Wedding Invitation Wording: Finding the Words for That Special Day

Are you ready to send off the invitations for your wedding but need a little help with the words you want to say to all of your friends and family? Maybe you’re unsure of the proper verses or etiquette that traditional wedding invitations require.

If you are, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve collected some tips on wedding invitation wording and etiquette that will have you sending the perfect wedding invitations in no time at all.

We’ll explain about the differences in wording used by different types of families as well as some thoughts on where your wedding is going to take place and how that will affect your invitations. And just to make sure we’ve made everything perfectly clear, there will be some examples you can use to model your own invitation wording.  But first, let’s start with the basics of invitation wording etiquette.

A Few Thoughts on Perfect Wedding Invitation Wording:
Here is some basic invitation wording etiquette that works no matter what kind of invitations you’re sending out. Use these ideas as a guide and you’ll never run into problems.

The first thing you should know is that it is customary to always use the full names of your guests on their invitations. This way there will be absolutely no confusion about who the wedding invitation was sent to. Also, wedding invitations are considered formal documents, and you should show as much respect as you and your wedding theme allows for.

Never abbreviate addresses, dates or times! There are probably a million horror stories out there about people who misunderstood wedding invitation shorthand and showed up at the wrong place or the wrong time. Your guests are counting on you to get them to the wedding on time, so do your best to make things as easy for them as possible. Always write the full date, address, and time on your invitation. This information does not necessarily have to be in the verses of your invitation; it can just as easily be included as extra information in your wording on your wedding invitation.

Always use formal titles where they are applicable. Again, unless you’re hosting a gag wedding, you’ll want to be as formal as your wedding theme allows. Remember that the formal title of “Mrs.” Applies to married women and those titles such as “Dr.” or military ranks such as “Capt.” are to be used in place of “Mr.” or “Miss” for your wording. Some people may overlook a gaff caused by an inappropriate title, but some people may see it as an insult. After all, your doctor friend didn’t pay tens of thousands of dollars in tuition fees to be called “Mrs.”!

Finally, always state the particulars of your wedding somewhere in the invitation wording. If your wedding is a “no kids” affair due to drinking or the disruptions they can cause, make sure you specify this on your wedding invitation.
Some weddings are “child friendly” but the receptions are strictly 14+, and that’s fine if that’s what you want. Whatever the case, though, make sure your guests know ahead of time so they can make prior arrangements with babysitters or child care specialists. This should also be included in the wording on your invitation.

Traditional Invitation Wording:
If you are looking for traditional invitation wording to use for your wedding invitations, then there are a few things you need to consider before you start working on them. The most important thing to consider is where the wedding will take place, because there are big differences between churches and your back yard that you may not have considered.

If your wedding is going to take place in your home, than you should include an RSVP card, email address, or phone number where you can be contacted to verify which of your guests are coming and with whom.  This needs to be done because if you are like most of us you will have some serious space problems to deal with. Knowing whether to expect 20 people or a hundred people can mean the difference between an indoor and an outdoor wedding. 

If you are holding the wedding at a friend or relative’s house for whatever reason, you must take the same care to get an accurate body count for the special occasion.

On top of the space considerations, also be sure to mention the homeowners in your invitation wording. This small courtesy can go a long way toward thanking the people who are hosting the biggest day of your life in their home.
If the wedding is to be held in a church, space considerations aren’t usually a factor. Churches are meant to hold a lot of people in them, after all. In the case of a church, an RSVP probably isn’t necessary, although you can still provide a contact number or e-mail address for people to get in touch with you over specifics like dates and times.

Special Circumstances Call for Special Care:
In this day and age, families come in all shapes and sizes. Parents die or divorce and some get remarried. Maybe your mother has remarried but kept her original married name and her new married name. Maybe your father died or is estranged and you want to include him and your new step-father in your wedding invitation. Maybe the wedding is being hosted by your siblings. Maybe you were even adopted.

See where the confusion can start to creep in? If you’re life sounds a bit like a daytime soap opera, don’t worry. No matter how confusing your family tree gets, there is always a way to say it with proper wording on your wedding invitation.
Here is a standard wedding invitation:

Mr. and Mrs. John Smith
Request the honour of your presence
For the marriage of their daughter
Jane Smith
To
Mr. John Doe
On Tuesday, the Fourth of February
At four o’clock in the afternoon
The Everlasting Church
Calgary, Alberta
Please make prior arrangements for your children
As this will be an adults only occasion.

Pretty straightforward, and has all of the necessary information. If there are more parents involved than two such as a divorce and one parent has remarried, then there is no reason why you can’t have all of them listed if you so wish, like this wording: 
   

Mr. and Mrs. John Smith
And
Ms. Eleanor Smith
Request the honour of your presence
For the marriage of their daughter

If one of your parents is deceased, then it’s perfectly alright to add them to the list if you want. After all, they may be gone, but they are never forgotten. In thiscase, you might consider your wedding invitation wording to look like this:

Jane Smith
Daughter of Eleanor Smith and the Late John Smith
And
John Doe
Son of Jack and Jill Doe
Request the honour of your presence
At their Marriage

As you can see by these few examples, there are many ways you can properly represent your family using traditional wedding invitation wording and etiquette. The trick here is to take your time and be careful.   But don’t forget to have fun as well, because wedding planning and invitation wording should be something fun and creative that helps enhance your wedding.  Now, relax, take a deep breath, and begin doing your invitations.