Wedding invitation wording examples

The five lines every invitation needs

1. The host line. Whoever is hosting, which traditionally means paying. Today it is often "together with their families" or the couple themselves.
2. The request line. "Request the honour of your presence" or "request the pleasure of your company". The difference is explained below.
3. Your names. Usually the bride's name first on a traditional invitation. Otherwise, whichever order reads best to you.
4. The date and time. Written out in words on formal invitations.
5. The place. The venue name, then the city and state.

A reception line ("Reception to follow") is optional. Everything else, such as the RSVP details, the dress code, the hotel, and the registry, goes somewhere else. See what not to put on the invitation.

The bride's parents are hosting

The classic formal wording. The bride's parents' names come first, so her last name is left off: it is already implied.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hale
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Emma Louise
to
Mr. Daniel James Carter
Saturday, the twelfth of June
two thousand twenty-seven
at four o'clock in the afternoon
Saint Mark's Church
Charleston, South Carolina

"Mr." before the groom's name is traditional on the most formal invitations. Leaving it off is also correct.

Both families are hosting

When both sets of parents are hosting, list the bride's parents first, then the groom's, joined by "and". Because both families are named, give both of your full names.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hale
and
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Carter
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their children
Emma Louise Hale
and
Daniel James Carter
Saturday, the twelfth of June
two thousand twenty-seven
at four o'clock in the afternoon
The Glasshouse
Charleston, South Carolina

"Together with their families"

The most common wording today. It thanks both families without saying who paid, and it works for almost any family situation.

Together with their families
Emma Louise Hale
and
Daniel James Carter
request the pleasure of your company
at their marriage
Saturday, the twelfth of June
two thousand twenty-seven
at four o'clock in the afternoon
The Glasshouse
Charleston, South Carolina

The couple is hosting

If you are hosting your own wedding, you are the host line.

Emma Louise Hale
and
Daniel James Carter
invite you to celebrate their marriage
Saturday, the twelfth of June
two thousand twenty-seven
at four o'clock in the afternoon
The Glasshouse
Charleston, South Carolina

Divorced parents

Give each parent their own line, with no "and" between them. That is how divorced parents are shown on an invitation. Traditionally the mother is listed first. If she has remarried, use her current name.

Mrs. Susan Porter
Mr. Robert Hale
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Emma Louise Hale
to
Daniel James Carter

If a parent's new spouse is co-hosting, the couple shares a line: "Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Porter" on the first line, then "Mr. Robert Hale" on the next.

A parent has passed away

An invitation is issued by living hosts, so a late parent is not listed as a host. You can still name them next to your own name:

Together with their families
Emma Louise Hale
daughter of Susan Hale and the late Robert Hale
and
Daniel James Carter
son of Anne and Michael Carter
request the pleasure of your company
at their marriage

If you would rather not name them on the invitation, a line in the ceremony program or a moment during the ceremony is an equally loving choice.

Two brides or two grooms

Nothing changes except the names. Put them in whichever order you like: alphabetical, or whichever sounds better aloud.

Together with their families
Emma Louise Hale
and
Olivia Rose Grant
request the pleasure of your company
at their marriage

Casual wording

For a relaxed wedding, numerals and everyday language are fine. Keep the same order so nothing important is missed.

Emma and Daniel
are getting married!
Join us for dinner, drinks, and dancing
Saturday, June 12, 2027 · 4 p.m.
The Glasshouse · Charleston, South Carolina

Reception lines

Put this line at the bottom of the invitation, under the location:

• Same venue: "Reception to follow" or "Dinner and dancing to follow".
• Different venue: "Reception immediately following at The Glasshouse". If the address is long, put it on a separate details card instead.

Honour of your presence, or pleasure of your company?

• "The honour of your presence" is traditionally used for a ceremony in a house of worship.
• "The pleasure of your company" is used for everywhere else, and for a reception.

"Honour" with a u is the traditional spelling on formal American invitations. "Honor" is also correct. Pick one and use it on every piece.

Formal rules at a glance

Part	Formal	Casual
Date	Saturday, the twelfth of June	Saturday, June 12
Year	two thousand twenty-seven	2027
Time	four o'clock; half past four o'clock	4 p.m.; 4:30 p.m.
Titles	Mr., Mrs., Ms., and Dr. only	First names are fine
Places	Saint Mark's Church; South Carolina	St. Mark's; SC

• Write the year without "and": "two thousand twenty-seven".
• Add "in the afternoon" or "in the evening" when the time could be misread.
• Leave out the street address for a well-known venue. Include it for a home, a park, or anywhere hard to find.

What does not go on the invitation

• RSVP details go on the RSVP card: the reply-by date, a line for names, and meal choices.
• Registry information goes on your wedding website, never on the invitation.
• Hotels, directions, and schedules go on a details card or the website.
• Dress code is the one exception. A short "Black tie" or "Cocktail attire" can sit in the lower corner of the invitation.

Every card you add to the envelope adds weight, and can change how much postage you need. Check the wedding invitation postage guide before you buy stamps.

Before you print

• Spell every name the way its owner spells it. Ask each parent how they want to be listed, including titles and middle names.
• Check that the day matches the date. June 12, 2027 is a Saturday. One wrong weekday means reprinting the whole order.
• Keep every detail the same on every piece. The time, the venue name, and the spellings on the invitation, RSVP card, and details card must match.
• Read it aloud, then read it backwards. Reading aloud catches missing words. Reading backwards, line by line, catches spelling mistakes your eyes skip over.