invitation wording
The structure
| RULES OF THUMB |
|---|
| 1. The word “and” between two names implies that those two people are married. The names of unmarried hosts should be stacked. |
| 2. Women who are widowed should be addressed according to their late husband’s name with “Mrs.” as the title (i.e. Mrs. William Harper). |
| 3. The phrase “request the honor of your presence” is typically reserved for a church or place of worship. You can spell it either “honor” or “honour”. Just be sure to remain consistent throughout your invitation suite. |
| 4. Traditionally, middle names, dates, street information, and state names are spelled out entirely. If you choose to list the date or other information in a more casual manner, make sure you are consistent throughout the entire invitation suite. |
| 5. If the wedding ceremony and reception are being held in the same location, you do not need a separate reception card. You can simply state “Reception to Follow” at the bottom of the invitation. |
| 6. The main invitation should only include the key details of your event. However, guests will appreciate additional information to be included in your invitation suite. |
| 7. You will want to request RSVP’s within three to four weeks of the event to get an accurate head count however, the rules have somewhat loosened up over the years. |
| 8. Including your registry information along with your invitation is traditionally seen as a faux pas |
sample wording
Bride's Parent's Hosting
BRIDE'S PARENTS HOSTING
Traditional | Religious
Mr. and Mrs. Sherman Stanley
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Cameron Elizabeth
to
Garret Michael
Saturday, the Seventh of May
Two Thousand Eighteen
at Four O’clock in the Afternoon
Saint Luke Episcopal Church
Richmond, Indiana
BRIDE'S PARENTS HOSTING
Traditional | Secular
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Smithson
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Tracey Marie
to
Jameson Lawrence
Saturday, the Six of June
Twenty Seventeen
at Three O’clock in the Afternoon
The Waterfront Terrace
Chicago, Illinois
BRIDE'S PARENTS HOSTING
Honoring Groom’s Parents | Secular
Mr. and Mrs. Steven Staunton
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Elizabeth Taylor
to
Matthew Tyler
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Watson
Friday, the Tenth of September
Two Thousand Eighteen
at Five O’clock in the Evening
King Family Vinyard
Charlottesville, Virginia
BRIDE'S PARENTS HOSTING
Informal
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Parson
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Sarag Michelle
to
Elijah Spencer
December 10th, 2018
5:30 PM
The Darby House
Galloway, Ohio
Reception to Follow
Groom's Parents Hosting
GROOM'S PARENTS HOSTING
Traditional | Religious
Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Robertson
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of
Annelise Cooper
to their son
Alexander Robertson
Saturday, the Ninth of May
Two Thousand Twenty
at Four O’clock in the Afternoon
Saint John's Catholic Church
Salamanca, New York
GROOM'S PARENTS HOSTING
Traditional | Secular
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Carter
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of
Brooke Kennedy
to their son
Andrew Carter
Saturday, the Second of November
Two Thousand Seventeen
at Six O'clock in the Evening
Greenwood Estates
Norfolk, Virginia
GROOM'S PARENTS HOSTING
Informal
Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Donaldson
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of
Courtney Amelia
to their son
Adam Donaldson
June 22, 2020
6:30 PM
Loft 360
32 North High Street
Columbus, Ohio
Both Parents Hosting
BOTH PARENTS HOSTING
Traditional | Religious
Mr. and Mrs. Jared Stevenson
and Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Harrison
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their children
Marissa Amanda Stevens
to
Robert Theodore Harrison
Saturday the Twentieth of July
Two Thousand Eighteen
at Six O’clock in the Evening
The Church of the Brethren
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania
BOTH PARENTS HOSTING
Traditional | Secular
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Adams
And Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Wilson
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their children
Alexandra Marie
to
Nathan Louis
Saturday, June 18th, 2020
at Five O’clock in the Evening
The Museum of Modern Art
Chicago, Illinois
BOTH PARENTS HOSTING
Informal
Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Peterson
And Mr. and Mrs. Allen Marsh
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their children
Alexandria Morgan
and
Weston Anthony
March 3, 2018
5:30 PM
The Hilton Palm Springs Resort
Palm Springs, Florida
Families & Couple hosting
FAMILIES & COUPLE HOSTING
Traditional | Religious
Together with
Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Rodgers
and Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Thompson
Gabriella Nicole Rodgers
and
Mitchell Benjamin Thompson
request the honor of your presence
at the celebration of their union
Saturday, the Twenty-sixth of July
Two Thousand Eighteen
at Five O’clock in the Evening
United Methodist Church
Hilliard, Ohio
FAMILIES & COUPLE HOSTING
Traditional | Secular
Together with
Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Porter
And Mr. and Mrs. George Bishop
Kennedy Porter
and
Evan Bishop
request the pleasure of your company
at the celebration of their marriage
October 8th, 2020
at Four O’clock in the Evening
Franklin Park Conservatory
Columbus, Ohio
Reception to Follow
FAMILIES & COUPLE HOSTING
Casual | Informal
Together with their parents
Addison Marie
&
Archer Thompson
joyfully invite you to join
their wedding celebration
November 2, 2019
at Five O’clock
The National Sign Museum
Cincinnati, Ohio
Reception to Follow
COUPLE HOSTING
COUPLE HOSTING
Religious
Caroline Elizabeth Robinson
and
Ryan Michael Jacobson
request the honor of your presence
at the celebration of their union
Saturday, July Twenty-fifth
Two Thousand Twenty
Seven O’clock in the Evening
The Church of the Nazarene
214 West First Street
Indianapolis, Indiana
COUPLE HOSTING
Secular
Harper Noelle Sysco
and
Anderson Michael Wilson
request the pleasure of your company
at the celebration of their union
Saturday, October Tenth
Two Thousand Eighteen
Six O’clock in the Evening
The Huntsman's Lodge
Saint Louis, Missouri
Dinner and Dancing to Follow
COUPLE HOSTING
Informal
Emily Adrienne Klien
&
Spencer Reed Parker
request the pleasure of your company
at their wedding celebration
Saturday, May 15th, 2019
6:00 PM
The Palms Resort & Spa
Palm Springs, California
Reception to Follow
Special Cases
SPECIAL CASE
Remarried Parent
Ms. Natasha Anderson
Mr. and Mrs. Braden Harrison
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Samantha Grace
to
Garrett Nelson
Saturday, the Ninth of June
Two Thousand Seventeen
at Five O’clock in the Evening
Christian Life Center
Dayton, Ohio
SPECIAL CASE
Divorced Parents
Ms. Eloise Lavey
Mr. Byron Wilson
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Heather Madison
to
Stephen Wilson
August Thirtieth
Two Thousand Twenty
at Five O’clock in the Afternoon
Rooftop Plaza
Chicago, Illinois
Reception to Follow
SPECIAL CASE
Widowed Parent
Mrs. Patricia Stanley
requests the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Annabelle Nadine
to
Geoffry Sanders
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Sanders
Saturday, the Sixteenth of June
Twenty Eighteen
at Two O’clock in the Afternoon
Trinity Lutheran Church
Atlanta, Georgia
SPECIAL CASE
Parent & Step Parent Hosting
Mr. and Mrs. Craig Norfolk
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of his/her daughter
Jennifer Norfolk
to
Adam McNeal
Saturday, the Seventh of June
Two Thousand Twenty
at Six O’clock in the Evening
Royal Creek Farm
Madison, Wisconsin
Reception to Follow