The Dos And Donts Of Names And Titles
- DO capitalize proper names and titles.
- DO spell out the title Doctor .
- DO use both partners full legal names on the invitations. If you prefer to go by a nickname, use it on a save the date postcard or other, less formal piece of the invitation suite.
- DO include a nickname in addition to a legal first name if it is the only name that guests will recognize you by.
- DO drop the brides and/or grooms middle name if it becomes too long to fit on one line.
- DO include a host line at the top of the invitation that indicates who is doing the inviting. This generally correlates with who is funding the wedding, but can vary based on preference. Some examples:
- Mr. and Mrs. Parents invite you to the marriage celebration of their son/daughter Partner 1 to Partner 2
- Mr. and Mrs. Parents and Mr. and Mrs. Other Parents invite you to the marriage celebration of their children Partner 1 and Partner 2
- Together with their families, Partner 1 & Partner 2 invite you to
- Partner 1 & Partner 2 invite you to
- DONT use abbreviations. In general, spell everything out except courtesy titles.
- DONT use punctuation, except after courtesy titles:
- Mrs.
The Eastwick Wreath invitation design on Zola
Do Think Carefully About How Your Invitation Is Worded
The way you word you wedding invitation is important because you want your guests to arrive to the right place and the right time. But, did you know that the wording you choose can also signal whos paying for and hosting your wedding day?
Check out different wording examples and decide which is right for the two of you.
Make Rsvping Even More Simple
The last thing you want in the wedding planning process is a mix up regarding RSVP responses. However, with Paperless Post, RSVP tracking makes managing guest responses much more efficient and straightforward for both you and your guests.
Paperless Postâs online invitations not only allow you to see when guests open your invitation and track when they respond, but also allows you to communicate with your guest list all in one place. With an efficient and easy-to-use online invitation and RSVP tracker, you can spend more time focusing on other details of your wedding ceremony and receptionâlike these lucky traditions.
Also Check: A Practical Wedding Spreadsheets
Include The Necessary Details On The Wedding Invitations
After properly writing the time on the wedding invites, you will recheck the information if its complete, and the guests will understand your requests. For example, you may not be having the wedding ceremony and reception simultaneously.
Therefore, you must clarify the time on the reception card included in the invitation suite. Use the same format for uniformity on your wedding invitation for the wedding ceremony.
On the contrary, some weddings have the ceremony and reception at the same place and immediately after each other. Because its assumed, you dont need to write the time for the reception, but instead, your wording will be reception immediately following or omit everything altogether.
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.
You May Like: How To Address Wedding Card
What About Invitations For International Guests
If you’re inviting just a few overseas guests, send their invitations along with the ones for your other guests, but make a point to give them a heads-up. Give them a call or send them an email with the details, as well as information about booking hotel rooms, so they can start to arrange their travel with time to spare.
Does half of your family live abroad? You might want to consider bumping up the timeline for them and the rest of your guests. Start designing your invitations a few weeks early and plan to send them out a minimum of 12 weeks in advance.
Be sure to follow up promptly with anyone you haven’t heard from to make sure they have plenty of time to book their flights.
You will also want to have all of the information available on your wedding website as soon as save-the-dates are in the mail. Sure, it means you’ll have to start ironing out the hotel room block and transportation information sooner than you’d expected, but you’ll be happier in the long run. Those overseas guests will have all the information at their fingertips, and you’ll have even more crossed off of your to-do list.
How To Write The Location
Another important detail of the wedding that needs to be written correctly is the location. Doing a small mistake about the location might make it hard for the guest to find it. Thats why the location also requires special care. Here is the correct and formal way of writing the location in the wedding invitation:
Here is an example of how you should write the wedding venue address:
Lusiana Church
3347 West St.
Quench Park, Texas
Note that, if the wedding is in a church, make sure that you are adding the name of the homeowners. Make sure to begin with at the residence of and then write the homeowner in the next line. Note that if the wedding ceremony and the wedding reception are going to be in a different place, make sure to write them separately. You can also make two different cards for these discrete events.
You May Like: Where To Buy Randy Fenoli Wedding Dresses
Let Your Guests Know The Requested Attire
Somewhere towards the bottom of the wedding invitation, you will want to be sure to let your guests know what they should be expecting as far as attire and dress code goes. If you do not mention the requested attire, your guests will naturally assume the formality of your wedding based on the formality of your wedding invitation. Here are the most common wedding dress codes from most formal to most casual:
-White tie
-Semi-formal
-Casual
If you would rather not include the requested attire on the invitation itself, consider including a link to a wedding website. In doing so, you can communicate important information such as dress code, further details regarding the location of the wedding venue, and RSVP information.
What Should Not Be Included In A Wedding Invitation
One of the most critical decisions in planning a wedding is deciding what should go on your invitation.
Most of us have seen enough invites to know what to include in wedding invitations. A wedding invite may display only basic information, but it serves as an essential first glance into your special day.
Will it be casual or formal? Relaxed or by the book?
From the moment they pull your invitation from their mailbox, your guests will get an essential first impression of your wedding. Vines of the Yarra Valley is your ultimate Wedding Reception Venue to create your dream wedding.
But have you ever wondered if there are things you shouldnt add to your invites?
Recommended Reading: Mills Fleet Farm Bridal Registry
When To Order Place Cards:
Order your wedding place cards with your invitations .The Knot Note: Instead of writing each guest’s table assignment on the escort card itself, slip the card into a small envelope that’s tagged with a table number. This way, you can easily swap guests’ table assignments up until the last second.
These handwritten notesâfrom both of youâshould thank guests for their gifts and/or presence at your wedding.
How Do You Write Time On Wedding Invitations
Invitations:
Hereof, how do you write 2020 on a wedding invitation?
Traditionally, the date and time should be spelled out in fullfor example, if your ceremony is on September 15, 2020, at 4:30 p.m., the wording should read, Saturday, the fifteenth of September, two thousand twenty, at half past four in the afternoon.
what do you write on a wedding invite? Other wording might include:
Thereof, do you put an end time on a wedding invitation?
An ending time is not usually included. You shouldnt have to worry about it. And yes, if you included the statement about carriages, your guests would most likely conclude that you are providing transportation. Hopefully you are not invited some guests to only a part of your reception.
How do you write an invitation message?
Sample Invitation Letter Writing Tips
You May Like Also
Also Check: Wedding Spreadsheets
Wedding Invitation Wording If Both Sets Of Parents Are Hosting
The couples parents should each be listed on separate lines, starting with the brides or whoevers name falls alphabetically first. Since both last names are included in the greeting, theres no need to use last names for the to-be-wedsunless, again, if either of them has a different last name than their parents. In that case, list out their full name, in addition to the full names of their parents.
Formal Wedding Invitation Wording Sample:
Sample 1:
Mr. and Mrs. John L. Smith &
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Franklin Kim
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their children
Jack Alexander
at 4:30 in the afternoon
MEG COOPER PHOTOGRAPHY
When Should You Send Invitations To Your Wedding The Quick And Easy Guide

Weddings are stressful. Getting everything for the big day can be a tricky set of circumstances, and often, the bride and groom can have many questions. One of those burning questions is âWhat invitations do I need to send out?â. The other is âWhen do I need to send them out?â. This article will look to answer those burning questions, and the reality is, you will have a lot of separate invitations to send on, so it is essential that you know which ones to and when it is best to send them.
Also Check: Why Is Wedding Photography So Expensive
Sending Them Too Late
Look at your wedding date and count back eight weeks . This is the latest you should mail your invitations to give your guests enough time to RSVP and make any travel plans. Having a destination wedding? Count back 12 weeks so your guests dont feel rushed and can shop around for the best travel prices.
The Dos And Donts Of General Invitation Language
- DO use upper-case letters for the proper names of days and months, but lower-case letters for numbers.
- DO write formal invitations in the third person:
- Mrs. and Mr. Parents of the Bride/Groom invite you
- DONT use capital letters at the beginning of each line. Instead, use them as you would at the beginning of a sentence.
- DONT use symbols, unless its for a specific design reasonthough an ampersand between the names of the couple is fine, if the font allows.
- DONT crowd the card. We know you have lots of exciting things to say, but refrain from adding extraneous information or designs that would make your invitation look busy and therefore hard to read.
A brushstroke-meets-calligraphy invitation design with matching RSVP card from Zola
Also Check: Google Wedding Spreadsheets
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.
What Time Should We Put On Our Wedding Invitations
A good rule of thumb is to call the wedding for at least half an hour to 45 minutes before you want the ceremony to begin, and state that time on your invitation. Its also important to be very intentional with what you plan to have guests do for that window of time before your ceremony starts. Its important to make this very purposeful. You dont want your guests sitting in their seats waiting or thinking that youre running late, says etiquette expert Elaine Swann. Have something ready for your guests to do. It doesnt take much, but you want to create a moment that allows your guests to arrive at that time and be involved.
Meet the Expert
Elaine Swann is a lifestyle and wedding etiquette expert. She is the founder of The Swann School of Protocol and the author of Let Crazy Be Crazy.
According to Swann, something as simple as serving spa water, setting up a photo area, or the signing of the guest book is a great way to fill this time intentionally and to be sure guests arent sitting down and waiting for too long. Listing this activity on a handheld program or large sign is another great way to make it clear that the start time was intentional.
Read Also: How To Make A Wedding Spreadsheet
Don’t Miss: Wedding Venue Comparison Spreadsheet