Wedding Invitation Wording: Complete Guide + Examples

Wedding invitation wording follows a simple structure: a host line, a request line, the couple’s names, the date, time, and place, and a reception line, and the guide below from Greenvelope’s stationery team pairs formal, casual, and modern wording for every line with more than fifteen complete examples you can copy.

Those few lines tell guests how formal the day will be, who is hosting, and what kind of celebration to expect, all before anyone reads a single detail. The conventions are simpler than they look, and every variation, from cathedral-formal to backyard-casual, follows the same structure, so this guide walks through each line and then puts the pieces together at every level of formality.

The words are only half of the invitation; the other half is how they arrive. Greenvelope is a digital invitation platform built for exactly this pairing: its digital wedding invitations combine customizable designs with an animated envelope reveal and built-in RSVP tracking, so the wording you settle on below arrives with the presentation it deserves.

At a Glance

• The five building blocks every wedding invitation shares, whatever its style
• Formal and modern wording side by side for the request line, date, time, and hosts
• Host line wording for every family situation, including divorced parents written out in full
• How to word the reception line, the RSVP, the dress code, and the details guests always ask about
• More than fifteen copy-ready examples from black-tie formal to backyard casual, nine of them paired with finished invitation designs
• The five wording mistakes couples make most, and the easy fixes

Start With the Five Building Blocks

Almost every wedding invitation, whatever its style, is built from the same five parts. Get these right and the wording falls into place.

1. The host line: whoever is inviting guests (traditionally whoever is hosting).
2. The request line: the invitation itself, such as “request the pleasure of your company.”
3. The couple’s names: the stars of the day.
4. The date, time, and place: spelled out formally or written plainly.
5. The reception line: what follows the ceremony, and where.

Formal vs. Modern Wording

The biggest decision is tone. Formal wording spells everything out and stays in the third person; modern wording is warmer and can use numerals and first names.

The Request Line: Honour, Pleasure, or Something Warmer

One old convention is still worth knowing. “Request the honour of your presence” (traditionally with the British spelling) signals a ceremony in a house of worship, while “request the pleasure of your company” is the formal choice for a secular venue. Neither is required, but if you use one, use the right one; the guests who know the difference will notice.

Beyond those two, the request line is yours to soften as far as the day calls for: “invite you to celebrate their marriage,” “would love for you to join them,” or simply “are getting married, and you are invited.” The only rule is that the register should match the rest of the invitation.

Who Hosts? Handling the Host Line

The host line has loosened up a lot, and there is no longer a single “correct” version. Pick the one that reflects who is celebrating and, if relevant, who is contributing.

• One set of parents hosting: “Mr. and Mrs. James Rivera request the honor of your presence…”
• Both families hosting: “Together with their families…”
• Both sets of parents named: “Mr. and Mrs. James Rivera and Dr. and Mrs. Anthony Cole invite you to the marriage of their children…”
• Divorced parents hosting together: list each parent on their own line with no “and” joining them, traditionally with the mother’s name first: “Dr. Elena Marsh” on one line, “Mr. James Rivera” on the next. If a parent is hosting with a new spouse, list that couple together on one line.
• Honoring a deceased parent: a late parent is remembered beside the couple’s name rather than as a host, since the host line implies an invitation being extended: “Sofia Rivera, daughter of James Rivera and the late Maria Rivera.”
• The couple hosting: “Ava Chen and Marcus Reid invite you to celebrate their marriage…”

Every format above works for any couple. For two brides, two grooms, or any couple at all, the conventions are identical; put the names in whatever order the couple prefers, and let alphabetical order settle any tie.

Here is how the host and request lines sound together, across four common configurations:

Mr. and Mrs. Gutierrez
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter

Mr. and Mrs. Kim together with Mr. and Mrs. Adjemian
request the honor of your presence
at the wedding of their children

Together with their families, Kendrick and Kayla
invite you to join them
for their wedding day

Frank and David
joyfully welcome you to attend
the celebration of their love

Divorced Parents, Written Out

The divorced-parents version is the one couples second-guess most, so here it is in full:

Mrs. Linda Reyes
Mr. Daniel Reyes
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Isabel Reyes
to
Liam Walsh
Saturday, the eleventh of October, two thousand twenty-seven
at five o’clock in the evening
Reception to follow

The Couple’s Names

If the couple’s names are not already in the host line, give them the most prominent spot on the card; it is impossible to have a wedding invitation without knowing who is getting married. Full names, including middle names, are traditional, though first names alone are now common even on formal invitations. Convention places the bride’s name first, followed by the groom’s, but list yourselves in whichever order sounds like you; many couples simply use the order they say their names in.

Date, Time, and Location on the Invitation

After the host and request lines and the couple’s names come the date, time, and place. Formal invitations spell the date and time out in full (Saturday, the fourth of June, two thousand twenty-seven, at half after four o’clock), while casual invitations can use numerals; the table above shows the two registers side by side. The venue name sits on its own line directly below the time, with the city and state beneath it, and the full street address can live on the invitation or on your wedding website so guests can plan transportation and parking. Give the reception its own line even if it is as simple as “Reception to follow,” and name the second venue if the celebration moves.

Dress Code

Tell guests what to wear before they have to ask. A short line near the bottom of the invitation, “Black tie optional” or “Cocktail attire,” does the trick, and themed celebrations can spell it out further, whether that is a gothic wedding or a Great Gatsby evening. For the full decoder, from white tie to festive attire, see our guide to wedding dress codes; and if black tie is the answer, the dedicated section further down covers how the rest of the wording should follow.

The Reception Line and the RSVP

If the celebration continues at the ceremony venue, one line is enough: “Reception to follow” for formal invitations, or something with more personality, such as “Dinner, drinks, and dancing to follow,” for modern ones. If the reception is elsewhere, add the venue and, for paper, a separate reception card; a digital invitation simply carries the second address and a map link on the same card.

The RSVP line needs a deadline and a method. “Kindly reply by the sixteenth of May” suits a formal invitation; “RSVP online by May 16” suits a modern one. Set the deadline three to four weeks before the wedding, and the timing guide covers the full schedule around it. This is also where format quietly matters: with Greenvelope, the RSVP is built into the invitation itself, so guests reply in the same moment they open it, and hosts watch responses, meal choices, and plus-one counts collect in real time instead of chasing response cards.

Wedding Invitation Wording With Online RSVP

Most couples now collect replies online, and the invitation only needs one well-made line to carry it: where to reply, and by when. What trips couples up is register. “Visit our website” can read like an errand on a formal card, so match the RSVP line to the invitation around it rather than defaulting to the phrasing everyone uses. A few that work, from most formal to least:

• “The favor of a reply is requested by the sixteenth of May at [yourwebsite.com]”
• “Kindly reply at [yourwebsite.com] by May 16”
• “Please RSVP online by May 16 at [yourwebsite.com]”
• “RSVP by May 16: [yourwebsite.com]”
• “Let us know by May 16 at [yourwebsite.com]”

How to Ask Guests to RSVP Online

Three elements make an online RSVP request work for every guest. State the deadline, give the address exactly as it should be typed, and place the line where eyes finish, at the bottom of the invitation. If the guest list spans generations, add a graceful alternative so nobody is stranded: “or reply to Maria at (503) 555-0114.” A digital invitation removes the typing problem entirely; with Greenvelope, the reply button lives inside the invitation, so there is no address to retype and nothing to look up.

Wording for Online-RSVP-Only Invitations

If there are no response cards at all, say so plainly. Traditional guests will wait politely for a card that is not coming unless the invitation tells them otherwise, and clear beats clever here:

• “We are collecting all RSVPs online at [yourwebsite.com]; kindly reply by the sixteenth of May”
• “Please reply online only at [yourwebsite.com] by May 16”
• “No cards to mail this time: RSVP at [yourwebsite.com] by May 16”

And if replies lag as the deadline nears, the gap is usually recoverable; the tactics in our guide to getting more guests to RSVP on time exist for exactly that week.

How to List Your Wedding Website on the Invitation

The website goes at the bottom of the invitation or on a small details card, written bare: [yourwebsite.com], with no https and no www. It carries everything the invitation should not: registry, travel, lodging, schedule, and the questions guests would otherwise text you. The registry itself never appears on the invitation; the website is how guests find it without anyone having to say so. A short line of context tells guests why they are visiting:

• “For details and to reply: [yourwebsite.com]”
• “Travel, lodging, and the weekend’s schedule at [yourwebsite.com]”
• “Everything else lives at [yourwebsite.com]”

On paper, strictly formal invitations keep the URL off the main card and give it a small insert of its own. A digital invitation sidesteps the choice: the website links from a button, so the design stays clean no matter how long the address is.

How to Add Custom Questions to Your Wedding RSVP

The reply is the one moment every guest is paying full attention, so collect everything your caterer and planner will eventually ask for. The useful set is short: meal choice, dietary restrictions, the names attending under each invitation, and at most one question for fun, a song request being the classic. Hold the line at three or four questions, since every additional field costs completed replies, and phrase choices as choices: “Chicken, salmon, or garden risotto?” reads faster than “Please indicate your entrée preference.” Greenvelope hosts add these as custom RSVP questions on the invitation itself, so the answers land in the guest list, sorted and exportable, instead of in a text thread three weeks later.

Three Complete Examples

Here is how the pieces assemble at three levels of formality. Borrow any of them outright and swap in your details.

1. Formal, parents hosting

Mr. and Mrs. James Rivera
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Sofia Anne Rivera
to
Daniel Marcus Cole
Saturday, the twelfth of June
two thousand twenty-seven
at half after four o’clock
Grace Cathedral
San Francisco, California
Black tie
Reception to follow

2. Modern, both families hosting

Together with their families
Ava Chen and Marcus Reid
invite you to celebrate their marriage
Saturday, June 12, 2027
4:30 in the afternoon
The Foundry, Seattle, Washington
Dinner, drinks, and dancing to follow
Kindly RSVP by May 16

3. Casual, the couple hosting

We’re getting married!
Jordan Lee and Sam Alvarez
would love for you to be there
Saturday, June 12, 2027, at 4:30 p.m.
512 Alder Lane, Portland, Oregon
Dinner and lawn games to follow
RSVP online by May 16

Wording and design should arrive as one considered piece, and this is where a platform earns its keep. Greenvelope’s wedding invitations cover every theme, style, and taste, and every template is fully customizable, so the register you chose above pairs with coordinating colors, fonts, and an animated envelope opening your guests won’t forget. The nine examples below show exactly that pairing: real wording on finished designs, grouped by style.

Wedding Invitation Wording Examples by Style

Formal Wedding Invitation Wording

For a traditional ceremony in an elegant venue or house of worship, formal wording spells everything out and leans on the classic request lines. Each example pairs sample wording with the design it was written for, so you can picture the words on a finished card.

Formal Example #1: Emily and Connor

This “Scripted” invitation is a classic that works beautifully for a formal affair, with a floral envelope liner and a timeless layout you can adapt to suit your partnership and personality.

Together we invite you
to celebrate the marriage of
Emily Sutton
and
Connor Bennet
Friday, the seventeenth of November
two thousand twenty-two
seven o’clock in the evening
Cheekwood Estate & Gardens
Nashville, Tennessee

Formal Example #2: Savita and Pradhi

This richly colored, majestic “Exquisite Peacock” design features traditional wording that befits a formal wedding, and you can personalize it to add a dress code or any other detail. The language and style of this invitation suite set the tone for a more formal affair.

Divya & Abhisoka Rahaman
together with Vyshali & Madesh Katwaroo
joyfully request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their children
Savita and Pradhi
Saturday 18 September
two thousand twenty-two
beginning at half-past six in the evening
The Hotel Dhaka
Dhaka, Bangladesh

Formal Example #3: Kristie and Stephen

We love this “Botanical Ampersand” wedding invitation for its bold design and heartfelt language. Sophisticated yet versatile, it takes a modern approach to formality.

Kristie and Stephen
with their families
joyfully invite you to their
wedding celebration
Valley Vineyard Inn
Napa Valley
California
on
September seventh
twenty nineteen at
4:30 p.m.
Reception will follow
Formal attire requested

Casual Wedding Invitation Wording

Whether you are hosting a rustic wedding in a refurbished barn, a boho-chic beachside celebration, or a woodsy party at a glamping-style wedding venue, casual wording helps set the scene. It can use numerals for dates and times and skip the traditional host titles, which makes it perfect for relaxed celebrations.

Casual Example #1: Meadow and Jackson

For a winter wedding, consider a fitting color scheme and motif, such as the evergreen branches on this “Delicate Branches” invitation. The language here is simple, but you can always add your own twist.

Kindly join us
for the wedding of
Meadow Wilson
and
Jackson Alder
Saturday, December 5th, 2021
5:30 in the evening
Hilltop Mountain Resort
Denver, CO

Casual Example #2: Ann and Thomas

With its hand-drawn illustrations of the moon, stars, and majestic landscape, the “Crater Lake” invitation is both an homage to the great outdoors and a nod to the love that nature can inspire. This couple chose a fun message for their wording, which lets their happy attitude shine.

Ann & Thomas
are tying the knot!
You are happily invited to
join us in celebration of their marriage
Saturday the twelfth of September 2020
4 o’clock in the afternoon
Crater Lake Lodge
Crater Lake National Park
565 Rim Dr. Klamath Falls, Oregon
Dinner & dancing to follow

Casual Example #3: Josephine and Tamara

Have fun with your phrasing thanks to the simplicity of this “Open Bar” wedding invitation. The minimal yet vibrant design lends itself to light and contemporary wording.

Josephine and Tamara
are getting hitched *
* we’re having a party with an open bar
april twenty-eighth, two thousand twenty at six in the evening
engine house twentyfive | pittsburgh, pennsylvania
kindly respond by march 4

Modern Wedding Invitation Wording

If you and your partner are a bit unconventional, the words you choose, or the ones you skip, can keep that fresh perspective alive. Take a look at these samples for out-of-the-box inspiration.

Modern Example #1: Clara and Maddie

With its prismatic sheen, modern typography, and simple yet sophisticated layout, this “Love and Light” wedding invitation is a blank canvas for your message. Choose whichever phrasing you like; we love that this couple never even used the word “wedding,” creating a voice and style all their own.

Clara and Maddie
invite you to join their
celebration of love and friendship
August 25, 2020
at 6:00 in the evening
Terra Gallery & Events, San Francisco
Dinner and dancing to follow

Modern Example #2: Bailey and Craig

This “Mt. Rainier” invitation is perfect for the nature-loving duo. The bronze, handwritten typeface with the “Meet us in the woods” greeting is simply stunning.

Meet us in the woods
Together with their families
Bailey and Craig
request the pleasure of
your company at their
wedding celebration
August twentieth
Two thousand twenty
Five in the evening
Mt. Rainier National Park
Reception to follow

Modern Example #3: Janna and Imani

Sometimes less is more. If the two of you want to keep things simple, this unconventional take on a wedding invite is a great idea. Match your pared-down wording to the “Let’s Do This” invitation for a modern and confident feeling.

Let’s do this
10.23.26
Janna & Imani
The Rudrick Gallery
Seattle, Washington
Six thirty in the evening

Black Tie Wedding Invitation Wording

Black tie changes three things about the wording. The register goes fully formal: third person, spelled-out date and time, and the correct request line for the venue, “honour of your presence” for a house of worship, “pleasure of your company” anywhere else. The dress code is stated plainly, in two words, where eyes finish: “Black tie” on the final line or the lower corner, never in the body text and never with an exclamation point. And the hour matters, since black tie traditionally begins after six o’clock, so an evening time confirms what the dress code promises. The first complete example above is a black-tie invitation in full; to soften the requirement without losing the register, “Black tie optional” or “Formal attire requested” both do the job.

Intimate Wedding Invitation Wording for Small Weddings

A small wedding earns plainer, warmer language, and the wording has one extra job: signaling gently that the guest list is short, so nobody has to ask about plus-ones. Phrases like “an intimate ceremony,” “a small celebration with our nearest,” or “with just our families and closest friends” do that work in passing. In return, the details can be specific in a way a two-hundred-guest wedding never manages:

With just our families and closest friends
Maya Torres and Elena Brooks
invite you to their wedding
Saturday, June 12, 2027, at five o’clock
The Farmhouse at Willow Bend, Hood River, Oregon
Vows in the orchard, dinner at one long table
RSVP by May 16 at [mayaandelena.com]

Bilingual Wedding Invitation Wording

Bilingual invitations work in one of two structures. Mirrored wording carries the full text in both languages, stacked or side by side, and is the right choice when each family reads a different language. Lead-and-essentials keeps one language primary and repeats only the load-bearing lines in the second: names, date, time, venue, and the RSVP. Whichever you choose, write each language in its own conventions rather than translating line by line; formal Spanish, for example, has stock phrasing of its own, and days and months are not capitalized. A lead-and-essentials example:

Junto con sus familias / Together with their families
Camila Ortiz y Michael Doyle
tienen el gusto de invitarle a celebrar su matrimonio
have the pleasure of inviting you to celebrate their marriage
sábado, 12 de junio de 2027 | Saturday, June 12, 2027
a las cinco de la tarde | five o’clock in the evening
Hacienda Los Olivos, Santa Barbara, California
Confirme su asistencia antes del 16 de mayo | RSVP by May 16 at [camilaymichael.com]

Keep names and honorifics identical in both languages, and have a native speaker read the final card; a mistranslated formal phrase is the one error every guest on that side of the aisle will catch. Every Greenvelope template’s text is fully editable, accented characters included, and hosts sending to a split list can send each language version to the guests who need it.

Common Wedding Invitation Wording Mistakes

Even beautiful wedding invitations can stumble on the details. Watch out for these common wording mistakes before you print or send:

• Leaving off the host line. This opening line tells guests who is inviting them. Skipping it, or guessing when divorced parents are involved, is one of the most common wording mistakes on wedding invitations.
• Forgetting an essential. Every wedding invitation needs the couple’s names, the date, the time, and the venue name and city, with the venue just below the time and reception details on their own line.
• Mixing formal and casual styles. If you spell out the date in full, keep the rest formal too; “two thousand twenty-seven” does not belong next to “4 p.m.”
• Burying the dress code. Guests look for it. A simple line like “Cocktail attire” near the bottom prevents confusion.
• Overstuffing the main invitation. Keep the main card focused on the ceremony, and send registry links, hotel blocks, and extra reception information to your wedding website instead. On paper that means insert cards; on a digital invitation, a details panel does the same job.

Don’t Forget the Details Line

Below the essentials, a short line or two keeps guests informed and cuts down on questions: dress code, whether children are invited, and how to RSVP. With a digital invitation you can also link straight to directions, a registry, or an FAQ page so the card itself stays uncluttered.

Ready to pair your wording with a design? Greenvelope’s wedding invitation collection ranges from traditional and elegant to modern and playful, every template is fully customizable, and the platform tracks everything from address validation and RSVPs to what your guests want to eat. Pair the invitation with matching save the date cards for a cohesive suite, and if you are still deciding where to send from, our comparison of the best digital wedding invitation platforms puts the leading options side by side.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do you write in a wedding invitation?

Wedding invitations include six essentials: the host line (who is hosting), the request line (“request the pleasure of your company”), the couple’s names, the date and time, the ceremony location with the venue name, and reception details, often just “Reception to follow.” Add a dress code and an RSVP date and the invitation is complete.

How do you formally invite someone to a wedding?

For a formal invitation, lead with the hosts’ full names (“Mr. and Mrs. John Sanchez”), use “request the honour of your presence” for a ceremony in a house of worship or “request the pleasure of your company” elsewhere, and spell out the date and time in full (“Saturday, the fourth of June, two thousand twenty-seven, at four o’clock in the afternoon”).

Do we have to spell out the date and time?

Only if you want a formal tone. Spelled-out dates and times read as traditional and black-tie; numerals are perfectly acceptable for modern or casual celebrations.

Whose name goes first on a wedding invitation?

Traditionally, the bride’s name appears first, followed by the groom’s name. For same-sex couples, list names alphabetically or in whichever order sounds best. When parents host, the bride’s parents’ names traditionally appear in the host line first.

How should divorced parents be listed on a wedding invitation?

List each parent on their own line without an “and” joining them, traditionally with the mother’s name first. If a parent is hosting with a new spouse, list that couple together on one line, or sidestep the whole question with “Together with their families.”

How do you word the invitation when the couple is hosting?

Skip the host line and lead with the couple’s names, followed by a warm request line such as “invite you to celebrate their marriage.” No host line is needed when the couple is extending the invitation themselves.

What is a catchy wedding invitation phrase?

Catchy, modern phrases include “Let’s do this,” “We’re tying the knot,” “Meet us in the woods,” and “Join us for the celebration of love.” These work beautifully on casual and modern invitations where personality matters more than tradition, and they pair well with bold, illustrated designs.

What is the best way to send wedding invitations?

For most couples, digital delivery is the practical choice: it arrives instantly, costs a fraction of print and postage, and collects RSVPs automatically. Greenvelope is built for exactly this, pairing designer wedding invitations with an animated envelope opening and built-in RSVP tracking, so the invitation and the guest list live in one place.

Related Resources

Explore more guides in the Greenvelope resource hub:

• Save the Date Wording Examples
• Digital Invitation Etiquette: Answers to Common Questions
• What Is an Animated Envelope Invitation?
• When to Send Invitations: A Timing Guide for Every Event