It’s a blissful feeling once you’ve found your dream wedding invitation, but the quest for the perfect announcement isn’t over just yet. There’s still the small matter of deciding what to say and how to word it.
In the hope of saving you some precious time, we’ve rounded up all the tips you need to perfect the wording on your wedding invitations. From rules of thumb to handy templates – tell them about your big day in the most beautiful of ways.
Essential info for wedding invitations
Who's hosting the wedding
In the past, this has been the bride’s parents. But you can name whoever you wish – both families, you and your other half, or even your children.
The request to come to the wedding
Traditional ceremonies may call for formal wording, think phrases such as “We request the pleasure of your company.” Other types of services lend themselves to more casual language like “Join us to celebrate,” or a simple, “We’re getting married.”
The names of the couple
Names on wedding invitations can be arranged alphabetically or in whichever order has the best ring to it!
The location of the wedding
Formal invitations tend to list the entire address, including the zipcode. But it’s becoming a trend to keep it simple and just put the venue and city – your guests can easily figure out the rest.
The date and times
Stick to standard time and date formatting for a traditional feel or write out your dates in full words.
Wedding Reception Information
Let your guests know where the reception will be held and what time they can expect it to finish.
RSVP details
Include instructions on how and when to RSVP at the bottom of your personalized wedding invitation, your info card or a separate RSVP card. We recommend an RSVP cut-off of 4 weeks before the wedding.
Wedding invitation wording templates
Need some help finding a text layout you love? We’ve put together some handy framework to help your words say exactly what’s needed.
No named hosts
[first name] & [first name] are tying the knot!
[location]
[date]
[time]
[reception]
Brides and grooms hosting
[bride’s/groom’s full name] and [bride’s/groom’s full name]
invite you to the ceremony and celebration of their marriage.
[date]
[time]
[location]
Parents hosting (formal)
[parent one] and [parent two]
request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter/son
[bride’s/husband’s full name] to [bride/groom’s full name]
[location]
[date and time]
Parents hosting (informal)
[parent one] & [parent two]
invite you to witness the love and come celebrate the marriage of
[bride/groom’s first name] to [bride/groom’s first name]
[location]
[date and time]
Both families
Together with their families, [bride/groom full name] and [bride/groom full name]
Request the pleasure of your company at their marriage
[date and time]
[location]
Children hosting
[child/children’s name(s)]
request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their parents
[bride/groom name] to [bride/groom name]
[location]
[date and time]
Full weekend wedding invitation
[bride/groom full name] and [bride/groom full name]
invite you to sunny Marrakech to share in their wedding celebration
[location]
[dates and time]
Two venues invitation
Join us for the wedding of
[groom/bride first name] & [groom/bride first name]
[first location ]
[date and time]
And afterwards at [second location]
Wedding reception/evening only invitation
[bride/groom first initial] & [bride/groom first initial]
invite you to for dinner and dancing at their wedding reception
[date]
[time]
[location]
[optional note to say why you were unable to invite them to your ceremony]
What to write on wedding information cards
All of our wedding invitations come with the option to add a matching wedding info card – a place to add any extra details that won’t fit on your main invitation.
Inviting children to the wedding
If you’re inviting children to your big day, then make this clear on your invitation by including their names or the parents’ names, along with the phrase “and family.” If you’ve chosen not to invite children, a note such as, “As we have chosen an intimate service, it’s only possible to accommodate the children of immediate family,” will politely let your guests know they need to arrange a childminder.
Directions to wedding venue
If your wedding venue isn’t the easiest to find, add some directions for guests. For example, “Follow signs for ‘Bramley’ on the A3 for nine miles until you reach Gate Barn House.” Or if your evening reception takes place at a separate venue to your ceremony, include directions to let guests know how to get to your second location.
Wedding Gift list
You can add details of your wedding registry, point them in the direction of our paper gifts, or simply add a brief note to let them know their presence is more than enough of a gesture for you both. If you’d like to give any monetary donations to a charity that’s close to your heart, the info card is also a good place to mention this.
Wedding website
You can add the url of your wedding website or the hashtag you want guests to use when they share photos from your special day. A wedding website is particularly useful for destination weddings – it enables you to share detailed travel info, such as the closest airport and affordable, nearby hotels.
Dress code
Set out whether there’s a dress code: black tie, semi-formal, cocktail attire, summer suits, etc. You can also specify (or simply leave this information off) if there’s no dress code.
Dietary requirements
Ask guests to let you know about any dietary requirements or restrictions when they RSVP.
Social media preferences
If you’d prefer guests not to snap and share during your ceremony or even your entire wedding, you can kindly let them know. For example, “Please refrain from using phones during the ceremony, as we’d love guests to feel present for our special moment.”
Transport info
If you’re putting on a coach or other form of transportation for your guests, tell them exactly when and where they need to get picked up/dropped off.
Ready to send out your wedding invitations? Check out our wedding invitations collection to find your design.
