Invitation & RSVP Wording
Knowing just how to word you wedding invitations can be tricky. Traditional etiquette will dictate that whoever is paying for, or hosting the wedding, should be mentioned first as the party who is inviting all the guests to attend. But it will completely depend upon your own circumstances, and will be totally individual to you and your family situation.
See examples below for these circumstances and varying factors to be considered.
Invitation Wording
Bride and Groom Inviting
Bride and Groom only paying for and hosting their own wedding
If the Bride and Groom only are paying for, and hosting their own wedding then traditionally only the Bride and Groom names will be mentioned on the invitation;
Click here for 1(a) »
But if the Bride and Groom would like to still mention parents who are not hosting the wedding;
Click here for 1(b) »
Whether you choose to use your parents’ first names instead of Mr and Mrs is entirely your choice. It depends on how formal and traditional you wish to be. Ask your parents how they would like to be referred to before printing your invitations and no one will be offended.
OR Bride and Groom and their Parents hosting and sharing the costs.
You may make mention of either or both sets of parents along with the Bride and Groom names if everyone is helping to pay the bills;
Click here for 1(c) »
The line “request the pleasure of the company of” can be changed and altered for any mood to any number of polite phrases as follows:-
• ‘cordially invite…’
• ‘request the honour of the presence of…’
• ‘guest name’ are invited to share in the celebration of the matrimony of…’
• ‘would love ‘guest name’ to be a part of the celebration…’
• ‘ask ‘guest name’ to join us for the union of…’
• ‘invite ‘guest name’ to share in the joy of the marriage of…’
• ‘ask ‘guest name’ to be present at the ceremony uniting…’
• ‘invite ‘guest name’ to be with us at the wedding of…’
• ‘invite ‘guest name’ to witness the nuptials of…’
• ‘please join our families on the occasion of the marriage of…’
• ‘are proud to invite…’
Bride’s Parents Inviting
Traditional Bride’s parents alone paying for and hosting the wedding
Following is an example of traditional style invitation wording that can be used if the Bride’s parents only are hosting the wedding event.
If the Bride and Groom are only paying for, and hosting their own wedding then traditionally only the Bride and Groom names will be mentioned on the invitation;
Click here for 2(ai) »
or
Click here for 2(aii) »
Example of how to mention a deceased parent along with a widowed parent with a new partner follows;
Click here for 2(b) »
Example of how to mention parents who may be divorced and with different surnames is a follows;
Click here for 2(c) »
If however the Groom’s parents are also sharing costs with the Bride’s parents they can also be added to the wording by entering under the Bride’s parents names as follows;
Click here for 2(d) »
Of course the line “request the pleasure of the company of” can be changed and altered for any mood to any number of polite phrases as follows:-
• ‘cordially invite…’
• ‘request the honour of the presence of…’
• ‘guest name’ are invited to share in the celebration of the matrimony of…’
• ‘would love ‘guest name’ to be a part of the celebration…’
• ‘ask ‘guest name’ to join us for the union of…’
• ‘invite ‘guest name’ to share in the joy of the marriage of…’
• ‘ask ‘guest name’ to be present at the ceremony uniting…’
• ‘invite ‘guest name’ to be with us at the wedding of…’
• ‘invite ‘guest name’ to witness the nuptials of…’
• ‘please join our families on the occasion of the marriage of…’
• ‘are proud to invite…’
RSVP Wording
Please see examples below and our RSVP suggestions.
Click here for RSVP(a) »
or
Click here for RSVP(b) »
Of course the line “Accept with pleasure” or “I/We will be delighted to attend” can be changed and altered for any mood to any number of polite phrases as follows:-
• ‘Would love to celebrate with you both’
• ‘So joyful to attend’
• ‘I/We accept with pleasure’
• ‘Accept with delight’
• ‘I/We will be there to celebrate’
• ‘Wouldn’t miss it!’
• ‘Would love to attend!’
• ‘I/We will be there to worship with you’
Also the line “Decline with regret” or “Regretfully I/We will be unable to attend” can also be changed and altered for any mood to any number of polite phrases as follows:-
• Unfortunately I/We cannot make it
• Sadly, I/We must decline
• Unfortunately I/We will be unable to attend
• I/We cannot attend, but sending joy your way
• I/We cannot attend, but may you both have a wonderful day
• I/We cannot attend, but wishing you both the best
