Addressing & Sending Wedding Invitations
Opening a wedding invitation is unlike opening any other piece of mail. Much care goes into addressing both the inner and outer envelopes. Several enclosures usually accompany the invitation itself, and there is a thoughtful order to how they are placed inside the outer envelope, and even a few things to think about when you stamp and mail them. Learn more.
Examples Of Wedding Invitation Wording
This traditional invitation assumes that the brides parents are still together and are hosting:
Mr & Mrs. BRIDES FATHERS NAME + PARENTS SURNAME
request the pleasure of your company
to celebrate the marriage of their daughter
BRIDES FIRST AND MIDDLE NAME
MR GROOMS FIRST NAME AND SURNAME
at NAME OF CHURCH, LOCATION OF CHURCH
on DATE
at TIME
followed by a reception at LOCATION OF RECEPTION
If the original traditional wedding invitation wording doesnt fit your situation, its easy to adapt. Heres an example:
BRIDE OR GROOMS NAME
BRIDE OR GROOMS NAME
request the pleasure of your company to celebrate their marriage
at NAME OF CHURCH, LOCATION OF CHURCH
on DATE
at TIME
followed by a reception at LOCATION OF RECEPTION
If your big day is going to be a laid-back affair, formality might not feel right for your wedding invitation wording. Heres one way of keeping it relaxed and simple:
BRIDE OR GROOMS FIRST NAME & BRIDE OR GROOMS FIRST NAME
would love you to join them at their marriage celebration on DATE.
Ceremony at TIME, PLACE.
Dinner and dancing to follow.
RSVP: EMAIL ADDRESS
Still unsure of how to choose your perfect wedding invitation wording? Were here to help. Book a free consultation in our Chester studio and we can discuss the design and wording that will be right for you.
How To Write The Time On Your Wedding Invitations
- Writing out the time in words: this is the most traditional way to write the time on wedding invitations and will need to include reference to the morning or the afternoon. For example: at two oclock in the afternoon.
- Writing out the time in numbers: separate the hours and minutes by a full stop or a colon. You will then need to add am or pm leaving a space after the minutes. For example: at 2:00 pm.
- Writing out the time in the twenty-four-hour clock: you do not need to include am/pm with times in the twenty for hour clock.
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Don’t Forget The Rest Of Your Suite
Order your menus, programs and thank-you notes with your invitations. That way, your stationer can include all of the pieces in one order, which may save you money and time. It’s also a good way to ensure all your stationery has a cohesive look, even if you want to vary the design slightly for each element . Also, don’t forget those little items like favor tags and welcome bag notes.
How Do I Word My Invitation
Weve been coordinating and printing wedding invitations for years and years now, and we love to offer our wording expertise to our clients. If youre stumped on how to handle a delicate situation with parent names on the invitation, or if youre wondering do you really need to include your middle name on the invite, we can help. Also check out the etiquette section of our web site for wording suggestions that covers all sorts of situations and all sorts of pieces, including invitation wording, reply card wording, reception card wording, and more.
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When To Order Reception Cards:
Again, it’s best to order the reception cards with your invitations.
Not only can wedding programs provide useful information, but they also make charming mementos. Programs are often in the form of a small booklet and include information about the ceremony, such as the date, the names of the wedding party , the order of events and the titles of readings and songs. Couples may also use the program to honor deceased loved ones, to thank important people and/or to explain unfamiliar rites of the ceremony.
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.
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Bride And Groom Names
If you’re paying/hosting the wedding and names of bride and groom appear in the host line, it’s not necessary to repeat it again.
However, if only parents’ names are included in the host line, then the names of future newlyweds need to be mentioned clearly.
The practice is that a bride’s name precedes the groom’s name. As seen above, the brides surname isnt necessary if its the same as her parents.
This section doesnt feature courtesy lines such as Ms. and Miss. Grooms name is written in first name + middle name + surname fashion.
Same-sex marriages are different since the rule brides name precedes the grooms doesnt apply here you can arrange this section in alphabetical order or based on any other criteria.
Wedding Invitation Wording Etiquette
So you’ve picked your stationery design next comes figuring out how to write a wedding invitation. Of course, you’ll want to include a date, time and location, but what else? There’s a lot to consider when deciding on a wedding invitation format, especially considering one that includes all pertinent information your guests need to know.
We recommend including your wedding website on a separate insert so your guests can have easy access to details about your day as well as your registry . Plus, our wedding websites allow guests to digitally RSVP, so you can keep track of who’s coming in real time.
In case that wasn’t enough, there’s moreThe Knot Invitations allows you to match your wedding website to your invitation design. After your guests receive your wedding invitation in the mail, they can go to your wedding website and see the same colors, patterns and designs. This offers your guests a cohesive experience allowing them to appreciate your aesthetic all while getting excited for your nuptials.
Also, feel free to deviate from traditional wedding invitation wording whenever you see fit. Wedding invites are inherently gendered and exclusive. There’s no need to feel pressure to use “Mr.” and “Mrs.” at allit’s more than OK to just use your guests’ names without titles. If you’d like to go the traditional route, know that “Mx.” is a gender-inclusive option you can use on your invites. Whatever you decide, make sure it feels genuine and authentic to you .
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Your Guide To Wedding Invitation Wording
There are certain parts of the wedding planning that stump awedding couple, and wedding invitation wording has to be one of them. While picking the wedding stationery itself is a dream, trying to get the tone right on your wedding invitations andmaking sure youre not forgetting anything can be seriously stressful. Inviteslike weddings are changing traditionally, wedding invites would have beenmuch more formal but as couples embrace more laid back, casual celebrations,the wedding invite is reflecting this and following suit. That doesnt mean youcant have a formal wedding invite if thats what youre after, but if you arelooking to have a bit of fun with your wording, theres room for that too. Tohelp you figure out what style and tone youre after, and make the invite partas easy as possible, weve got a complete guide to weddinginvitation wording to help you…
There are a few things to think about before you startputting pen to paper or ordering that cute floral invite you’re lusting after.
The Basics
Okay so the basics, what exactly goes on your weddinginvites? You’ll need to include the following:
- Who is extending the invite
- The event itself i.e. the wedding ceremony andreception or just afters
- The location where is the ceremony/receptiontaking place
- The date and time
- RSVP details
- Who the invite is to
Additional Info
You may also like to include the following on the back ofthe invite or on a separate sheet:
Family Issues
Children at Weddings
Informal Options
Ms/Mr
When A Guests Rsvp Includes Uninvited Children
There are those parents who go right ahead and write their children’s names on the response card, some doing it intentionally, believing they ought to have been invited in the first place others truly believe the children are included. What should you do when a guests RSVP includes uninvited children?
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Choose Your Words Wisely
Learn the rules to wording your invitation. Traditionally, whoever is hosting is listed first on the invitation. Customarily, you should spell everything out, including the time of the ceremony. On classic wedding invitations, there’s always a request line after the host’s namesomething like “so and so request the honor of your presence.” The wording can change as the hosting situation does, so make sure to double-check you’ve added everyone who should be included.
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
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Picking The Right Wedding Invitation
A wedding invitation can be completely personalized and designed to fit the ‘theme’ and colors of your wedding. There is a great range of ready-to-buy wedding invitations that are simple or a little bit more intricate and elegant. Visit a few paper and card stores to get a sense of what they offer. Also get price quotes, ask for quantity discounts and whether or not they carry the card you are interested in, in stock. If not find out how long it will take for them to get your cards in if you were to place an order.
Searching online for wedding invitations is also a great idea as you can sometimes find better prices on invitations. It is advised to explore all of your options for your wedding invitations in a few different places before you make up your mind.
What Is Included In A Wedding Invitation Suite
Invitation suites are wedding invitation packages with most, if not all, of your invitation materials included. They help keep the look and feel of your invites and materials clean and put-together. And while the suites can appear pricey at first glance, they can actually help save you money. By buying a package, you wont need to buy extra materials to add on, and youll get a total estimate right in the beginning. It can also help you save on time.
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Ceremony And Reception Location
Whether your ceremony and reception are taking place at the same spot or different venues, it’s imperative that you include the name and location. That way, your guests know exactly where they’re going and what time the festivities are starting. If the ceremony and reception are taking place at the same location, you can simply include a line like Reception to Follow,Celebration to Follow, or Dinner and Dancing to Follow. If your reception is at a different location, you’ll need to include a separate reception card with the start time and address.
The Date And The Time:
This is the one line where I strongly advise you to stick to the basics, since you want people to actually come to your wedding. Time, date, and location should all be listed. For formal weddings, everything is written out in full . For example:
four oclock in the afternoonSaturday, the second of JuneTwo thousand fourteen
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If Our Wedding Reception Is For Immediate Family Only Is It Okay To Invite People To The Ceremony Only
This is a tricky situation. Standard etiquette dictates that everyone who attends the ceremony should be invited to the weddingthat means the ceremony and the reception. By inviting guests to one and not the other, it could send the message that you want them there for the actual ceremony but you either don’t want to pay for their plate at your party or don’t care enough to have them there to actually celebrate your newlywed status.
Needs: A Note That A Formal Invite Will Follow
Keenan recommends letting guests know that they will be getting a formal invitation to your wedding. It is also good to have the save the dates addressed to exactly who you want to know about your wedding,” she says. “Adding and guest at this point will give time to additional parties that would not otherwise receive the save the date.”
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How To Write The Date On Your Wedding Invitations
- British Format: Day Month Year .
- American Format: Month Day, Year .
- We would recommend including the day of the week and the year on your wedding invitations laying them out like this: On Saturday, 16th August 2025.
- The th, st or rd of the date should be in superscript but this cannot always be added via our editing tool, so our graphic designers will adjust the date appropriately.
- If you would like to write out the date in words then only the day of the week and the month should be in capital letters e.g. On Saturday, the sixteenth of August two thousand and twenty-five.
Wedding Invitation Wording If The Couple Is Hosting
If you’re paying for the wedding yourselves, the invite wording will look slightly different. Essentially, the greeting will skip the host line and begin with the request linehere’s an example.
Formal Wedding Invitation Wording Sample:
The honor of your presence
is requested at the marriage of
Jack Alexander Smith
Saturday, the seventeenth of May
two thousand and twenty
at half past four in the afternoon
Casual Wedding Invitation Wording Sample:
Jack Alexander Smith &
invite you to share in their joy at their wedding
Saturday, May 17, 2020
at 4:30 in the afternoon
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