Wedding Invitation Wording + Examples of What to Include

When it comes to your wedding invitations, it can feel like there are a million tiny details to consider. From names, to titles, to plus ones and more, even addressing invitations can pose a challenge. While today I’m going to talk more about wedding invitation wording and what to include, I want to encourage you to download my free wedding guest list tracker here as well. Not only do I include a spreadsheet to track your guest list and RSVP’s, I also include several address formatting examples (that are guaranteed to answer some of your most frequently asked questions!). Grab your free copy here!

Got it? Great! Now let’s dive into some of the most common wedding invitation wording questions I get, and a complete guide on what to include on your wedding invitation!

The Host/Request Line

The top of the invitation typically includes the hosts of the wedding and an invitation (or “request”) to attend. Traditionally, this would be the bride’s parents, but in 2023 it’s more common to also include the groom’s parents or simply list the couple themselves. Some couples are even choosing to leave the host line off entirely!

Host Line Examples:

1. For the most traditional wording and a wedding hosted by the bride’s parents: “Mr. and Mrs. Jones invite you to the wedding of their daughter Sophie Marie (leave off bride’s last name) to John James Anderson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Anderson.”
2. For a wedding hosted by both sets of parents: “Mr. and Mrs. Jones and Mr. and Mrs. Miller…”
3. For a wedding hosted by the bride’s parents: “Mr. and Mrs. Thompson…”
4. For a wedding hosted by the couple: “Together with their families, Sophia Marie Taylor and John James Anderson…” or do just your names, no host line.
5. For a wedding hosted by the couple with mention of parents: “Sophia Marie Taylor, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, and John James Anderson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Anderson…”

As for the “request line”, there’s no need to overthink it. For a casual invite, you could say something like “Join us as we celebrate..” or “Together with our families, we invite you to join us”. For a more formal occasion, consider using language like “The honor of your presence is requested” or “Your attendance is cordially requested”. Remember, your invitation sets the tone for your wedding day!

Request Line Examples:

For a formal wedding in a place of worship:

“…request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their children…”

For a formal wedding NOT in a place of worship:
“….request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their children…”

For a more casual wedding:

“…invite you to celebrate the wedding of…”

For a very informal wedding:

“…invite you to join the fun as they stand together in front of family and friends…”

Your Names

You know you need to include your names on your wedding invitations, but it’s not as easy as it sounds, right? Here are a few tips to help you get started:

1. Decide on Formality: The first thing to decide is the level of formality you want to convey (this goes for any part of your wedding invitation!). This will determine whether you use first names only or full names.
2. First Names Only: If you’re planning a casual or intimate wedding, you might want to just use your first names. For example, “Join us, Jane and John, as we tie the knot”.
3. Full Names: For a formal or traditional wedding, it’s common to use full names. This usually includes the middle names too! For example, “The pleasure of your company is requested at the wedding of Sophia Marie Taylor and John James Anderson”. A quick note, a very formal invitation leaves off the last name of the bride.

The Details: Date, Time, and Location

Next, you have to share all of your exciting wedding details with your guests! While there are nuances in every situation for your wedding invitation wording, here are a few tips for listing the date, time, and location.

1. The Date:

• Spelled Out: Traditional and formal invitations usually spell out the date and year. For example, “Saturday, the Twenty-Seventh of September, Two Thousand Twenty-Three” or “Saturday, September Twenty-Seventh, Two Thousand Twenty-Three.”
• Numerical Date: For a more casual or modern style, you can use numerical dates like “Saturday, 09/27/2023” or “Saturday, September 27th, 2023”.
• Don’t Forget the Day of the Week: It’s common to include the day of the week to help guests plan their travel, particularly for weekend weddings.

2. The Time:

• Specific Time: Indicate the exact time the ceremony will start. If it’s a formal wedding, spell out the time, for example, “at half after four in the afternoon” or “four-thirty in the afternoon”
• Casual Style: For a less formal wedding, you can use numbers like this example: “at 4:30.”
• Is it Evening or Afternoon?: If you want to include evening or afternoon after the time, while it is not necessary to include, know that evening starts at 6:00 PM.

3. The Location:

• Full Address: Include the full address of your venue. This includes the name of the venue, street address, city, and state. It’s not necessary to include the zip code.
• Venue Name: If the venue is well-known, you can just list the name and the city and state. For example, “The Plaza Hotel, New York, New York”.
• Destination Wedding: For destination weddings, include the country if it’s outside of your home country.
• Separate Reception Card: If your reception is at a different location, consider including a separate reception card with the reception details. If your reception is at the same location, you can simply add a line that says, “reception to follow.”

Ready to Put it All Together?

Rather than just tell you, I thought I would share some recent invitations I’ve designed in the studio so you can see how all of these elements come to life in different and unique ways! While I’ve tried to give examples of both formal and casual wedding invitation wording, don’t be afraid to mix and match or choose something in between so that your wedding invitations match the feel you want

Want to complete your invitation suite?

In addition to the invitation, it is important to take into account other items such as Save the Dates (I have a complete guide for these components here!), as well as details like RSVP cards, and more (which I’ve laid out in this guide to invitation suite pieces here). It goes without saying that as a wedding invitation and stationery designer, I’m here to help you every step of the way as well! Whether you are a wedding planner serving your couples or you are the one getting married and are excited to invite your family and friends, you can learn more about working with me here or head here to jump in and get started!