Whatever your DIY wedding stationery’s theme or style might be, you’ll need to send out word-perfect wedding invitations to your guests.

Design and style ultimately boil down to preference as there are no hard and fast rules for things like colour schemes, graphics, and other visual elements in your invites. But proper grammar and accuracy? These are non-negotiable — you either get it right or you don’t.

If you’re planning a wedding, your wedding invitations’ wording is probably the last thing you want to spend hours thinking about. Figuring out what to write and what details to include can be a challenge, which is why we’ve put together this guide to help you.

Essential Elements in 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.

• The wedding celebrants’ names
• The wedding date
• The venue (or venues, if the wedding ceremony and reception are in different locations)
• The start time

There are, however, other pertinent details about the wedding that you may want to include in your invitations.

The Parents’ 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.

Alternatively, you may also write:

The Couple’s Names

When writing the couple’s names, 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.

With informal invites, the bride and groom’s first and last names can be displayed without titles.

Wedding Details

There are a few things to cover here, depending on your wedding’s specific details. As a rule of thumb, you’ll want to list the following wedding details in your invitation.

• Date
• Venue
• Time
• Dress code
• Other relevant information

So, using our earlier example, you can write:

Evening Event

If you’re only sending invites to the evening reception, you’ll have to clearly state the words “Evening Reception” in your invitations.

Time

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.

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:

If you have an outdoor wedding or a festive theme, you can also write:

RSVPs

When wording the RSVP section of your wedding invitation, be sure to 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.

Sending out invitations should be a fun part of the wedding planning experience. For all your DIY papercraft and card stock needs, The Paperbox has you covered. We carry a wide range of wedding stationery and postcard blanks in different colours, finishes, and sizes. Order now and get free shipping.