Your Easy Guide to Wedding Invitation Wording
You found your forever person and figured out where and when the big day is. Now comes the challenge: Finding the perfect words to express the joy, excitement, and overall tone of your wedding day.
Even if you’re sending save the date cards, your wedding invitation is a chance to make an impression on your guests and excite them about your upcoming wedding celebration. But before you start putting too much pressure on yourself, we’re here to help.
If learning the ins-and-outs of wedding invitation etiquette rules and wording doesn’t fit into your wedding planning to-do list, use our wedding invitation wording tool for a fast and simple fix. Or if you’d like to personalize your invite even more, use this guide filled with plenty of tips for finding the right words. You’ll also find examples of different approaches to wedding invitation wording so you not only know what to say, but exactly how to say it.
What to Include in Your Wedding Invitation Wording
You don’t have to be a wordsmith to craft the perfect wedding invitation. Before you get started, think about the theme and mood that you and your partner want to convey. You want the language to be clear and informative, but you also want it to have a sense of your personality as a couple.
Once you know this, it’s easier to choose an invitation design that complements the tone and style of your upcoming nuptials. Whether you’re throwing a casual wedding in your backyard or an elegant rooftop celebration, here’s a quick rundown of what to include on your wedding invitation.
Host Line and Request Line
The host line is the first line of the invitation. It tells guests who’s hosting the event (aka who’s footing the bill). This might be the groom’s parents, the bride’s parents, both sets of parents, stepparents, the couple themselves, or the couple along with the help of family members. Traditionally, it would be the bride’s parents hosting, but these days we make our own traditions.
The request line is the second line on your invitation where you ask the invitee to attend your wedding celebration and participate in the merriment. Along with the host line, it might look something like this:
Mr. and Mrs. Gutierrez
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
—
Mr. and Mrs. Kim together with Mr. and Mrs. Adjemian
request the honor of your presence
at the wedding of their children
—
Together with their families, Kendrick and Kayla
invite you to join them
for their wedding day
—
Frank and David
joyfully welcome you to attend
the celebration of their love
The Happy Couple’s Names
If the couple’s names aren’t included alongside the parents’ names in the host line or another line, be sure to include it somewhere prominent on the invite. (It’s kind of impossible to have a wedding invitation without knowing who’s getting married!)
You can include full names (including middle names) although it’s become common to use first names only, even for a formal invitation. Traditionally, a bride’s name would be first, followed by a groom’s name, but you can feature your names in whichever order makes sense for you. Some couples opt for alphabetical order, or in whichever order they typically say their names.
Wedding Date, Time, and Location
After the host line, request line, and couple’s name, you’ll want to include the date, time, and location of the wedding ceremony. Mention the full street address either on the invite or on your wedding website, so your guests can arrange transportation or know where to find nearby parking. Be sure to add information about the wedding reception on a separate line (including a note if it’s at a different location), even if it’s something as simple as “Reception to follow.”
Dress Code
Is your wedding celebration going to be a black-tie affair? Perhaps you prefer cocktail attire or a more casual-chic approach? Or maybe you’d like to encourage guests to wear certain colors or follow a particular theme, like a gothic wedding or Great Gatsby-inspired celebration. Whatever you decide, be sure to let guests know what to expect in terms of your wedding dress code.
RSVP Card or Link
For physical invitations, you’ll need a separate RSVP card or response card with a pre-stamped, pre-addressed envelope. Make it easy on yourself and create online wedding invitations that you can easily email and track in real time.
Other Details
If you have a wedding website with more details about your big day, include it on your wedding invites — on a separate card is best, or use our handy details panel for your online invitations. You can also share a line or two about what you’ll be doing, like “dinner and drinks” or “dancing and fairground rides” if you want to add some extra personality to your wedding invitation wording.
Wedding Invitation Wording Examples
You now know what to include, so it’s time to get your creativity flowing and add your own flair. Here are some wedding invitation wording samples to inspire your linguistic style. Use these templates as they are and swap in your personal details, or use them as the basis for your own creation.
Traditional Wedding Invitation Wording
If you’re having a traditional wedding ceremony in an elegant venue or house of worship, consider more formal wording that complements the style of your special day.
For example, using a phrase like “Mr. and Mrs. John Sanchez request the honor of your presence” in the host line and including the couple’s first and last names are about as traditional as it gets. That said, feel free to change things up and put your own spin on what a “formal wedding invitation” means to both of you.
Traditional Example #1: Emily and Connor
Design: Jessica Williams
This “Scripted” invitation is a classic that works beautifully for a formal affair. With its lovely floral envelope liner and timeless design, you can change the script to suit your partnership and personality.
Together we invite you
to celebrate the marriage of
Emily Sutton
and
Connor Bennet
Friday, the seventeenth of November
Two thousand twenty-two
Seven o’clock in the evening
Cheekwood Estate & Gardens
Nashville, Tennessee
Traditional Example #2: Savita and Pradhi
Design: Signature Greenvelope
This richly colored, majestic-looking “Exquisite Peacock” design features traditional wording that befits a more formal wedding. While there is no dress code indicated on the invitation, you can personalize this card or any card to include those details if you want. The language and style of this wedding invitation suite do an excellent job of setting the tone for a more formal affair.
Divya & Abhisoka Rahaman
together with Vyshali & Madesh Katwaroo
joyfully request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their children
Savita and Pradhi
Saturday 18 September
two-thousand twenty-two
beginning at half-past six in the evening
The Hotel Dhaka
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Traditional Example #3: Kristie and Stephen
Design: Phrosne Ras
We love this “Botanical Ampersand” wedding invitation for its bold design and heartfelt language. Sophisticated yet versatile, it’s a modern approach to formality.
Kristie and Stephen
with their families
joyfully invite you to their
wedding celebration
Valley Vineyard Inn
Napa Valley
California
on
September seventh
Twenty nineteen at
4:30 p.m.
Reception will follow
Formal attire requested
Fun and Playful Wedding Invitation Wording
Whether you’re hosting a rustic wedding in a refurbished barn, a boho-chic beachside celebration, or a woodsy wedding in a glamping-style wedding venue, your wedding stationery and informal wedding language help set the scene.
Playful Example #1: Meadow and Jackson
Design: Owl and Toad
For a winter wedding, consider a fitting color scheme and motif, such as evergreen branches, like those on this “Delicate Branches” invitation. The language here is simple but you can always add your own twist with wording like “Our new adventure is about to begin!”
Kindly join us
for the wedding of
Meadow Wilson
and
Jackson Alder
Saturday, December 5th, 2021
5:30 in the evening
Hilltop Mountain Resort
Denver, CO
Playful Example #2: Ann and Thomas
Design: National Park Foundation
With its hand-drawn illustrations of the moon, stars, and majestic landscape, the “Crater Lake” invitation is both an homage to the great outdoors and a nod to the love that nature can inspire. This couple chose a fun message for their wording, which lets their happy attitude shine.
Ann & Thomas
are tying the knot!
You are happily invited to
join us in celebration of their marriage
Saturday the twelfth of September 2020
4 o’clock in the afternoon
Crater Lake Lodge
Crater Lake National Park
565 Rim Dr. Klamath Falls, Oregon
Dinner & dancing to follow
Playful Example #3: Josephine and Tamara
Design: Signature Greenvelope
Have fun with your phrasing thanks to the simplicity of this “Open Bar” wedding invitation. The minimal yet vibrant design lends itself to light and contemporary wording. It’s perfect for a couple that doesn’t take themselves too seriously.
Josephine and Tamara
are getting hitched *
* we’re having a party with an open bar
april twenty-eighth, two thousand twenty at six in the evening
engine house twentyfive | pittsburgh, pennsylvania
kindly respond by march 4
Out-of-the-Box Wedding Invitation Wording
If you and your partner are a bit unconventional, the words you choose — or don’t choose — for your wedding invitation can keep that fresh perspective alive. Take a look at these wedding invitation wording samples for a bit of out-of-the-box inspiration.
Unconventional Example #1: Clara and Maddie
Design: Maria Hilas Louie Design
With its beautifully prismatic sheen, modern typography, and simple yet sophisticated design, this “Love and Light” wedding invitation is a blank canvas for your message. Choose whichever phrasing you like, but we love that this couple didn’t even use the word “wedding,” creating a voice and style all their own.
Clara and Maddie
invite you to join their
celebration of love and friendship
August 25, 2020
at 6:00 in the evening
Terra Gallery & Events, San Francisco
Dinner and dancing to follow
Unconventional Example #2: Bailey and Craig
Design: National Park Foundation
This “Mt. Rainier” invitation is perfect for the nature-loving duo planning a green wedding. The bronze, handwritten typeface with the “Meet us in the woods” greeting is simply stunning.
Meet us in the woods
Together with their families
Bailey and Craig
request the pleasure of
your company at their
wedding celebration
August twentieth
Two thousand twenty
Five in the evening
Mt. Rainier National Park
Reception to follow
Unconventional Example #3: Janna and Imani
Design: Noonday Design
We’re all about crafting the wedding invitation wording that suits you, and sometimes that means less is more. If the two of you want to keep things simple, this unconventional take on a wedding invite is a great idea. Match your pared-down wording to the “Let’s Do This” invitation for a modern and confident feeling — with space on the reverse for you to add your own quirky poem, love story, or notes.
Let’s do this
10.23.21
Janna & Imani
The Rudrick Gallery
Seattle, Washington
Six thirty in the evening
Find the Words, Send the Invites, Celebrate Your Love
Once you know what to feature on your wedding invites, figuring out the wording feels much easier. Use this guide to help you plan and perfect your wedding invitation wording, whatever your style.
Greenvelope’s easy online invitations allow you to fully customize the experience and track everything from address validations and RSVPs to what your wedding guests want to eat, and much more. With collections ranging from traditional and elegant to modern and fun, you can customize the perfect wedding invitation that expresses you and your partner’s personal style.
