How To Word Your Wedding Invitation

Wedding invitation wording is something that many people struggle with when they get married. They don't know whose names should be included in the invitation, if the date should be written or used numerically, or if they should put reception information on the envelope. It can seem like there are a thousand things to consider. Though wedding invitation might not seem that important, it's very important. It lets your guests know who is hosting the wedding, if children are invited and where they need to go. So, before you sit down and pound out your invitations, take a closer look at wedding invitation wording suggestions.

Laying a Foundation

The first thing you need to consider is the wedding host. The person hosting the wedding is the one who is paying for it. Frequently this is the bride's parents. However, some couples pay for their own wedding. In some situations, both sides of the family each pay for half of the wedding. It's important to note who is paying for the wedding because technically, they are inviting the guests. Some people can be very sensitive about this, so make sure you ask.

If the bride's parents are paying for the wedding, you need to say something like, "Mr. John Doe and his wife Mrs. Ella Doe request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their daughter, Emma Doe to John Parks." If the couple is paying for the wedding themselves, they can directly invite their guests.

The next thing you need include is the date and the time. Traditionally, the date and time are spelled out. So, instead of saying the wedding is at 5:30 p.m., you would say, "at five thirty in the evening." Spelling out the time and date makes the invitation look more formal.

Usually the location is listed after the date and time. If the reception is being held at a different location than the ceremony, you can either include that after the date and time or you can include a smaller card that has reception details. If you don't want children at the reception, you should make that known by writing "adults only reception to follow."

Don't Forget Your Manners

These days it seems that there's wedding etiquette for every aspect of the wedding, including the delivery of invitations. Even if you don't want to abide by old fashioned etiquette, these etiquette techniques might help you get your invitations out on time.

For starters, you need to put your invitations in the mail at least six to eight weeks before the wedding. This will give your guests plenty of time to respond. It will also give you time to re-send an invitation that got lost in the mail or sent to the wrong address.

Also, if most of your guests are going to have to travel to attend your wedding, send them a save the date six months before the wedding. This will give them plenty of time to make their reservations. Your wedding invitation wording won't matter if the invitation arrives too late for them to attend.