How to Word Wedding Invitations: 50+ Examples & Templates (2026)

Quick Answer

How to word a wedding invitation: Start with the host line (who is inviting guests), followed by the request line ("request the honour of your presence"), the couple's names, date and time written out in full, venue name and address, and RSVP details. Formal invitations use traditional phrasing; casual ones can be warmer and more personal.

Your wedding invitation is the first tangible glimpse guests get of your big day. It sets the tone — elegant, playful, romantic, or relaxed — and gives them all the practical details they need. Getting the wording right matters, but it doesn't have to be stressful. This guide covers every scenario you're likely to face, with over 50 copy-and-paste wording examples you can use directly in your own invitations. Just fill in your names, date, and venue.

The Anatomy of a Wedding Invitation

A traditional wedding invitation has a specific structure. Understanding each element makes it much easier to write your own wording from scratch.

💡 Pro Tip Use "honour" (British spelling) for very formal invitations and "honor" (American spelling) for less formal ones. "Honour of your presence" implies a religious ceremony; "pleasure of your company" is used for civil ceremonies.

Formal vs. Casual Tone: How to Choose

The tone of your invitation should match the style of your wedding. Use this quick guide to decide where you fall on the spectrum:

Wording Examples: Both Sets of Parents Hosting

When both families are co-hosting, list both sets of parents on the host line. This is the most traditional arrangement for a first marriage. ✏️ Formal — Both Parents Hosting Mr. and Mrs. Robert Chen and Mr. and Mrs. David Whitmore request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their children Emily Anne Chen and James Robert Whitmore Saturday, the fourteenth of June Two thousand and twenty-six at half past five in the evening St. Patrick's Cathedral 460 Madison Avenue, New York Reception to follow ✏️ Semi-Formal — Both Parents Hosting Together with their families, Emily Chen and James Whitmore joyfully invite you to celebrate their marriage Saturday, June 14, 2026 · 5:30 PM St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York Dinner and dancing to follow

Wording Examples: One Set of Parents Hosting

If only the bride's or groom's parents are hosting (typically paying for the wedding), only those parents appear on the host line. ✏️ Bride's Parents Hosting — Formal Mr. and Mrs. Robert Chen request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter Emily Anne Chen to James Robert Whitmore son of Mr. and Mrs. David Whitmore Saturday, the fourteenth of June Two thousand and twenty-six at five o'clock in the evening Grace Cathedral · San Francisco, California Reception to follow at The St. Francis Hotel ✏️ Bride's Parents Hosting — Semi-Formal Robert and Susan Chen invite you to celebrate the marriage of their daughter Emily Chen and James Whitmore June 14, 2026 at 5:00 PM Grace Cathedral, San Francisco Dinner reception to follow

Wording Examples: The Couple Hosts

When the couple is paying for and hosting their own wedding, there's no parent host line. This is increasingly common and gives you more freedom in tone. ✏️ Couple Hosting — Formal Emily Anne Chen and James Robert Whitmore request the pleasure of your company at their wedding Saturday, the fourteenth of June Two thousand and twenty-six at five o'clock in the evening The Plaza Hotel · New York City Dinner and dancing to follow Black tie optional ✏️ Couple Hosting — Casual & Warm We're getting married! Emily & James would love for you to join us as we begin our greatest adventure Saturday, June 14, 2026 5:00 PM · The Greenhouse, Brooklyn Food, drinks, and dancing to follow Please RSVP by May 10th ✏️ Couple Hosting — Playful & Modern After years of adventures together, Emily Chen and James Whitmore are finally making it official. Join us for dinner, dancing, and the best party we've ever thrown. June 14, 2026 · 5 PM The Wythe Hotel · Brooklyn, NY Dress: Semi-formal (come ready to dance)

Wording for Religious Ceremonies

"Request the honour of your presence" is the traditional phrase for a religious ceremony, as it originally implied a church setting. For specific denominations, you may want to include a blessing or religious reference. ✏️ Catholic / Christian Ceremony In the presence of God and surrounded by family and friends, Emily Chen and James Whitmore joyfully invite you to witness the celebration of their marriage Saturday, the fourteenth of June, 2026 at half past four in the afternoon St. Mary's Catholic Church 1210 Linden Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee Reception to follow · Formal attire requested ✏️ Jewish Ceremony With joy in our hearts and gratitude to God, Rabbi Jonathan Levine together with Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Goldstein and Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Rosenberg invite you to share in the simcha as their children Leah Goldstein and Marcus Rosenberg are united in marriage Sunday, the twenty-second of September, 2026 at six o'clock in the evening Temple Beth Shalom · Chicago, Illinois

Wording for Civil / Non-Religious Ceremonies

"Request the pleasure of your company" is the traditional phrase for civil ceremonies. Modern couples often skip these formalities entirely and write from the heart. ✏️ Civil Ceremony — Modern Emily Chen and James Whitmore are delighted to invite you to their wedding June 14, 2026 · 4:30 PM City Hall · San Francisco, California Join us afterward for dinner at Zuni Café 528 Market Street · 7:00 PM Kindly reply by May 20th

Wording for Second Marriages

Second marriage invitations are typically less formal, with the couple hosting their own wedding. Parent host lines are generally not included unless parents are specifically contributing. ✏️ Second Marriage — Warm & Personal Emily Chen and James Whitmore together with their children Sophia, Noah, and Lily invite you to celebrate their marriage Saturday, June 14, 2026 at five o'clock in the afternoon The Barn at Willow Creek · Vermont Dinner and dancing to follow Casual attire welcome ✏️ Second Marriage — Brief & Elegant With hearts full of gratitude and joy, Emily and James request the pleasure of your company as they begin their new chapter together June 14, 2026 · 5 PM Rosewood Manor · Napa Valley, California

Wording for Destination Weddings

Destination wedding invitations should give guests maximum information early, since travel planning requires more lead time. Include a note about your wedding website where guests can find accommodation, travel tips, and itinerary. ✏️ Destination Wedding — Italy Emily Chen and James Whitmore request the pleasure of your company in Tuscany, Italy to celebrate their marriage Friday, the twelfth of September, 2026 at four o'clock in the afternoon Villa di Geggiano · Siena, Italy Dinner under the stars to follow For travel information, accommodation, and itinerary details: www.emilyandJames.com Kindly reply by June 1st

RSVP Card Wording

The RSVP card is a separate insert. Keep it simple, clear, and easy to fill out. Always include a reply-by date. ✏️ Standard RSVP Card Kindly reply by May 15, 2026 ___ Accepts with pleasure ___ Declines with regrets Name(s): _______________________ Meal preference (please circle): Chicken · Salmon · Vegetarian ✏️ Casual / Fun RSVP Card Will you be joining us? Name: ________________________ ☐ Wouldn't miss it! ☐ Sorry, can't make it Number of guests attending: ___ Song request for the dance floor: _______________________________

Common Wording Mistakes to Avoid

• Using "and guest" — write out your guest's name if you know it, or "and companion" • Forgetting the year — always include the full year, especially for destination weddings • Abbreviating the date — for formal invites, write "the fourteenth of June" not "June 14th" • Including gift registry info on the invitation — put this on your wedding website only • Putting "No children" bluntly — softer: "Adult reception to follow" or handle via phone • Forgetting a dress code — if you have expectations, state them clearly • Too much text on one page — white space makes invitations feel elegant • Mismatched formality — casual invite wording with a black-tie event creates confusion

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Should the bride's or groom's name come first on a wedding invitation? A: Traditionally, the bride's name comes first. However, for same-sex couples or couples hosting their own wedding, names are often listed alphabetically or by whichever flows better. There is no hard rule for modern invitations — go with what sounds right to you. Q: Do you write "Mr. and Mrs." or just first names? A: Formal invitations use "Mr. and Mrs. [Last Name]." Semi-formal and casual invitations increasingly use first names only for both the host line and the couple's names. Match the formality of your wedding. Q: How do you word invitations if parents are divorced? A: List each parent on a separate line, without "and" between them. If a parent has remarried, include their new spouse's name. Example: "Mrs. Susan Chen / Mr. Robert Chen and Mrs. Lisa Chen." Q: What is the difference between "honour of your presence" and "pleasure of your company"? A: "Honour of your presence" traditionally implies a religious ceremony and uses the British spelling to signal formality. "Pleasure of your company" is used for civil ceremonies and less formal weddings. Modern couples often mix and match these phrases freely. Q: Should meal choices go on the invitation or the RSVP card? A: Always put meal choices on the RSVP card, never on the invitation itself. The invitation communicates the event; the RSVP card collects guest information.