Invitation Wording·6 min read
Wedding Invitation Wording: Examples for Every Kind of Celebration
Wedding invitation wording examples for couples and parents hosting, formal and relaxed styles, destination and adults-only weddings, RSVPs and gift notes.
By Aurelia Editorial Team · Wedding stationery & planning guides
Published ·Updated
Keep the invitation itself short. With a digital wedding invitation, the practical details, from travel and dress code to the full schedule, sit one tap away on your wedding website, so the wording can stay elegant and uncluttered. This page covers the structure and one example of each style; each style then has its own guide with many more samples to copy.
What to include in your invitation wording
Most invitations follow the same order, whatever their style. Formal wording keeps every line; relaxed wording often folds several into one.
- The hosts: the couple, one or both sets of parents, or “together with their families”.
- The request line: “request the pleasure of your company” or simply “invite you to celebrate”.
- The couple’s names: full names for formal invitations, first names for relaxed ones.
- The date and time: written out in words on formal invitations.
- The venue: name and town or city; the full address and map belong on your website.
- The reception line: “and afterwards at…” or “dinner and dancing to follow”.
- The reply line: one date and one way to RSVP.
Choose your wording style
Choose the host line first: the couple, one family or both families. Then choose a tone that matches the celebration. Use this table to find the right guide:
| Style | Best for | How it sounds | More examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formal | Black tie, church ceremonies, grand venues | Hosts first, date in words | Formal wording |
| Modern | City weddings, clean designs | Direct, numerals, no host line | Modern wording |
| Casual | Garden parties, backyards, small gatherings | First person, warm, a little playful | Casual wording |
| Romantic | Couples who want a line about love | One quote or promise, then the details | Romantic wording |
| Destination | Weddings abroad and weekends | Place first, the dates of the whole trip | Destination wording |
| Bilingual | Families with two languages | The same essentials in both | Bilingual wording |
Formal wedding invitation wording
Formal wording suits black-tie celebrations, church ceremonies and grand venues. “Request the honour of your presence” is traditionally kept for ceremonies in a place of worship; “the pleasure of your company” is used everywhere else. Our formal wedding invitation wording guide has fifteen examples, including religious and black-tie versions.
Together with their families Amelia Rose Carter and James Edward Hart request the pleasure of your company at the celebration of their marriage on Saturday the twelfth of June two thousand and twenty-seven at four o’clock in the afternoon Villa Balbiano · Lake Como
When parents or both families host
Traditionally the hosts’ names come first, followed by the couple: “Mr and Mrs Thomas Carter request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter Amelia Rose to Mr James Edward Hart”. Divorced or remarried parents, both families and other hosts each have their own conventions; our guide to wedding invitation wording for parents and hosts covers every combination.
Modern and relaxed wording
For a city celebration, a garden party or a small gathering of close friends, lighter wording feels warmer. Modern wording is clean and direct; casual wording sounds like the two of you talking. Either way, keep the essentials clear. See our modern wording and casual wording guides for more.
Amelia & James invite you to celebrate their wedding Saturday 12 June 2027 · 4pm Villa Balbiano, Lake Como Dinner and dancing to follow
We’re getting married! Come and celebrate with Amelia & James 12 June 2027 Lake Como, Italy
Romantic and destination wording
A romantic invitation opens with one line about love, then gives the details plainly; our romantic wording guide has openings and short quotes. A destination invitation names the place first and gives the dates of the whole celebration, pointing guests to your website for travel; see destination wedding invitation wording, and our destination templates are designed for exactly this.
Please join us in Santorini for the wedding of Sofia & Marco 4 – 6 September 2027 Welcome drinks · Ceremony · Farewell brunch Travel details and RSVP on our website
Who is invited: adults only and plus-ones
Be clear and warm, and say it once. Your guest list names who is invited; the wording only needs to confirm it, for example “We love your little ones, but our celebration will be adults only.” For polite phrasings and how to handle replies, see adults-only wording and plus-one wording and etiquette.
Gifts and registries
Gift details traditionally stay off the invitation itself. Put them on your wedding website, alongside the other details in our wedding website checklist, and keep the note gracious.
Your presence is the greatest gift. If you would like to mark the occasion, a contribution to our honeymoon would be warmly appreciated.
RSVP wording
Give one clear reply-by date and one main way to reply, such as “Kindly reply by 1 May 2027”. With a digital invitation, the RSVP button replaces the reply card, so the line can be very simple. Our wedding RSVP wording guide has formal, modern and relaxed versions, plus reminders.
The message you send with a digital invitation
When you share your invitation by WhatsApp, text or email, a short personal note makes the link feel like an invitation rather than a notification. Our digital wedding invitation wording guide has messages to copy for each channel, and our wedding invitation timeline covers when to send them.
Wedding invitation wording questions
- Whose name goes first on a wedding invitation?
- The hosts are named first. When parents host, their names open the invitation; when the couple host, traditionally the bride’s name comes before the groom’s. Same-sex couples often choose alphabetical order or whatever reads best.
- Is it “honour of your presence” or “pleasure of your company”?
- “The honour of your presence” is traditionally used for ceremonies in a place of worship. “The pleasure of your company” suits civil ceremonies, venues and receptions. Either is correct in modern wording.
- How do you write the date on a formal wedding invitation?
- Write it out in words: “Saturday the twelfth of June, two thousand and twenty-seven”, and the time as “four o’clock”. Modern invitations can use numerals: “Saturday 12 June 2027, 4pm”.
- Should the registry go on the wedding invitation?
- Traditionally no. Share gift details on your wedding website, or in a separate note, so the invitation stays focused on the celebration.
- Can you use first names only on a wedding invitation?
- Yes, for modern and relaxed invitations. Formal invitations use full names, and middle names are optional.
Found the right words? Try your wording in a template and preview it on a phone before you publish.
