There are certain parts of wedding planning that can newlyweds, and the wording of a wedding invitation has to be one of them. While picking out wedding stationery is a dream in itself, trying to find the right tone on your wedding invitations and making sure you don’t forget anything can be seriously stressful. Invitations like weddings are changing—traditionally, wedding invitations are more formal, but as couples embrace more laid-back, casual celebrations, wedding invitations are becoming more modern and transitioning to digital wedding invitations. That doesn’t mean you can’t have formal wedding invites ideas, but if you want to have some fun with your wording, there’s room too. To help you figure out the style and tone you’re after, and keep the invitation part as simple as possible, we’ve got a complete wedding invitation wording guide to help you…
Before you start writing paper or ordering the lovely floral invitations you crave, there are a few things to consider. First of all, what kind of wedding are you going to have? If you have a formal black tie party, then you must follow suit with a more formal tone for your wedding invitation. However, if this is your backyard garden party, you can relax and use a more casual and informal tone for your wedding invitations.
Traditionally, parents “officiated” and paid for a portion of the wedding, which is where the phrase “Mr.&Mrs. X is asking for your company’s pleasure” comes in, but as couples share or pay for most of the wedding, the phrase is changing to follow suit. You need to decide who wants to lead the invitation, whether you want to include your parents in the wedding invitation on a 50/50 basis, or if you want to invite the guests yourself.
Base
OK, so the basics, what exactly are your country style wedding invitations? You need to include the following:
- Who is inviting (you and your parents/your parents?)
- The event itself, i.e. Weddings and receptions or after
- Venue – where the ceremony/reception will take place
Date and time
RSVP details (including ‘reply’ date and as many means of rasping as possible (text, email, snail mail – make it as easy as possible for your guests to get back to you) People to invite (you may want to add a note about your child if you invite them or not)
Extra information
You may also want to include the following on the back of your invitation or in a separate form:
- Directions (to the ceremony and reception and parking information, if relevant)
- Accommodation options
- Menu and dietary requirements
- Personal contact information
- Gift list details (if you have any)
- Dress code (if applicable)
Family problem
Unfortunately, family issues can pop up in your plans, especially when it comes to the wording of your invitation. If you and your significant other lead the invitation, the crisis is averted, but if your parents are separated or divorced and other partners want to be included, a lovely way to avoid any embarrassment or hurt feelings is to use the wording: ‘ X and X would like to invite you and their family to celebrate their wedding…’.
Kids at wedding
Children in wedding debates can cause all sorts of questions, and some feel they need to articulate their wishes from the start. If you’ve decided not to invite any little people on your big day, invitations are a great place to get your message across. Here are some convenient but polite ways to state that this is an adults-only orgy:
- Be clear on your invitations and only print the names of the invitees.
- Added, “Adult Receptions to Follow”.
For some people, the phrases “request your company’s pleasure/honor” and “you are cordially invited to attend” are a bit formal. If you’re looking to add a more relaxed vibe and feel to your day, why not try some of the following:
- You are invited to celebrate the wedding / wedding of …
- You are invited to join them as they become Mr. / Mrs. and Mr. / Mrs. …
- Inviting you to a wonderful time for X and X wedding …
- I hope you can celebrate their wedding with them …
- Invite you to celebrate their wedding …
· In front of friends and family, (name of bridegroom/groom) wants to give (name of bridegroom/bride) his love and last name
