Invitation Wording Help
Your wedding invitations are the first impression they’ll have of your big day.
After you’ve chosen the perfect invitation, it’s time to add the right wording that perfectly fit your event.
We’ve put together a range of classic and contemporary wedding invitation wording for you to choose from. Browse our Sample Invitation Wording selection for your special occasion!
Etiquette & tradition
What should you include on your wedding invitations?
No matter their style or the degree of formality you choose, when it comes to the right wording for your wedding invitations, be sure to include the following:
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names of the hosts (parent(s) or other hosts)
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first name, (middle name) and surname of the couple
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where the ceremony is taking place
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date, month and year of the wedding ceremony
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include reception line if the reception is being held at the same location as the ceremony. If your reception is at a different location, you should include the information on a separate card. If you choose a less traditional format, you might include a separate reception venue's details on your main invitation.
You might also wish to include:
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details of any dress code or theme
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time guests can expect the day to come to an end
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whether children are invited
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wedding web page
RSVP card details (sent on separate response card). More details and wording samples below.
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address to which guests should reply
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a reply date
The traditional approach
If you want to follow a traditional invitation style, here are a few conventions to note:
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Invitations are generally written in the third person.
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The bride’s name should appear before the groom’s.
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When listing the time, date and venue, the time and date should be written first and the venue last.
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Use titles when appropriate.
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‘The honor of your presence’ for invitations to religious ceremonies such as a church wedding or ‘The pleasure of your company’ for invitations to an event in a non‐religious venue is the normal choice of wording.
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Generally, names, times and places are placed on separate lines.
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Wording can be adapted to accommodate different circumstances due to death, divorce, and re‐marriage on the bride’s side. For example:
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if either parent is widowed: Mr. John Owens / Mrs. Sheila Sullivan, requests the pleasure…
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if parents are divorced: Mr. Evan Wells and Mrs. Tamara Wells request the pleasure…
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if parents divorced, mother remarried: Mr. James West and Mrs. Laura Tucker request…
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Inviting children
It's perfectly fine only to invite children who are part of your or your fiance's immediate family or those of close family friends.
If you are inviting kids, add the words "and family" to the invitation envelope.
It can be tactful to include a short note to parents, such as:
‘Much as we would like to invite all the children of our friends, it is only possible to accommodate the children of close family’
‘We are sorry we are unable to accommodate children’.
'Adult Reception'
'As much as we love kids, this is an adult only affair.'
If you are inviting children, let parents know if you have made special childcare arrangements:
‘We have arranged child‐minding facilities for the duration of the service and/or reception’.
Who sends out the wedding invitations?
Invitations are sent from whoever is hosting the wedding ‐ traditionally the bride’s parents.
The wording becomes more complicated if parents are divorced or if the couple is holding the event themselves.
BRIDE'S PARENTS INVITING WORDING
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Smith
request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their daughter
Isabelle Anne
to
Adam Ryan
son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Burke
Saturday, the fifteen of June two thousand fourteen
at four o'clock in the afternoon
The Palmsteen's
3841 Chamblee Dunwoody Road
Atlanta, Georgia 30341
*****
Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Silverstone
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Susan Patricia Silverstone
to
Doctor Marc Adam Bates
Our Lady Queen of Peace
4040 York Street
Wichita Falls, TX 76310
Reception to follow at 5 o'clock
Kemp Center for the Arts
1300 Lamar Street
Wichita Falls, TX 76301
BRIDE'S & GROOM'S PARENTS INVITING WORDING
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Colbert and Mr. and Mrs. Brian O'Connor
invite you to share in the joy of the marriage uniting their children
Kelly Marie Colbert
and
Timothy Brian O'Connor
on Saturday, the sixth of August two thousand sixteen
at five o'clock in the evening
The Palafox House
196 North Palafox Street
Pensacola, FL 32502
Reception immediately following
*****
With joyful hearts,
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Killam
and
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick McGrath
invite you to the marriage ceremony uniting
Amanda Elizabeth Killam
and
Eric James McGrath
Saturday, September 18, 2016
at 6 o'clock in the evening
Rancho Los Lomas
19191 Lawrence Canyon
Silverado, California 92676
Dinner and dancing to follow
*****
The families of
Miranda Leigh Stevens
and
Zachary Andrew Jones
invite you to join in the celebration of their marriage
Saturday, the seventh of March
two thousand and fifteen
at three o’clock in the afternoon
Sunset Presbyterian Church
14986 NW Cornell Road
Portland, Oregon 97229
Garden reception to follow
Stevens Residence
1456 Trenton Court
Portland, Oregon 97217
BRIDE & GROOM INVITING WORDING
Together with their parents
Lauren Julia Hosner
and
Michael Patrick Jordan
request the honor of your presence at their marriage
Saturday, October 17th, 2016
at 4 o’clock in the afternoon
The Sunset Beach House
8584 West Gulf Blvd.
Treasure Island, FL 33706
*****
Please celebrate with us as we,
Katherine Monica Harris
and
Dylan Ian Carter
exchange wedding vows
September 19th, 2016
At six thirty in the evening
Frogtown Cellars
7601 South Main Street
Helen, GA. 30545
Dinner and merriment to follow
*****
Before friends and family
Anthony Juan Garcia
Will give his heart and last name to
Victoria Marie Nelson
Share in the first moments of their forever and ever love
15.08.2015
4 o'clock
Rancho Wikiup
4900 Carriage Lane,
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Dinner and merriment to follow
*****
Laura Emma Anderson
and
Vincent Liam Campbell
joyfully invite you to share in their happiness
as they unite in marriage
Saturday, March 14, 2015
at 4 pm
Bernardo Winery
13330 Paseo Del Verano Norte
San Diego, CA 92128
Reception to follow
*****
Together with their families
Tanya Olivia Ellis
and
Wesley John Webb
invite you to join them as best friends become
husband and wife
28.04.2016
Six o'clock in the evening
Cold Springs Angus Farm
176 McClanahan Lane
Walland, TN 37886
Reception to follow
RSVP card wording
While the traditional wording, "Accepts With Pleasure / Regretfully Declines" is still perfectly acceptable and used widely, it seems some couples are looking for more unique wording for their wedding RSVP card.
Here are a few unique was to word your wedding RSVP cards.
Starting line:
The favor of your reply is requested by May 15
We hope you can join us! Please reply by 04.12.2018
Kindly reply by July 15th
Kindly respond by the 30th of September
We'd love to celebrate with you! Please RSVP by 14/05/2018
We are looking forward to celebrating with you! Please respond by October 15th
Don't forgot to add space for guets to write their names:
M ..................................................
Guest(s) .....................................
Name(s) ......................................
Attendee(s) ............................
RSVP lines:
Accepts With Pleasure / Regretfully Declines
Can’t Wait / Sorry To Miss It
Looking Forward To The Big Day / Regretfully Cannot Attend
Can’t Wait To Celebrate / Sad To Miss All The Fun
Delighted To Attend / Sorry, Can’t Make It
Sunscreen Is Packed / Raising A Toast From Afar (beach destination wedding)
We Will See You There / Sorry To Miss It
Good News, We’ll Be There / Bad News, Can’t Make It
Can’t Wait To Be There / Party On Without Us
Yes, We’ll Be There / We Will Be There In Spirit
With Bells On / Will Be Thinking Of You
Ready To Dance / Sorry, My Dance Card Is Full
Count Me In / Count Me Out
My Bags Are Packed / Can’t Find My Passport
Let The Good Times Roll / Roll On Without Me
So Happy / So Sad
The Mad Libs Style RSVP cards:
If you want a fun way to engage your guests before the wedding or if you find ‘yes’ and ‘no’ check boxes a bit boring, choose a Mad Lib Style RSVP card!
Guests are given an interactive mad lib-style response card that they need to fill out and send back to you. The answers can be and will be a humorous or sentimental collection of messages that you will keep forever!
