Wedding Invitation Wording: A Complete Guide + Examples
- White Lace Design
- 4 hours ago
- 4 min read
Wedding invitation wording can feel surprisingly intimidating.
You know your names. You know the date. You know where you're getting married. And somehow, the moment you have to put all of that information onto an invitation, you're suddenly wondering whether you need to “request the honor of their presence,” whose names should come first, whether you need your parents' names, and if you're accidentally breaking some mysterious wedding etiquette rule.
The good news? There is much more flexibility in wedding invitation wording than there used to be.
Your invitation should clearly communicate the important details of your wedding while sounding like you. Whether your celebration is formal and traditional, relaxed and modern, or somewhere in between, here's how to word your wedding invitations beautifully.
What Information Goes on a Wedding Invitation?
At its simplest, your wedding invitation should tell guests:
Who is getting married
Who is hosting, if you'd like to include it
The wedding date
Ceremony time
Ceremony location
Reception information, when appropriate
Additional information such as accommodations, transportation, your wedding website, RSVP instructions and dress code can usually be placed on a separate details card rather than crowding the main invitation.
Traditional Wedding Invitation Wording
Traditional wording is perfect for a formal wedding or for couples who simply love the timeless feel of classic etiquette.
Bride's Parents Hosting
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Anderson
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Emily Grace
to
James Alexander Carter
Saturday, the twelfth of June
two thousand twenty-seven
at half past four in the afternoon
The Grand Estate
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Reception to follow
Wedding Invitation Wording When Both Families Are Hosting
If both families are contributing to or hosting the wedding, you can recognize them without making the invitation feel overly complicated.
Both Parents Hosting
Together with their families
Emily Grace Anderson
and
James Alexander Carter
invite you to celebrate their marriage
Saturday, June 12, 2027
at 4:30 in the afternoon
The Grand Estate
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Dinner and dancing to follow
This is one of my favorite options because it feels warm and inclusive while still being beautifully simple.
Wedding Invitation Wording When the Couple Is Hosting
Couples hosting their own celebration can skip parent names altogether.
Couple Hosting
Emily Grace Anderson
and
James Alexander Carter
invite you to celebrate
their wedding
Saturday, June 12, 2027
at 4:30 PM
The Grand Estate
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Dinner, drinks and dancing to follow
This works especially well for modern or less formal weddings.
Modern Wedding Invitation Wording
Modern wording can feel much more conversational.
For example:
We're getting married!
Emily & James
would love for you to join them
as they say “I do”
June 12, 2027
4:30 PM
The Grand Estate
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Dinner, drinks & dancing to follow
Or even:
The best is yet to come.
Join us for the wedding of
Emily Anderson
&
James Carter
June 12, 2027 | 4:30 PM
The Grand Estate
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Celebrate with us afterward!
The wording should match the wedding. A black-tie ballroom celebration and a backyard garden wedding don't have to sound the same.
Do You Have to Use Formal Wedding Invitation Wording?
Nope.
Traditional etiquette can be a wonderful starting point, but you aren't required to make your invitation sound like it was written in 1897.
The level of formality should generally complement your celebration.
For a formal or black-tie wedding, traditional language and fully written dates and times can feel appropriate.
For a modern, destination or casual wedding, shorter and more conversational wording may feel much more natural.
Clarity matters more than following every old etiquette rule perfectly.
How Should You Write the Date and Time?
This is another area where the style of your wedding can guide you.
A traditional invitation might say:
Saturday, the twelfth of June
two thousand twenty-seven
at half past four in the afternoon
A modern invitation might simply say:
Saturday, June 12, 2027
4:30 PM
Both are perfectly understandable. The important thing is keeping the formatting consistent with the overall style of your invitation.
Where Should RSVP and Wedding Website Information Go?
Usually, not on the main invitation.
Keeping your main invitation focused on the wedding itself creates a cleaner design
.
RSVP instructions, your wedding website, accommodations, transportation and other guest information can live on a coordinating details or RSVP card.
For couples using online RSVPs, a wedding website URL or QR code can make the process especially simple.
What About Divorced, Remarried or Deceased Parents?
Family situations don't always fit neatly into a traditional invitation template—and that's completely okay.
Parent names can be included, omitted or arranged in several ways depending on who is hosting and what feels appropriate for your family.
This is one of those situations where I don't believe couples should feel forced into wording that makes them uncomfortable simply because it's considered “traditional.”
Your invitation should reflect your family and your celebration.
If you're customizing a White Lace Design invitation and aren't sure how to handle a particular family situation, we can help you determine wording that feels appropriate while still fitting beautifully into the design.
Wedding Invitation Wording Tips
Before approving your final proof, check every single detail carefully.
Pay special attention to:
Names. Dates. Ceremony time. Venue spelling. City and state.
Then have someone else read it.
Seriously.
Once you've stared at the same invitation twenty-seven times, your brain will happily read what it expects to see instead of what's actually there.
Also consider reading the invitation aloud. It's an easy way to catch awkward phrasing or missing words.
Your Wedding Invitation Should Sound Like You
Wedding etiquette can provide helpful guidance, but your invitation doesn't need to follow a rigid formula.
Formal, casual, romantic, modern, traditional—there's room to make the wording fit the celebration you're actually planning.
The most important thing is that your guests understand who, what, when and where while the invitation gives them their first little glimpse of what's to come.
And that's when wedding stationery gets really fun.
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