Wedding Invitation Wording: Examples for Every Situation

The Standard Order of Wedding Invitation Wording

Almost every wedding invitation, from black-tie to backyard, follows the same seven-line structure. Once you know it, you only need to choose the tone.

1. Host line – who is inviting the guest (the couple, their parents, or both families).
2. Request line – the invitation itself, such as “request the pleasure of your company”.
3. The couple's names – traditionally the bride's name first, though many couples now choose alphabetical order or whatever reads best.
4. Date and time – day of the week, date, year and start time.
5. Venue – the venue name, followed by the town or city. A full street address is optional if you have a wedding website or details card.
6. Reception line – for example “Reception to follow” or “Dinner and dancing to follow”.
7. RSVP details – a reply-by date and how to respond.

Formal vs. Casual: What Changes

• Formal: dates and times are written out in words (“Saturday, the twelfth of June, two thousand twenty-seven, at four o'clock in the afternoon”), full names are used, and no abbreviations appear.
• Casual: numerals are fine (“Saturday, June 12, 2027 · 4 pm”), first names are common, and the request line can be playful.
• Religious ceremonies: “the honour of your presence” is traditionally used for a ceremony in a place of worship, and “the pleasure of your company” for other venues.

Wording Examples You Can Adapt

1. The couple hosting (formal)

Together with their families
Eleanor Grace Hart
and
Samuel James Okafor
request the pleasure of your company
at the celebration of their marriage
Saturday, the twelfth of June
two thousand twenty-seven
at four o'clock in the afternoon
The Old Mill, Ashford
Dinner and dancing to follow

2. The bride's parents hosting (traditional)

Mr. and Mrs. David Hart
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Eleanor Grace
to
Samuel James Okafor ...

3. Both sets of parents hosting

Mr. and Mrs. David Hart
and
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Okafor
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their children
Eleanor and Samuel ...

4. Casual and modern

Ellie & Sam are getting married!
Join us for vows, dinner and a very long dance floor
Saturday, June 12, 2027 · 4 pm
The Old Mill, Ashford

5. Adults-only celebration

The kindest way to signal an adults-only wedding is through how you address the envelope or digital invite (names only the adults invited). If you want to say it on the card, keep it short and warm: “We love your little ones, but our celebration will be adults only.”

6. Small ceremony, bigger reception

Eleanor and Samuel will be married in a private ceremony
and invite you to celebrate with them
at a reception at seven o'clock in the evening ...

RSVP Wording That Gets Replies

Give guests one clear reply-by date, usually three to four weeks before the wedding, so you have time to confirm numbers with your caterer. Short lines work best:

• “Kindly reply by the first of May.” (formal)
• “Please RSVP by May 1 at ellieandsam.com.” (website)
• “Let us know by May 1 – text Ellie on 07700 900123.” (casual)

Common Wording Mistakes to Avoid

• Mentioning gifts or registries on the invitation. Put registry details on your wedding website or an insert card instead.
• Mixing formal and casual styles. If the date is in words, write the time in words too.
• Leaving out the year or the town. Guests keep invitations, and venues with common names cause confusion.
• Not proofreading names. Have two people read every name, date and time aloud before you print or send.

Putting Your Wording on a Template

Every wedding invitation template on rosythepigeon is a 5 × 7 inch card with its layout and font pairing already set, so you only replace the text. Paste in your wording, check that long names still fit on one line, then download a PNG to send digitally or a print-ready PDF. If you are printing at home, read our home printing guide first.