Wedding Invitation Wording Examples for Every Kind of Wedding

A wedding invitation has to do two jobs at once. It sets the tone of the day, and it tells guests exactly where to be and when. Most wording problems come from trying to do the first job so well that the second gets lost.

Below you will find the essential elements of a wedding invitation, the main conventions in the UK and the US, and wording examples you can adapt for different situations.

What every wedding invitation needs

Whatever the style, a wedding invitation should include:

• 1. Who is hosting. Traditionally the bride's parents, but often the couple themselves or both families.
• 2. The request line. The phrase that invites the guest.
• 3. The couple's names.
• 4. The date and time.
• 5. The venue, with enough of the address for guests to find it.
• 6. What follows, such as a reception, dinner or evening party.
• 7. How to reply, including the date by which you need an answer.

Extra details, such as accommodation, dress code, directions, gift lists and the day's timings, usually go on a separate details card or your wedding website, not on the invitation itself. That keeps the main card clean and readable.

UK and US conventions

"Request the pleasure of your company" is the standard formal phrase in the UK for both religious and civil ceremonies. In the US it is used for receptions and non-religious ceremonies.

"Request the honour of your presence" (spelled "honor" in the US) is traditionally used for ceremonies in a place of worship. In American etiquette, guidance such as the Emily Post Institute's keeps this phrase for religious services.

Dates and times on formal invitations are traditionally written out in words: "Saturday the fourteenth of June, two thousand and twenty-seven, at two o'clock". Less formal invitations use numerals. In the UK the day usually comes before the month ("14 June 2027"); in the US the month comes first ("June 14, 2027"). Choose the style your guests will read most naturally.

RSVP is understood on both sides of the Atlantic. "Please reply by" is a gentler alternative.

Formal wording examples

Hosted by the bride's parents

Mr and Mrs David Brown

request the pleasure of your company

at the marriage of their daughter

Emma

to

Mr James Patel

at St Mary's Church, Kew

on Saturday the fourteenth of June

two thousand and twenty-seven

at two o'clock

and afterwards at Kew Gardens

Religious ceremony, US style

Mr. and Mrs. David Brown

request the honor of your presence

at the marriage of their daughter

Emma Grace

to

James Arun Patel

Saturday, June fourteenth

two thousand twenty-seven

at four o'clock in the afternoon

Saint Mary's Church

Boston, Massachusetts

Hosted by both families

Together with their families

Emma Brown and James Patel

request the pleasure of your company

at their marriage

This is a graceful option when both families have contributed, or when you do not want to rank one family above the other.

Couple-hosted wording

Many couples now host their own wedding. The wording can be just as elegant:

Emma Brown and James Patel

request the pleasure of your company

at their wedding

Saturday 14 June 2027 at 2pm

The Orangery, Kew Gardens

Dinner and dancing to follow

Or more relaxed:

Emma and James

are getting married

and would love you to celebrate with them

Saturday 14 June 2027, 2pm

The Orangery, Kew Gardens

Food, drinks and dancing to follow

Blended and modern families

Divorced parents, both hosting

Mrs Sarah Brown

and

Mr David Brown

request the pleasure of your company

at the marriage of their daughter

Emma

to

James Patel

List each parent on a separate line. If either has remarried and the new partner is co-hosting, add them alongside: "Mrs Sarah and Mr Tom Wilson and Mr David Brown".

A parent hosting alone

Mrs Sarah Brown

requests the pleasure of your company

at the marriage of her daughter

Emma

to

James Patel

In memory of a parent

Some couples include a parent who has died. Keep it gentle and simple:

Emma Brown

daughter of Sarah Brown and the late David Brown

and

James Patel

son of Priya and Arun Patel

invite you to celebrate their marriage

Same-sex couples

There is no special wording needed. List names in the order you prefer, or alphabetically:

Together with their families

Alex Morgan and Sam Taylor

invite you to celebrate their marriage

Evening invitations

Many British weddings have day guests and evening guests. Evening invitations should make the arrangement clear without making anyone feel second best:

Emma and James

would love you to join them

for an evening of celebration

following their wedding

Saturday 14 June 2027 from 7.30pm

The Orangery, Kew Gardens

Small details that cause confusion

• "Reception to follow" means guests should go straight from the ceremony to the reception. If there is a gap, give a separate time.
• Adults-only weddings: address the invitation to the adults by name. If you want to be explicit, add a line to the details card such as "We love your little ones, but this is an adults-only celebration." Avoid putting it on the invitation itself.
• Plus-ones: the envelope or the name on the invitation tells guests who is invited. "Emma Brown and Guest" signals a plus-one; "Emma Brown" alone does not.
• Dress code: "Black tie", "Formal" or "Garden party attire" can go on the bottom line, or on the details card.
• Gift lists: traditionally never on the invitation. Put them on the details card or website.

Reply cards

If you want postal replies, include a reply card with a clear deadline, usually four to six weeks before the wedding. If you are collecting replies online, add a single line: "Kindly reply by 1 May at emmaandjames.com". For wording ideas, see our guide to save the date and RSVP wording.

Proofreading checklist

• Names spelled correctly, including middle names if used.
• Day and date match (check the calendar).
• Time includes am or pm, or is written in words.
• Venue name and town are correct.
• Reply deadline is included.
• Someone who is not the couple has read it aloud.

Bringing it together

PrintBloom Studio's invitations come in 40 watercolour and fine-line designs, including peony, eucalyptus, olive, lavender and dusty blue. You type the exact wording you want, line by line, and the printed file matches the preview. Every invitation includes a matching reply card, and the Stationery Pack adds a save-the-date, a details card and a thank-you card in the same design, in A4 and US Letter.