Wedding Invitation Wording Examples for Every Situation
Nineteen copy-ready wording examples, from classic formal lines to a courthouse wedding with a party later, plus the simple rules that keep any invitation clear and correct.
The best wedding invitation wording examples share one plan: who is hosting, a line asking guests to come, your names, the date and time, the place, and how to reply. Formal wording spells everything out in words. Casual wording keeps the same order but sounds like you talking.
Below you will find the anatomy of an invitation, the formal rules most etiquette guides agree on, and 19 copy-ready examples. They cover parents hosting, the couple hosting, divorced parents, a parent who has passed, small weddings, destination trips, courthouse ceremonies and online invitations.
The Anatomy of a Wedding Invitation
Every invitation, formal or relaxed, follows the same basic order. The Knot suggests keeping the main card to the essentials and moving extra details to an enclosure card or wedding website. Here is what each line does.
| Line | What it says | Formal example | Casual example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Host line | Who is inviting | Mr. and Mrs. David Carter | Together with their families |
| Request line | The ask | request the pleasure of your company | invite you to celebrate |
| Couple | Your names | Emma Rose Carter and James Lee Park | Emma and James |
| Date | Day, date, year | Saturday, the twelfth of June, two thousand twenty-seven | Saturday, June 12, 2027 |
| Time | Start time | at half after four o'clock | at 4:30 p.m. |
| Venue | Place and city | The Glasshouse, Portland, Oregon | The Glasshouse, Portland |
| Reception line | What comes next | Dinner and dancing to follow | Party to follow! |
| RSVP | How and when to reply | The favor of a reply is requested by the fifteenth of May | Please reply by May 15 |
You can drop the host line on a casual invitation. Everything else should stay, because guests need it to plan.
Formal Wedding Invitation Wording Rules
Formal wedding invitation wording has a few set habits. You do not have to follow all of them, but knowing them helps you break them on purpose.
"Honor of your presence" or "pleasure of your company"
Emily Post treats "the honour of your presence" as the most solemn request and ties it to the type of ceremony setting. "The pleasure of your company" is the traditional choice for venues such as hotels, gardens, homes and event halls. Emily Post also keeps the British "u" in "honour". Many American couples write "honor", which is just as correct. Choose one spelling and stick with it.
Dates and times in words
Formal invitations write the date, the year and the time in words. Emily Post prefers "half after four o'clock" to "half past" or "four-thirty", and leaves "and" out of the year ("two thousand twenty-seven"). WeddingWire accepts "half past" and adds "in the afternoon" or "in the morning" where it helps. Both are fine. Just be consistent.
When to use "and" between names
"And" tells the reader that two people are married or marrying. That is why Minted and WeddingWire both advise putting divorced parents on separate lines with no "and" between them. When one family hosts, many invitations join the couple with "to" ("their daughter Emma Rose to James Lee Park"). When both families or the couple host, "and" is the usual choice.
Names and titles
Use full names on formal invitations, including middle names if you like. Emily Post abbreviates titles such as "Mr." and "Mrs." but writes out "Doctor" when it fits on the line. Keep both partners' names in the same style: two full names, or two first names, never one of each.
Formal and Traditional Wording Examples
These examples follow formal wedding invitation wording. Swap in your own names, date and venue.
Mr. and Mrs. David Carter request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter Emma Rose to James Lee Park Saturday, the twelfth of June two thousand twenty-seven at half after four o'clock The Glasshouse Portland, Oregon Dinner and dancing to follow
Mr. and Mrs. David Carter and Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Park request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their children Emma Rose Carter and James Lee Park Saturday, the twelfth of June two thousand twenty-seven at half after four o'clock The Glasshouse Portland, Oregon
Divorced parents wedding invitation wording
Each parent gets their own line, with no "and" between them. A stepparent shares a line with the parent they are married to, as WeddingWire explains. Minted notes that the mother is usually listed first.
Mrs. Linda Moore Mr. and Mrs. David Carter request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter Emma Rose Carter to James Lee Park Saturday, the twelfth of June two thousand twenty-seven at four o'clock in the afternoon The Glasshouse Portland, Oregon
A parent who has passed
Etiquette guides agree that a parent who has died cannot be named as a host. You can still name them gently beside their child's name, using "the late" as WeddingWire suggests, or simply "daughter of".
Mrs. Linda Carter requests the pleasure of your company at the marriage of her daughter Emma Rose Carter daughter of the late David Carter to James Lee Park Saturday, the twelfth of June two thousand twenty-seven at half after four o'clock The Glasshouse Portland, Oregon
Wedding Invitation Wording From the Bride and Groom
More couples host their own weddings now. In that case you can open with your own names, or with a shared line. WeddingWire suggests "Together with their families" when the couple and parents host together.
Emma Rose Carter and James Lee Park request the pleasure of your company at their marriage Saturday, the twelfth of June two thousand twenty-seven at half after four o'clock The Glasshouse Portland, Oregon
Together with their families Emma Carter and James Park invite you to celebrate their wedding Saturday, June 12, 2027 at 4:30 p.m. The Glasshouse, Portland, Oregon Dinner and dancing to follow
Same-sex couple
The wording does not need to change at all. For name order, Minted suggests alphabetical order or whatever looks best in the design.
Together with their families Daniel Brooks and Marcus Reyes invite you to celebrate their marriage Saturday, the fourth of September two thousand twenty-seven at five o'clock in the evening Willow Creek Farm Asheville, North Carolina
Second wedding or vow renewal
For a second marriage, the couple usually hosts, and the tone can be warm and grown-up. A vow renewal says "renewal of vows" or "celebrate ten years" so no one thinks it is a first wedding.
Laura Bennett and Michael Grant joyfully invite you to their wedding Saturday, October 16, 2027 at 3:00 p.m. The Garden Room, Napa, California A family dinner will follow
Ten years, two kids and one very old dog later Sara and Tom Alvarez invite you to celebrate the renewal of their vows Saturday, August 21, 2027 at 6:00 p.m. Harbor House, Seattle, Washington Dinner and dancing to follow
Casual and Modern Wedding Invitation Wording
Casual wedding invitation wording keeps the same facts but drops the formal phrases. Emily Post notes that less formal couples can write naturally instead of using the set lines.
We're getting married! Emma and James would love for you to join us Saturday, June 12, 2027, at 4:30 p.m. The Glasshouse, Portland Food, drinks and dancing to follow
Emma + James June 12, 2027 4:30 p.m. ceremony 6:00 p.m. dinner and dancing The Glasshouse, Portland Come celebrate with us
We're keeping it small, and we want you there. Emma and James invite you to their wedding Saturday, June 12, 2027, at 1:00 p.m. Lunch to follow at Juniper Kitchen, Portland
Adults-only wedding
Zola says the clearest signal is addressing the invitation only to the people invited, and warns that a bare "adults only" can read as harsher than you mean. A kind line works better.
We love your little ones, but our celebration will be for adults only. Thank you for understanding, and enjoy a night off!
Wording for Special Situations
Destination wedding
Give guests the place and dates up front, because they will be booking travel.
Pack your bags! Emma Carter and James Park invite you to join them for their wedding Saturday, June 12, 2027 Villa Rosa, Positano, Italy Travel and hotel details are on our wedding website Please reply by March 15, 2027
Courthouse wedding with a party later
Zola advises making it clear that you are already married, so guests know they are coming to a celebration, not a ceremony.
We said "I do" at City Hall! Now we want to celebrate with the people we love. Emma and James Park invite you to their wedding party Saturday, August 7, 2027, at 7:00 p.m. The Loft, Portland, Oregon Dinner, drinks and dancing
Reception-only invitation
The Knot suggests a small change to the request line, such as "to celebrate the wedding of", when guests are invited to the reception only.
Mr. and Mrs. David Carter request the pleasure of your company at a reception to celebrate the marriage of Emma Rose Carter and James Lee Park Saturday, the twelfth of June two thousand twenty-seven at seven o'clock in the evening The Glasshouse Portland, Oregon
Multi-day wedding weekend
When every guest is invited to every event, Zola recommends an itinerary with each event's date, time, place and dress. Keep each entry short.
We would love for you to join us all weekend. Friday, June 11 Welcome dinner, 7:00 p.m. Rooftop at The Marlow, Portland Smart casual Saturday, June 12 Ceremony, 4:30 p.m., followed by dinner and dancing The Glasshouse, Portland Formal Sunday, June 13 Farewell brunch, 10:30 a.m. Garden Cafe, Portland Come as you are
If some guests are invited to only some events, send separate details so no one sees an event they are not invited to. An online invitation with an RSVP for each event, like a wedding invitation with RSVP, makes this easier to manage.
Wording for Online Invitations and Bilingual Guests
If half your guests speak another language, a short note in that language shows care. Put it near the top, not hidden at the end.
English and Spanish details are both below. Los detalles en español están abajo.
When you send an online invitation, the message you write with the link matters as much as the invitation. Keep it short and personal.
Hi [Guest's name]! We're getting married on Saturday, June 12, 2027, in Portland, and we'd love for you to be there. Here's our invitation with all the details: [link] Please reply on the invitation by May 15. With love, Emma and James
With Nimtto, guests open one link and reply right on the invitation, so this message is all they need. For more on tone and timing, read our online invitation etiquette guide.
Common Wording Mistakes to Avoid
- Mixing styles. Formal words with a numeric date, or one full name next to one nickname, looks unplanned.
- Too much on the main card. Registry, dress code essays and hotel blocks belong on a details card or website.
- No RSVP date. Always give a clear reply-by date. Our guide on when to send wedding invitations explains how to pick it.
- Unclear guest names. If children or plus-ones are not invited, address the invitation clearly instead of leaving guests to guess.
- Skipping the proofread. Check every name spelling, the day of the week against the date, and the venue address.
Final Thoughts
Good wedding invitation wording is clear first and pretty second. Pick the tone that fits your day, keep the order guests expect, and use the examples above as a starting point you can make your own.
If you want your wording on an animated invitation website, Nimtto's designers set up every line with you before guests see it. Browse the wedding invitation designs, such as the classic Letterpress, or see the pricing: you pay once, with no charge per guest.
Questions people ask
Who is traditionally named first on a wedding invitation?
The hosts come first, because they are the ones doing the inviting. Traditionally that was the bride's parents, but today it can be both families, the couple, or a line such as "Together with their families".
Is it "honor" or "honour" on an American wedding invitation?
Both are seen. Emily Post keeps the British spelling "honour" for formal invitations, while many American couples use "honor". Pick one and use it the same way across all your wedding paper and pages.
Do I need to write the year on a wedding invitation?
On a formal invitation the year is usually written out in words. On a casual or online invitation it is fine to leave it off or use numerals, since guests know which year you mean.
How do I word an invitation if the couple is paying for the wedding?
Start with your own names, or use a warm opener such as "Together with their families". You do not need to name anyone as host if you are hosting yourselves.
Should I put "no kids" on the wedding invitation?
Most etiquette guides say the clearest signal is how you address the invitation: name only the people invited. Add a gentle line on the details page or invitation website, rather than a blunt "no kids" on the main card.
Can I put my registry on the wedding invitation?
Traditional etiquette keeps gift details off the main invitation. Put them on your wedding website or details page instead, where guests can find them if they want to.
What should I write when I send an online wedding invitation?
Write a short personal message with the guest's name, one line about the day, the link, and the RSVP date. See our guide to online invitation etiquette for more on tone and timing.
