Traditional Wedding Invitation Wording

General Do's and Don'ts

• No punctuation is used except after courtesy titles such as Mr. and Dr.
• Capital letters are treated as the beginning of sentences as you would read them and not to be used at the beginning of every line
• Proper names and courtesy titles are also capitalized
• Numbers in the date are spelled out and follow the day of the week (ex: Saturday, the second of July)
• Years can be used but are not necessary. If you wish to include the year, be sure to spell it out (ex: Two thousand and five)
• The time is spelled out and written to describe the placement of hands on a clock. Examples:
• Half after two or half past two (not 2:30 p.m.)
• Three o'clock in the afternoon (not 3:00 p.m.)
• Seven o'clock in the evening
• Formal invitations are usually written in third-person. For example, "Mr. and Mrs. Craig Chastain" instead of "We."
• In general, avoid using abbreviations. Always spell out commonly abbreviated words such as street, months, days of the week, etc.

Be sure to spell out contractions (ex: "do not" instead of "don't"). You do not want your recipients to think you were in a rush when writing your wedding invitations!

Who Hosts?

The first line is often the most difficult to iron out as it's often seen as a way to not only convey who is hosting the wedding but who the couple would like to recognize. Before blended families and when women were brides at young ages, it was almost always the bride's family who hosted (and thus paid for) the wedding. Now, a combination of people in a couple's life host weddings.

Extending the Invitation

The next line - how the hosts extend the invitation - varies depending on the venue and also on personal preference.

The phrase "the honour (or honor) of your presence" is traditionally reserved for worship services or a wedding that takes place in a church or synagogue.

The "pleasure of your company" or "honour of your company" usually indicates that the service will not be a worship service.

Etiquette outlines only what is traditional not what you should and should not do. Other wording for this line includes:

• ...would like you to help celebrate the marriage of
• ...invite you to celebrate with them at the marriage of
• ...would consider it a blessing if you could be present at the marriage of
• ...request the pleasure of your company
• ...request the pleasure of your presence

Whose address should be the return address?

The return address printed on the envelope flap should be the address of those hosting the event, not necessary the bride and groom. Names are not commonly used with a formal return address. Guests who are unable to attend but wish to send a gift will use this address.

Whose address should be on the response envelope?

Having your name and address pre-printed on the front of the Response Card envelope is a good way to encourage your guests to respond promptly. Traditionally the hosts' name and address should appear on the response envelope. However you may use the address that is most convenient.

"No Children" - How to Address this Situation

There really is no easy way to tell your guests that their beloved children are not invited. The most subtle approach is to spread the "no children" restriction by word of mouth or on your wedding website. If you are looking for a more "formal" statement, here are two ways to avoid putting the bad news directly on the invitation:

• Note "Adult Reception" on the reception card
• On the response card:
• Please respond on or before (Date)
  M_________________
  Number of Adults____

Examples of Invitation Wording Depending on Who Hosts
courtesy of MyGatsby Wedding Invitations

Bride's parents:

Bride's parents, divorced:

Bride and groom's parents:

Bride and groom's parents, divorced (example 1):

Bride and groom's parents, divorced (example 2):

Bride and groom's parents, divorced (example 3):

Bride, groom, and parents hosting (example 1):

Bride and groom hosting:

Bride, groom, and children hosting (example 1):

Bride, groom, and children hosting (example 2):