parent has since remarried, they might not be listed on the wedding invitation at all. Remember, there are many different wedding memorial ideas to honor a deceased parent during this celebration.

Both Brides & Grooms Parents Hosting

Mrs Lauryn and Mr Robert Devine together with Mrs Dianna and Mr Peter Johnsonrequest the pleasure of your company to celebrate the marriage ofSophia Anne Devine and Matthew Paul Johnsonon Saturday the sixteenth of October, Two thousand and tenat four oclock in the afternoonOur Lady of the Sacred Heart, RandwickFollowed by a reception at six oclock in the eveningThe Argyle, The Rocks SydneyThe honour of a response/reply is requested by 25th September, 2020Dress Formal

Sophia Devine and Matthew Johnsoninvite you to join them as they exchange vowson Saturday the sixteenth of October 2020at four oclock in the afternoonOur Lady of the Sacred Heart, RandwickFollowed by an evening of food, wine and dancingKindly reply by 25th September, 2020Dress Formal

A Complete Guide To Wedding Invitation Wording

The good news is that wedding invitation etiquette rules arent that difficult to follow after all. Now that youve chosen your stationery, its time to tackle wedding invitation wordingwhether you want to keep the wording classic and traditional or creative and whimsical is entirely up to you however, there are some basic elements that should be included no matter what route you take. The guidelines are actually lot more clear and straightforward than you may expect. And, in any event, theyre there to serve as a guideline, not to be ignored.

Feel free to riff off these wedding invitation wording rules to create your own.To assist you, weve broken down what each line means and what it typically includes.Michela Buttignol/Brides magazine

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How To Address Covid

So, where exactly will this extra information about COVID-19 fit on your wedding invitations?

Traditional etiquette states that your wedding invitations should be reserved for the essential details about your day . Rather than addressing COVID-19 on your invitations themselves, we would recommend including a separate information card or, for an easier method, simply including a link to your wedding website for more details.

The Request To Attend

There are many ways to ask for the pleasure of your guests’ company. The British spelling of “honour” traditionally indicates the ceremony will be held in a church or another house of worship. Here are few options:

• “the pleasure of your company”
• “at the marriage of their children”
• “would love for you to join them”
• “invite you to celebrate with them”
• “honor of your presence”

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Wedding Invitation Wording If Everyone Is Hosting

If multiple parties are chipping in for the wedding, the invitation begins with the bride’s name, followed by the groom’s name, and finally the parents’ names, starting with the bride’s parents. Or go ahead and list the couple’s names in alphabetical order, followed by their parents’ names in corresponding order.

Formal Wedding Invitation Wording Sample:

Sample 1:

invite you to their wedding

Saturday, May 17, 2020

at 4:30 in the afternoon

How To Address Wedding Invitations

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By this point, you’ve likely selected your stationery and collected information from guestsand now you’re looking into how to address wedding invitations. There’s a lot that goes into sending your invites , which is why we created this guide. No matter who you’re sending an invite to, here’s exactly how to address your wedding invitations.

Traditional etiquette indicates the outer envelope of your wedding invitation should be more formal with titles and/or full names, while the inner envelope is more informal . Since titles can be restricting and exclusive , know that they aren’t necessaryyou’re free to simply use your guests’ names and leave the titles off.

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How To Word A Wedding Invitation When One Parent Is Deceased

If one parent is deceased, its not always clear how to include them on the wedding invitation. If youre listing the surviving parents name, it feels odd to exclude the other parent. While you might include a stepparent instead, you could also list the deceased parent using the phrasing below.

child of and the late

child of and

request the honor of your presence at their marriage.

How Do You Write 2021 On A Wedding Invitation

Traditionally, the date and time should be spelled out in full. For example, if your ceremony is on September 15, 2021, at 4:30 p.m., the wording should read, Saturday, the fifteenth of September, two thousand twenty-one, at half after four in the afternoon. The day of the week and the month should be capitalized.

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The Names Of The Bride And Groom:

Traditionally the name of the bride always precedes the grooms name. If the brides parents are included on the invitation and she shares their last name, then only her first and middle name are used. This same rule applies for the groom. If the couple is hosting by themselves, last names are needed.

For a same-sex marriage, you can do whatever you like. You may choose to go in alphabetical order or choose what sounds better. Whatever you place the names, its going to be lovely either way.

How To Word Your Reception

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Invitation by Minted + Brides Photo by Charla Storey Styling by Wendy Kay of Birds of a Feather Events

Traditional etiquette states that anyone invited to your wedding ceremony has to be invited to your receptionbut it doesnt apply the other way around. That means you can 100 percent keep that ceremony small while still getting to have a party with all of your friends . Whether its a small ceremony immediately followed by a big reception or events on completely separate days, you can definitely cut down that ceremony guest list to whatever makes you comfortable without feeling like youve left anyone out of the celebration.

Of course, you need to make sure the fact you’re only hosting a reception is clear on your invitation. Here’s everything you need to know about wedding reception-only invitations.

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How To Word Your Invitation When Youre Paying For Your Own Wedding

When couples are customizing their wedding invitations, the most-asked questions revolve around wording, particularly etiquette concerning who to include on the invitation.

Wording your wedding invitations always begins with one key question: who is hosting the wedding?

The host of your wedding is typically the person paying for the majority of the celebration. Its often the parents of the bride, or both sets of parents. But more and more commonly, the couple themselves shouldering most of the wedding expense.

If youre paying for your own wedding, wording your wedding invitation is simple.

Below, weve listed a variety of invitation wording ideas written for couples hosting their own wedding. But hold up if youre sharing financial responsibility with your parents , be sure to include them on your invitations. Not only is it proper etiquette, but its so important to recognize their support. If this is your situation, read up on how to word your invitations right over here.

How To Write Your Wedding Invitations In The First Or Third Person

• For more traditional wedding invitation wording use the third person, for example, Chelsea Daniels and Aaron Harrison invite you to their wedding or …request the pleasure of your company at their marriage.
• For more informal wedding invitation wording you may like to use the first person We, Chelsea and Aaron, invite you to our wedding.

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How To Address Wedding Invitations To A Married Couple

If you’re inviting a married couple, put their names on the same line. You’re free to forgo titles and list the names separately . If they have different last names, list the person you’re closest with first. If you’re equally close with them, go in alphabetical order. Or, if one person has taken the other person’s name, you can address the invitation to reflect that .

Example One:

Ms. Celine Elgin and Ms. Jacqueline Purcell

Celine Elgin and Jacqueline Purcell

On the inner envelope:

Ms. Elgin and Ms. Purcell

Mr. John and Mrs. Samantha Rivera

Mr. and Mrs. John Rivera

On the inner envelope:

John and Samantha

When Parents With Titles Are Hosting

When one parent has a professional title, spell it out, if space permits. The parent with the title is listed first: Doctor and Mrs. Jane Marie Williams, or Doctor Jane Marie Williams and Mr. John Michael Williams. You can opt to skip courtesy titles and middle names, but including them is still the most traditional way.

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Destination Wedding Invitation Wording For Rsvp Card

RSVP cards for traditional weddings can be pretty bland. But like everything else, you can get really creative and have some fun with your destination wedding invitation RSVP wording. Here are just some examples to get your creative juices flowing:

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How Do You Invite People To Your Wedding Reception Only

You have options if you want to send an invitation to just your reception. For example, you can send a traditional wedding invitation and adjust the wording to clarify that your ceremony is private. Or, you can send an invitation designed especially for reception-only celebrations. Both have options to include an rsvp card.

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Bride And Groom Host:

Ms. Andrea Jane Brigante and Mr. Robert Holden White request the honour of your presence at their marriageSaturday, the tenth of July two thousand seventeen at half after four o’clockFirst Congregational Church Richmond, Virginia

The honour of your presence is requested at the marriage ofMs. Andrea Jane Brigante to Mr. Robert Holden WhiteSaturday, the tenth of July two thousand seventeen at half after four o’clockFirst Congregational Church Richmond, Virginia

Invitation Wording If The Host Is Widowed:

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Wedding Invitation Wording Solved

Theres an art to selecting the words thatll welcome guests to your celebration. Every wedding is unique, so when you design your invites, you need to consider whos hosting, where youre saying your vows, and how formal things will be. Heres a look at some of our top wedding invitation wording optionsjust a few of the hundreds you can choose from at The Wedding Shop at Shutterfly.

Wedding Invitation Wording: How To Find The Right Words

You found your forever person and figured out where and when the big day is. Now comes the challenge: Finding the perfect words to express the joy, excitement, and overall vibe of your wedding day.

Unless youre planning on sending save the date cards, your wedding invitation is the first impression youll be making about your upcoming wedding celebration, so you want it to be just right.

But before you start putting too much pressure on yourself, were here to help. If learning the ins-and-outs of wedding wording doesnt fit on your pre-nuptial to-do list, you can use our wedding invitation wording tool to plug in your information and get the words you need. Or, use this guide where well show you how to write a wedding invite. Then, well provide examples of different approaches to wedding invitation wording so you not only know what to say, but exactly how to say it.

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Do You Write Names On Wedding Invitations

Its all about the names on the front of the envelope. If youre inviting a couple but not their children, dont use The Smith Family. Instead, put Mr. and Mrs. If youre inviting someone with a guest, be sure to write and Guest on the envelope, or put the name of his or her significant other if you know it.

Wedding Invitation Wording Etiquette And Examples

Wedding invitations, and specifically how they are phrased, are a subject that causes some people anxiety. What happens if you accidently misspell a term or forget to provide important information? Or, even worse, what if you dont know the correct rules and wind up making a social faux pas as a result of your ignorance? Please dont be concerned weve compiled a list of wedding invitation wording etiquette and samples to assist you in creating invites that are completely on-point. Please keep in mind that each and every wedding is different.

While there are some laws, these are more like guidelines for the most conventional and formal invitation language possible.

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Online Wedding Rsvp Wording

If you’re asking your guests to RSVP online, you don’t need to include an RSVP card, but a website may look out of place at the bottom of your formal wedding invites. Include a small card with the RSVP information on it instead.

Examples:

1. Kindly respond by September 10th

Using the following website:

What Should Be Included In A Wedding Invitation

Your wedding invitation needs to include wording with these main points.

The Host

A Formal Request to Attend Your Wedding

The Names of the Couple

The Wedding Date and Time

Location of the Ceremony

Reception Information Including Time and Location

RSVP Card For Guests to Respond

Optional

Lets talk about each point, beginning with the host or hosts of the wedding.

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