How to Word a Formal Wedding Invitation

Cursive writing or calligraphy on heavy card stock will add formality to the invitation.

Planning a wedding tests your etiquette skills, and the invitation is no exception. The invitation sets the tone for the ceremony and reception. It also reveals some of the behind-the-scenes issues, such as who is paying for the event (those who pay get top billing) and relationships within your and your betrothed's families. If you are planning a formal wedding, use formal language and style to convey the importance of the occasion.

Things You'll Need

• This guide

Instructions

1. Start with spelling out the full names of the hosts of the wedding. Traditionally the bride's parents pay for the wedding and therefore are listed first on the invitation. For example "Mr. and Mrs. John Smith."

2. Ask your guests to attend by using the phrase "request the honor of your presence."

3. Follow by noting the event and who it is for:
   "at the wedding of their daughter
   Jane Anne
   and
   Mr. James Peter Doe."

   If you would like to honor the groom's parents, add the line:

   "son of
   Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Doe"

4. List the day, date and time of the ceremony, spelling out the date and time, rather than using numbers:
   "on Saturday, the seventeenth of June
   two thousand and ten
   at two o'clock"

5. Add the location of the ceremony:
   "First Presbyterian Church
   123 Main Street
   Anytown, Ohio

6. If the bride's divorced parents are hosting, use this wording:
   Ms. Mary Smith
   and
   Mr. John Smith
   request the honour of your presence
   at the marriage of their daughter
   Jane Anne
   and
   Mr. James Peter Doe
   on Saturday, the seventeenth of June
   two thousand and ten
   at two o'clock
   First Presbyterian Church
   123 Main Street
   Anytown, North Dakota

7. If divorced and remarried parents of the bride host the event, word the invitation like this:
   Mr. and Mrs. Adam Gomez
   and
   Mr. and Mrs. John Michael Smith
   request the honour of your presence
   at the marriage of their daughter
   Jane Anne
   and
   Mr. James Peter Doe
   on Saturday, the seventeenth of June
   two thousand and ten
   at two o'clock
   First Presbyterian Church
   123 Main Street
   Anytown, North Dakota

8. In the event that the bride's remarried mother and husband host:

   Mr. and Mrs. Adam Gomez
   request the honor of your presence
   at the marriage of Mrs. Gomez' daughter
   Jane Anne
   and
   Mr. James Peter Doe
   (son of
   Mr. and Mrs. Patrick James Doe) - OPTIONAL
   on Saturday, the seventeenth of June
   two thousand and ten
   at two o'clock
   First Presbyterian Church
   123 Main Street
   Anytown, North Dakota

9. Similarly, if a single parent hosts, his or her name would appear at the top of the invitation.

References

• The Knot: Wedding Invitation Wording