Wedding invitation wording
An invitation answers five questions: who is hosting, who is marrying, when, where, and what happens next. Everything else — travel, registry, hotel blocks — belongs on a details card or your website.
Three templates by tone
Formal
Mr. and Mrs. James Whitfield request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter Eleanor Grace to Mr. Thomas Reed Saturday, the twelfth of September two thousand twenty-six at four o'clock in the afternoon Saint Andrew's Church Charleston, South Carolina
Semi-formal
Together with their families Eleanor Whitfield and Thomas Reed invite you to celebrate their wedding Saturday, September 12, 2026 at 4:00 in the afternoon The Cedar Room Charleston, South Carolina Dinner and dancing to follow
Casual
Ellie and Tom are getting married! Join us for the ceremony and a party after Saturday, September 12, 2026 · 4 PM The Cedar Room, Charleston Good food, cold drinks, dancing all night
Formal invitations spell out dates, times, and years, and drop end-of-line punctuation. British spellings like "honour" and "favour" are traditional for religious ceremonies.
Hosting lines for every family situation
The hosting line is where most couples get stuck. Pick the one that matches your family, and remember: whoever is named is understood to be paying, so it's fine to use "Together with their families" when the funding is shared.
| Situation | Wording |
|---|---|
| Bride's parents hosting | Mr. and Mrs. James Whitfield request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter… |
| Both families hosting | Mr. and Mrs. James Whitfield and Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Reed request the honour of your presence… |
| Couple hosting | Eleanor Whitfield and Thomas Reed request the pleasure of your company at their wedding… |
| Divorced parents (both hosting) | Ms. Margaret Whitfield and Mr. James Whitfield request the honour of your presence… (list mother's name first, on separate lines) |
| Remarried parent | Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lane and Mr. James Whitfield request the honour of your presence at the marriage of Eleanor Grace Whitfield… |
| Deceased parent | Eleanor Grace Whitfield, daughter of Margaret Whitfield and the late James Whitfield, and Thomas Reed… |
| Same-sex couple | Together with their families, Eleanor Whitfield and Sarah Bell invite you to their wedding… (order by preference, not gender convention) |
Dress code phrasing
White tie
Full evening dress. Extremely rare — only use it if you mean it.
Black tie
Tuxedos and floor-length gowns. Print it in the lower right corner of the invitation.
Black tie optional
Tuxedo or dark suit; gown or elegant cocktail dress.
Cocktail attire
Suits and cocktail dresses. The most common modern choice.
Semi-formal / dressy casual
Suit optional, no jeans. Say what you mean: 'dressy casual — no jeans, please.'
Garden party / beach formal
Add a practical note: 'the ceremony is on grass' or 'sandals encouraged.'
Enclosure cards
Reception card
Use when the reception is at a different venue. 'Reception immediately following at The Cedar Room, 149 Wentworth Street.'
RSVP card
Include a reply-by date roughly 3–4 weeks before the wedding, plus a line for meal choice if you're serving a plated dinner.
Details card
Travel, hotel block, parking, shuttle times, and your wedding website URL. Keep the main invitation clean by putting logistics here.
Wedding website line
'For travel and registry details, visit ellieandtom.com' — never print registry information on the invitation itself.
RSVP wording that actually gets replies
- Kindly reply by the fifteenth of August.
- The favour of a reply is requested by August 15, 2026.
- Please RSVP by August 15 at ellieandtom.com.
- M____________________ ☐ joyfully accepts ☐ regretfully declines
Set your reply-by date 3–4 weeks before the wedding — early enough for final counts, late enough that guests have real answers. Then plan to chase the last 15% by phone.