Wedding Invitation Wording: Formal, Casual and Family-Hosted Examples
Wedding invitation wording for formal and casual weddings, for parents or both families as hosts, and for couples hosting their own wedding.
Wedding invitation wording follows a simple order: who is hosting, the invitation itself, the couple’s names, the date and time, the place, and how to reply. This guide gives copy-and-paste examples for formal and casual weddings, for parents or both families as hosts, and for couples hosting their own wedding.
What to include on a wedding invitation
- The host line. Who is inviting the guests: parents, both families, or the couple.
- The request line. The words that invite the guest, such as “request the pleasure of your company.”
- The couple’s names. Full names on a formal invitation, first names on a casual one.
- The date and time. Formal invitations spell these out in words.
- The venue. The name of the place and the town. A full street address can go on a details card or page.
- The reception line. Such as “Reception to follow” or the reception venue if it is somewhere else.
- How to reply. A reply-by date and a link, address or card for the RSVP.
Formal wedding invitation wording
Traditional invitations use “the honour of your presence” for a ceremony in a place of worship and “the pleasure of your company” for any other venue. The British spelling of “honour” is the custom on formal cards. Dates and times are written out in full.
- “The honour of your presence is requested at the marriage of Ava Louise Collins and Samuel James Patel. Saturday, the sixth of June, at four o’clock in the afternoon. Saint Mary’s Church, Hartwell. Reception to follow.”
- “Ava Louise Collins and Samuel James Patel request the pleasure of your company at their marriage. Saturday, the sixth of June, at half past three in the afternoon. The Old Mill, Ashford. Dinner and dancing to follow.”
- “Together with their families, Ava Louise Collins and Samuel James Patel request the pleasure of your company as they are united in marriage. Saturday, the sixth of June, at four o’clock. Lakeside Barn, Hartwell.”
Wording when parents host
When parents host, their names come first, and the invitation names the couple in relation to them.
One set of parents hosting
- “Mr. and Mrs. Robert Collins request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter Ava Louise to Samuel James Patel. Saturday, the sixth of June, at four o’clock. The Old Mill, Ashford.”
- “Dr. Anil Patel and Mrs. Meera Patel invite you to celebrate the marriage of their son Samuel James to Ava Louise Collins. Saturday, June 6, at 4pm, Lakeside Barn, Hartwell.”
Both families hosting
- “Mr. and Mrs. Robert Collins and Dr. and Mrs. Anil Patel request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their children, Ava Louise and Samuel James. Saturday, the sixth of June, at four o’clock. The Old Mill, Ashford.”
- “Together with their parents, Ava Collins and Sam Patel invite you to their wedding. Saturday, June 6, at 4pm, Lakeside Barn, Hartwell. Reception to follow.”
Divorced or remarried parents
Give each household its own line, with the parent who is hosting most closely listed first. For example: “Ms. Laura Bennett and Mr. Daniel Bennett, together with Mr. and Mrs. Paul Reed, request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of Grace Bennett and Oliver Reed.” If the names get long, “Together with their families” is a gracious way to include everyone without listing them.
Wording when the couple hosts
Many couples host and pay for their own wedding. In that case, start with your own names or with “Together with their families.”
- “Ava Collins and Sam Patel invite you to celebrate their wedding. Saturday, June 6, at 4pm, The Old Mill, Ashford.”
- “Please join Grace Bennett and Oliver Reed as they get married. Saturday, September 19, at 2pm, Willow Farm. Dinner and dancing to follow.”
- “Jordan Hayes and Alex Moreno are getting married, and we would love you to be there. Saturday, May 16, at 3pm, Riverside Gardens.”
For any couple, list the names in the order you prefer. Etiquette guides often put the bride’s name first when parents host, but there is no rule for couples who host themselves or for two brides or two grooms.
Casual and modern wedding wording
- “We’re getting married! Ava and Sam. Saturday, June 6, 4pm, Lakeside Barn. Food, drinks and dancing after.”
- “Grace and Oliver are tying the knot. Join us on Saturday, September 19, at Willow Farm. Ceremony at 2pm, party until late.”
- “Come celebrate with us. Jordan and Alex are getting married on Saturday, May 16, at 3pm, Riverside Gardens.”
- “A small wedding, a long lunch. Please join Mia and Leo on Saturday, August 22, at noon, at The Garden Room.”
Reception, dress code and RSVP lines
These short lines go at the bottom of the invitation or on a separate details card.
- Reception: “Reception to follow.” “Dinner and dancing to follow.” “Reception at six o’clock, The Old Mill.”
- Dress code: “Black tie.” “Black tie optional.” “Cocktail attire.” “Garden party attire. The ceremony is on the lawn.”
- Adults only: “We love your little ones, but our wedding is an adults-only celebration.”
- RSVP: “Kindly reply by May 9.” “Please RSVP by May 9 using the link below.”
- Meal choice: “Please choose your main course when you reply.”
Our RSVP wording guide has more reply lines, and when to send wedding invitations explains how far ahead to set the deadline.
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About Invite Jam Team
Written by the team building Invite Jam, a digital invitation service with editable templates, hand-drawn designs and uploads for your own artwork. We share practical advice on invitation wording, planning celebrations and collecting guest replies online.
Learn more about Invite JamFrequently asked questions
- What is the correct wording for a wedding invitation?
- A wedding invitation names the hosts, invites the guest, names the couple, and gives the date, time, venue and how to reply. For example: “Together with their families, Ava Collins and Sam Patel request the pleasure of your company at their marriage. Saturday, June 6, at 4pm, The Old Mill, Ashford.”
- What is the difference between “honour of your presence” and “pleasure of your company”?
- Traditionally, “the honour of your presence” is used for a ceremony in a place of worship, and “the pleasure of your company” is used for any other venue. Many couples now use either one.
- How do you word a wedding invitation when the couple is paying?
- Start with your own names, such as “Ava Collins and Sam Patel invite you to celebrate their wedding,” or use “Together with their families” to include your parents without naming them as hosts.
- How do you say adults only on a wedding invitation?
- Address the invitation only to the adults you are inviting, and add a short line on the details card or wedding page: “We love your little ones, but our wedding is an adults-only celebration.”
- Whose name goes first on a wedding invitation?
- When the bride’s parents host, the bride’s name traditionally comes first. When the couple hosts or both families host, you can list the names in whichever order you prefer.