Wedding Invitation Wording: What Should You Write in Your Wedding Invites?

You’ve set a date, your venue is booked, and you’ve finalised your guestlist. Phew, that’s the hard part done, right? Well, not quite. With that all sorted you’re going to need to send out your invitations.

The design and style of your invites ultimately comes down to preference. There really are no hard and fast rules for things like envelopes, colour schemes, graphics, and other visual elements in your invites. But proper grammar, accuracy and all of the information your guests need? These are non-negotiable – you either get it right or you don’t.

Whatever your DIY wedding stationery’s theme or style might be, you’ll need to craft word-perfect wedding invitations for your guests. Not only is this about expressing your wish for the recipients to join your celebration but it’s also about communicating effectively so that everything runs smoothly – and everyone turns up on time – on your big day.

If you’re planning a wedding, the wording on your invitations is probably the last thing you want to spend hours thinking about but you’ll need to get this right. It’s why we’ve put together these top tips and examples, to show you exactly what information needs to be on your invites and how you can make them sing.

Essential Wording and Information Any Wedding Invitation

Whether your wedding invitations have a traditional, formal or informal theme, the essential elements of “who, what, when, where and why” should be present and easy to read. Be sure to have the following key information in your invitations to make sure no one is left with any questions.

Opening Line

This is where you formally invite your guest to join you and the hosts for your celebration but this is also where you set the tone for the invite. While a more formal invitation may read ‘Mr. and Mrs. Bennet request your company at the marriage of their son, David Ian to Grace Elizabeth’, a more relaxed version may say, ‘We’re getting married! Grace and David would love you to attend their big day’. How you say it is really up to you but just be sure to set the tone with that opening line.

The Wedding Celebrants’ Names

When writing the couple’s names on the invite card, it’s customary for the bride’s name to go before the groom’s. With formal and traditional invitations, the first and middle name of the bride is displayed while the groom’s full name, preceded by their title, is used. For example, ‘Jane Doe and Mr John Patrick Smith’. With informal invites, the bride and groom’s first and last names can be displayed without titles such as, ‘Jane Elizabeth and John Smith’.

The Hosts’ Names

Traditionally, the bride’s family shoulders the financial costs of a wedding, which means they’re also the hosts and the invites are addressed from them. In weddings where both the bride and groom’s parents, as well as the bride and groom themselves, contribute to the wedding, the invitation should be addressed from all sets of parents.

While this is traditional, it’s becoming more common to see more informal invites addressed from the celebrants alone.

Wedding Date and Time

Including the date and time on your wedding invitations is vital to make sure people turn up when they should. If you have a strict ceremony or reception start time and want guests to be there on time, go ahead and be specific. For example, you can write: Ceremony at 1:00 p.m. – Please arrive by 12:30 p.m.

Venue Location

Be sure to include the venue address and any other important notes on location. For example, you may want to include any tips on how to find the venue or if there’s anything of note when it comes to access, local public transport or parking.

Dress Code

Weddings are a time to dress up, but your guests may also need a bit of guidance to know what exactly to wear. You can word your dress code by writing: ‘black tie’ or ‘formal wear.’Or if you have an outdoor wedding or a festive theme, you may also write: ‘bring a coat!’ or ‘bring your dancing shoes’.

What the Recipient is Invited to

If you’re only sending invites to the evening reception, you’ll have to clearly state the words ‘evening reception’ in your invitations. If they’re invited to the whole day, make it clear also. The last thing you want is anyone turning up for the wrong part of the day.

RSVP

When wording the RSVP section of your wedding invitation, be clear about how and when you want guests to respond. For example, you can specify a date to expect a response and ask for information such as whether they have food allergies/preferences or the name of their plus one if they plan on bringing company.

You should also state your method of getting guests to RSVP, whether it’s by email, post, phone call or text message, event website/web page. You can attach a separate RSVP card for your guests to fill in.

Any Other Relevant Information

Maybe you want to give your invitees tips on where they can stay nearby or maybe you want to tell them that their plus one is welcome, make sure you include all other relevant information that they might need ahead of the big day.

Examples of Wording for Your Wedding Invitation

Now you know exactly what to include in your wedding invitations, it’s time to get your inspiration bubbling with some wording examples. Feel free to use these as a starting point or take them completely – and pop in your own information, of course – to make writing your wedding invitations a little easier.

A Traditional Wedding Invite with the Host’s Names First

Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Clark
and
Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Bennet
Request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their children

Grace Elizabeth
and
David Ian

Saturday, the sixteenth of May
Two thousand twenty-five
At six o'clock

The ceremony will take place at
The Old Willowbrook Estate
Sudbury

Black tie
We would be delighted to have you join us along with one guest
Please RSVP with the enclosed note by the sixteenth of March

A Traditional Wedding Invitation with the Celebrant’s Names First

Grace Elizabeth
&
David Ian

together with their families,
cordially invite you to celebrate
their marriage on
Saturday, 16 May 2025
at 18:00

The ceremony will take place at
The Old Willowbrook Estate
Sudbury

Following the ceremony, please join the happy couple for a reception at the same venue.
We look forward to sharing this special day with you.

The dress code is formal.
We would be delighted to have you join us along with one guest.
Please RSVP with the enclosed note by 30 March 2025

A Modern and Informal Wedding Invite

We’re Getting Married!

Grace Elizabeth
&
David Ian

We would love for you to join us
as we say ‘I do’ on
Saturday, 16 May 2025
at 18:00
The Old Willowbrook Estate
Sudbury

Afterwards, we’ll be celebrating with food, drinks, and plenty of dancing.
We can't wait to share this special day with you!
Please let us know if you can come by RSVPing to the email address below by 30 March 2025.

Are You Ready to Send Out Your Wedding Invitations?

Sending out invitations shouldn’t be stressful. Like any part of your wedding planning, it should be fun. It should be a chance for you to express yourself and to get people excited about the celebrations.

Hopefully now you have enough ideas to get writing and creating your own DIY wedding invitations. But before you get going, you should remember one thing about writing and creating your wedding invitations: above all else, your invitations should be about you, a way to express both of your personalities. It is, after all, your big day.

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