Getting the wedding invitation right

Invitations are a big part of any wedding, and they can be a lot of work to get just right! You’ve already found your perfect wedding invitations and you’re ready to start putting them together…but how do I word everything? Don't worry, we're here to help! In this post, we'll outline everything you need to know about writing your wedding invitations, from the wording to the design. So read on and get started on creating the perfect invites for your big day!

Before getting into different writing styles and wording options, we have put together a list of the main ingredients for your perfect wedding invitations:

• The names of the hosts (aka you and/or your parents)  
• The name of the bride and groom 
• The date and time of the wedding ceremony 
• The location of the ceremony 
• Reception info, if applicable 
• RSVP instructions with a date 

Although this may feel like a lot of information to include, there’s no need to feel overwhelmed. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to word each section!

Style of Voice

Depending on you as a couple and the feel you wish your day to have, will completely dictate how formal or informal you want to go with your invitations. If you’re having a more traditional wedding day, then the wording will be much more formal as opposed to a civil ceremony that may be a more casual invitation for your guests. 

Example Layouts 

Below are some example layouts for your more formal, traditional invitations. This layout is perfect for couples who are getting married and hosting their reception at two different locations.

Mr and Mrs Smith - This name will be the hosts of your wedding e.g. whoever is paying for the big day!  

Request the pleasure of *name/your company* - If you’re inviting a smaller number of guests, then it can be a lovely idea to invite each guest by name. If this won’t be doable,”your company” is an acceptable term to use. 

To witness the marriage of their daughter Katie - If guests are only invited to the reception venue, then “celebrate the marriage of” will be a suitable alternative 

to 

Mr James Adams  

at (location, date, time) 

and afterwards at (reception location) - 

Please RSVP by *date* (usually 3-4 weeks before the wedding) to *parent’s address*

Civil ceremony 

If you have chosen to have a civil ceremony, then the wording for your invitations has the room to be much more relaxed. It definitely feels less bride-orientated and you’ll only need to mention the one location. By easing the restrictions of traditional layouts, you can have either or both parents inviting the guests e.g. 

Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr & Mrs Adams 

request the pleasure of your company

 at the marriage of their children Katie and James

Alternatively, if you and your partner are paying for the wedding yourselves, then only the two of you need to be mentioned in the invitation;

Katie and James 

together with their parents,

invite you to celebrate their marriage

at (Location, date and time)

In this case, you would of course RSVP to your own home address and not your parents. 

This is of course your special day and therefore, if none of the traditional or even more casual wedding invitation wording seems like it fits with you as a couple, some other wording that I really like for invitations are:

• Invite you to their wedding celebration
• Hope you can join them in celebrating their marriage
• Invite you to join them for a day to celebrate their marriage 
• Together with their families invite you to their wedding day

To conclude, by following these tips, you're well on your way to nailing that perfect wedding invitation! Just remember to have fun with it–after all, this invitation is a reflection of you and your spouse-to-be's personalities, so let that shine through!