How to Write a Semi-Formal Wedding Invitation
You've decided that your wedding ceremony will be a semi-formal occasion, so your invitations should match this level of formality. This style of wedding invitations is not as refined as a formal invite, but has a little more structure than a casual invitation. A semi-formal invitation's format helps you include all the necessary information for guests in a clear and concise fashion.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
State the names of the people who are hosting the wedding, which is traditionally the bride's parents. If her parents are married, the names should read "Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Jensen." If the parents of the bride are unmarried, the father of the bride's name appears first, e.g. "Mr. Thomas Jensen and Ms. Stephanie Monroe." The bride's name is written first, followed by the groom's if the couple is hosting the wedding, e.g. "Ms. Jennifer Houston and Mr. Victor Hall. When the parents of the bride and groom are the wedding hosts, the bride's parents' names are written first in "Mr. and Mrs." form if the two are married, followed by the groom's parents' names in the same fashion.
-
2
Write or type the request for the guest's attendance next. If the semi-formal wedding is in a church or place of worship, the term "...requests the honor of your presence" is appropriate. For semi-formal marriage ceremonies that are outside of church, it's fitting to use the phrase "...requests the pleasure of your company."
-
-
3
State the bride's name underneath the request for attendance. For a semi-formal wedding invitation, the bride's first and middle name should appear on the invitation. The groom's title and full name is written after the bride's name on the invite. So, the invitation should read "...requests the honor of your presence at the marriage of their daughter Stephanie Nicole and Mr. James Michael Taylor."
-
4
Spell the date and time of the wedding out completely on the invitation after stating the bride and groom's names. For instance, the invitation should read "on the sixth of May, at four o'clock in the afternoon." If you prefer the look of the date and time in standard form, it is acceptable to write "On the 6th of June, at 4 p.m." on a semi-formal invitation.
-
5
Write or type the ceremony location. If your friends and loved ones aren't familiar with the place, write the address underneath the location name. If your semi-formal wedding will take place at a private residence, it's fitting to write the full address on the invitation, even if your guests know where the home is.
-
6
Include the fact that the reception immediately follows the wedding ceremony on the next line. Add a smaller card to the invite to give guests the address of the reception location, along with directions and information about meals so each guest can choose an entree.
-
7
Type or write the RSVP information at the bottom of the semi-formal wedding invitation. Or, add another smaller card to the invitation envelope with the phone number, mailing address or email address guests can use to confirm their attendance.
-
1
References
- Photo Credit Creatas Images/Creatas/Getty Images
