Wedding Invitations - Wording the Invitations - Wedding Information - Handmade Wedding Stationery - Designer Stationery - Handmade Stationery Designers - Create Your Own
Wedding Invitations - Wording the Invites
There are a few conventions here but basically it's a matter of formal or informal, traditional or contemporary.
If you're Staying Traditional
The number one rule is that invitations are written in the third person, referring to the hosts of the reception. This usually means the bride's parents, so a traditional invitation would start: Mr and Mrs Smith request the pleasure of the company of...(whoever). Even if you use more contemporary wording, it's still the third person: for example: Mr and Mrs Smith would like you to join them...etc, etc.
If there are Joint Hosts
The invitation can come from both sets of parents. You could say: Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr and Mrs Jones request the pleasure of the company of... (whoever).
If the Bride and Groom are Hosting
The formal version would be: Miss Sarah Smith and Mr Peter Jones request the pleasure of the company of...(whoever). Less formal wording here could be: Sarah and Peter would like to invite you to their wedding... Even if things aren't quite as straightforward as this - perhaps the bride's parents are divorced, with one or both of them remarried - the convention is the same: the invitation comes from the host or hosts, in the third person.
Like the rest of your wedding stationery, the wording on the invitations should reflect the overall style of your special day. If it's a formal event, stick to the rules, but if you're having a less formal ceremony then you can do whatever you like!
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'Kiss from a Rose' Wedding Invitation |
Remember to Include all the Relevant Information on the Invitation
- Names of the hosts
- Names of the bride and groom
- Venue of ceremony
- Date and time of ceremony
- Reception details, if appropriate
- RSVP request and return address
Example Wording of Invitations
- Bride's Parents Inviting to Wedding Ceremony & Reception
- Bride and Groom Inviting to Wedding Ceremony & Reception
- Bride's Parents Inviting to Evening Reception Only
Addressing the Envelopes
A formal approach demands a few points of etiquette. In the case of a married couple, the envelope should be addressed only to the wife; convention assumes it's the wife who's in charge of social engagements. The formal mode of address for a married woman is to use her husband's first name, for instance: Mrs Thomas Brown. If you don't know the wife (perhaps the invitation is to a male colleague and his wife) the envelope should be addressed to the husband.
Abbreviations of names should be avoided.
Men should be addressed as Esq (short for esquire), Widows should be addressed using the husband's first name, and a Divorced Woman still using her married name should be addressed as Mrs, with her own first name followed by her married name. An Unmarried Couple in an established relationship should be addressed as Miss (her own first name and surname) and (his first name and surname) Esq, while envelopes to same sex couples partners, with the names in alphabetical order.
RSVP Cards
The traditional way of replying to an invitation is by hand-written letter but RSVP cards are increasingly popular: sending one with your invitation is the easy and efficient way of making sure your guests reply promptly. If you include a return-by date on the card and stamp and address the return envelope, it will make it even easier for guests to reply.
Wedding Invitations - Wording the Invitations - Wedding Information - Handmade Wedding Stationery - Designer Stationery - Handmade Stationery Designers - Create Your Own