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Wording by Toni
There are many ways to word an invitation. What is important is that the wording fits your style. If you have a question on wording, please feel free to Contact Us.
- General Envelope Information -
- It is traditional to use the complete, formal name and address of your invited guests. For instance,
- Use full name when known. If not known, do not use initials, simply omit.
- It is also traditional to spell out Avenue, Road, and Street as well as State name.
- If you are providing reply cards, it is traditional to place a postage stamp on the reply envelopes to make it as easy as possible for your guests to respond.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lewis Smith
- How do I address inner envelopes? -
- Inner envelope will follow how you address outer envelope.
(Outer)
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lee Smith
1234 West 123 Street
Any Town, Any State 84105
(Inner)
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lee Smith - A Married Couple's inner envelope is addressed to: "Mr. and Mrs. Anderson" with neither their first names nor addresses.
- When the invitation is addressed to several young children the inner envelope is addressed to: "Jessica, Saul and Shaun."
- If an envelope is addressed to the parents and a young daughter, her name is written on the inner envelope below her parents' name:
Mr. and Mrs. Anderson
Miss Anne Anderson - Intimate relative may be addressed on the inner envelope as "Aunt Kate and Uncle Reid" or "Grandmother"
- When the invitation is sent to an unmarried couple living at the same address, their names are placed on two lines:
Ms. Victoria Franks
Mr. John Doe - If the person invited is encouraged to bring a guest, the inner envelope is written:
Brittany and Guest
Or
Mr. John Greenum and Guest
- Inner envelope will follow how you address outer envelope.
- How do I address outer envelopes? -
- The wedding invitations are always addressed to both members of a married couple.
- Invitations to an unmarried couple are addressed to Ms. Mary French and Mr. John Burns, with each name appearing on separate lines.
- A person's middle name may or may not be used, but if it is, it must be written out in full.
- Children over 18 should if possible receive separate invitations. Young brothers and sisters may be sent a joint invitation to "The Misses" or "The Messrs Jones":
The Messrs. Jones
The Misses Jones - 18 and Over:
(Outer)
Ms. (or Miss) Juliet Kinder
1234 West 123 Street
Any Town, Any State 84105
(Inner)
The Misses Kinder - Children of the same household:
(Outer)
Mr. Matthew Kinder
Mr. Austin Kinder
1234 West 123 Street
Any Town, Any State 84105
(Inner)
The Messrs. Kinder - Single friends with a guest invited: when using an inner envelope, the "and guest" should not appear on the outside envelope.
(Outer)
Ms. Sheryl Jones
(Inner)
Ms. Sheryl Jones and Guest
*If the children are not to receive a separate invitation, then they may be written below the parents names on the inner envelope.
- How do I word a Bar/Bat Mitzvah invitation? - There are several ways to word a Bar/Bat Mitzvah invitation. Some suggestions include:
We invite you to share in our joy
when our daughter
Brooke Ann
becomes a Bat Mitzvah
Saturday, the sixteenth of March
Two thousand and seven
at half past ten in the morning (or ten-thirty in the morning)
Washington Hebrew Congregation
Washington, District of Columbia
Or
Please join us as our daughter
Brooke Ann
becomes a Bat Mitzvah
Or
It would be our pleasure to have you join us
when our daughter becomes a Bat Mitzvah
- How do I word a Bar/Bat Mitzvah Reception Card? - The wording for a Bar/Bat Mitzvah Reception Card may read something like:
In honor of Brooke
the celebration continues...
Saturday evening at half past seven
Four Seasons
Georgetown
Black tie
- What information should I include on a wedding invitation? -
- Who is doing the inviting (Parents or Couple themselves)
- Who is getting married
- Date, Time, Place (all spelled out, except when a long address is given)
- Recommended attire for guests (optional)
- When writing the recommended attire at a social black tie event, the t is not capitalized:
Black tie
Or
Black tie optional
Or
Black tie preferred
Or
Black tie invite
- Reception information (optional)
- What is the most common wording for an invitation? -
- The most common invitation is typically given by the bride's parents. If the wedding is in a church or synagogue, then the term "Request the honour of your presence" is used. The invitation may look something like this:
Mr. and Mrs. David John Dunn
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Susan May
to
David Ray Porter
Saturday, the third of June
Two thousand and four
at four o'clock in the afternoon
Park City Community Church
Park City, Utah
Reception to follow
Or
Dinner and Dancing to follow
- These days many brides are electing to delete the "Mr." before the groom's name.
- If the wedding is not held at a church or synagogue: Instead of "request the honour of your presence" then "request the pleasure of your company" should be used
- The parent's names may be worded using both of their first names (Carolyn and David Dunn) or using Mr. and Mrs. with the husband's first and last name (Mr. and Mrs. David John Dunn)
- Avoid putting the address of the location in the invitation unless it is necessary. For example, if there is more than one Church in the area, or it is not a well known location
Mr. and Mrs. Heath Edwin Lee
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Ellen Louise
to
Mr. Steven Ryan Marony
Saturday, the fifteenth of May
Two thousand and five
at half past six o'clock in the evening
La Posada de Albuquerque
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Or
at half past six in the evening
- The most common invitation is typically given by the bride's parents. If the wedding is in a church or synagogue, then the term "Request the honour of your presence" is used. The invitation may look something like this:
- What information should I include on a reception card? -
- Reception information can be included in the invitation or as a separate insert with the invitation
- A reception card may look like this:
Dinner and Dancing
at six o'clock in the evening
Top of the Town
1400 North 14th Street
Arlington, Virginia*
*Please note that the address is optionalOr
Dinner
to follow the ceremony
Trail Creek Ranch
Wilson, Wyoming
Or
Reception
to follow the ceremony
The Inn at Spanish Bay
Pebble Beach, California
- A wedding invitation can include both the wedding and reception information. Wording for this may say:
Carol and John Collins
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Sarah Brook
to
Gary Connor
Friday, the twenty fourth of October
at half past seven in the evening
Church of the Redeemer
San Francisco, California
Reception to follow
Bay Shore Country Club
- If the reception is in another city, then it should be included on the invitation. For example:
Carol and John Collins
request the honour of your presence ...
Reception to follow
Burgau Hotel
Tiburon, California
Together with their families/parents
Joy Goldsmith
and
Eric Reiser
invite you to share
in the celebration of their marriage ...
Or
Together with their families/parents
Joy Goldsmith
and
Eric Reiser
request the honour of your presence ...
Or
Mary Kate Peterson
and
George Daniel Moore
together with their families/parents
invite you to share with them
the joy of their marriage ...
The pleasure of your company
is requested
at the marriage of
Melissa June Martin
and
Heather Trisha Smith ...
Or
Jeremy Austin Lake
&
Roger Jacob Wolcott
request the honour of your presence
at their commitment ceremony
Saturday, the twentieth of October
two thousand seven
at half past five in the evening
Second Congregational Church
Bennington, Vermont
Or
Paul Finch
and
Daniel McVay
Invite you to join them in
celebrating their union ...
Or
Robert Eliot Marcus
and
Jonathan Rosefeld
request the honour of your presence
at their marriage
Sunday, the seventeenth of September
Two thousand and six
at five o’clock in the evening
The Willard
Washington, District of Columbia
Dinner and Dancing to follow
Black Tie
Or
Tonya and Jeffrey Lancaster
Mary and Calvin Bennett
invite you to share their joy when their daughters
Justina and Lana
exchange vows
on Saturday, the thirtieth of September
Two thousand and six
four o’clock in the afternoon
Catalyst Ranch
Chicago, Illinois
Food and festivities to follow the ceremony
- When both of the parents' names are at the top of the invitation, then it can imply that both parents are contributing to the cost of the wedding. Some examples of this would be:
Mr. and Mrs. John Summers
and
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Allen
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their children
Ellen Ann
and
Bruce David
Or
Mr. and Mrs. John Summers
and
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Allen
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their children ...
- Some people want to acknowledge both sets of parents even if only one side took on the financial responsibilities. In that case, both names can still be put in the invitation. Wording on this invitation may look like this:
Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Thompson
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Wilma Sharon
to
Mr. Jason Elliott
son of
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Bradley
Saturday, the seventh of June
Two thousand and eight
at three o'clock in the afternoon
Grace Lutheran Church
Scottsdale, Arizona
The Goldberg Family
Linda, Joshua, Janna and Robert
Danielle, Oscar, Miriam and Danny Klein
The Cohens Rachel, Jonathan, Eli, Sarah & Daniel
Best Wishes for a New Year bright with the promise of peace and hope
Wishing you a year of Health, Happiness and Blessings
Best Wishes for a good and sweet New Year
Wishing you a New Year filled with Health, Happiness and Peace
Best wishes for a year bright with hope, blessed with peace, and filled with happiness!
Best wishes for a healthy, happy, good and sweet New Year
May the tree of life blossom and bring to you and your family all the blessings of health and prosperity joy and peace
Wishing you a good and sweet slice of life this New Year!
Best wishes for a Year Bright with Hope, Blessed with Peace, and Filled with Happiness!
Wishing you a New Year filled with Health, Happiness and Peace
Sweetest Greetings
May the New Year bring you and your family health, love & laughter
Best wishes for a good and sweet New Year
May the coming year be a special one, fulfilling all of your sweetest wishes
Custom Verses: Supply wording in the text section. Your verse should fit in the same space, using approximately the same number of lines as the verse you are replacing. We strongly recommend a proof on any custom verse.
- Divorced parents and step-parents can be tricky sometimes. You really have to think about who you want to acknowledge in your invitation and the "political consequences". It is really up to the individual. For any questions please Contact Us or call us at 866.319.1909.
- If only one of the bride's parents is giving the wedding, then it can be worded with only his/her name. Each situation is different, though and sometimes families elect to include both, even if only one parent is paying
- If both of the divorced parents are giving the wedding together, then both names should be mentioned, and usually divorced parents prefer separate lines for their names. You can put an and between the names, or not, depending on the size of the card and what you prefer. The size of the invitation may dictate whether the "and" is included
- If both of the divorced parents are giving the wedding together and one or both couples are remarried then all of the names may be mentioned in the invitation. Here is an example:
Mr. and Mrs. Shelby Goldring
and
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Quinn ...
- One option is to send two invitations
- Another option is to send the invitation to one of the houses and put both of their names on the envelope
- One option is having two separate invitations. One invitation will have the reception information and the wedding information and the other one will only have the reception information
- The other, less costly option is having the main invitation that invites them to the reception. A smaller card (the size of a reception card) can be inserted with the wedding invitation. Text may look something like this:
George and Anita Allen
request the pleasure of your company
at the wedding reception
of their daughter
Amber Louise
and
Berkley Wofford ... - The insert to invite guests to the wedding reception can be worded differently depending on each situation. Please consult customer service for questions
- The invitation can be issued by the name of the living parent or it can include the deceased parent as well, which may read:
Summer Nicole Thomas
daughter of May Gene Thomas and the late
William Thomas
and
Gary Williams
son of Mr. and Mrs. Steven Joseph Williams
request the honour of your presence ...
- Most of the time the invitation is issued from the living parent. The wedding program is an appropriate place to include the deceased.
- In this case, wording for the couple doing the inviting would apply here. If a relative or friend is doing the inviting, then the invitation can include his/her name:
Mr. and Mrs. Paul John Carrey
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of
their niece ...
- There is no need to highlight or make mention that you are having a second marriage, even if the woman has kept her married name after her divorce. Instead of using Miss or Ms. or Mr., just put the first and last names:
Mary Williams Bryant
and
Christopher Johnston
request the honour of your presence ...
- Wording and RSVP card for a formal occasion:
The favour of a reply is requested by the first of May - lOr another example showing more warmth and emotion:
We look forward to having you join us
(Place for their name and an appropriate response)
Kindly respond by the first of May
- Wording an RSVP card for a less formal occasion:
Please respond by the fifth of May
Or
Kindly respond by the fifth of May
- Wording an RSVP card with an entrée selection:
The favour of your reply is requested
by February third
Please indicate your entrée preference
______ Chicken _______ Salmon ______Vegetarian - Some clients elect to go with the old stand-by
M________________
______will attend
______unable to attend
The favour of a reply is requested
before the first of April
Or
The favour of a reply is requested
before the second of November
M________________
will_________attend
- A tip when sending out a RSVP card is to write a small number on the back of the card or the inside of the RSVP envelope in an inconspicuous area that is assigned to a person. People can forget to write their name on the card when replying, so the number is very helpful
- The hostesses are written in alphabetical order, unless it is hosted at one of the bridesmaids' houses; in that case, you would put their name first
- An announcement for a multiple birth is worded as a single birth. The announcement should have each baby's name and weight. The parent's names and the date of birth are only written once. To make it easy to read, having the baby's names side by side is helpful. For example:
Our happiness has doubled!
Caleb John Jennifer Amber
6 pounds 5 ounces 6 pounds 3 ounces
June 24, 2004
Jamie, Teddy, Michael and Michele Hawthorne
- In the situation where there is a single or divorced parent, the mother or father should put whatever name they wish to be known by and the baby's first and last name if it is different than the parent's last name
- When the mother kept her maiden name, write the father's first and last name, the mother's first and last name, and the baby's name including the last name that he/she is taking. Include the date of birth, but birth weight is optional. Here is an example:
We are pleased to announce the birth of our daughter
Elisabeth Tiffany Johnson
5 pounds 5 ounces
August 5, 2004
Carol Queen and Barry Johnson
- An announcement with unmarried or same sex couples can be worded just as a parent who is not changing her maiden name. Both the first and last names of the parents are included and the full name of the baby is also included. Be consistent with or without commas on pounds and ounces.
Victoria Amy West
has arrived
November 2, 2004
Seven pounds six ounces
Robert Nelson and Jacob West
- Usually the adoptive parents know what information they want to announce; it is really up to the parents.
- One option is to include the date that the baby was born, and the date that the baby was adopted. Here is an example:
Frederick, Laura, and Julie
take great pleasure in announcing
the adoption of
Benjamin Daniel Herbert
born on February 23, 2004
welcomed into the family March 3, 2004
- You can find a card that is not specific to a religious holiday, we call them "generic cards" (get a card with a snowman rather than a Santa Claus).
- Wording like "season's greetings", "happy holidays", "we wish you a happy holiday season, happiest of new years", or "have a happy, healthy new year" will not offend people of different faiths.
- There is no rule about the order in which names of two or more hostesses should appear. The hostesses of the party can be written in alphabetical order, unless it is hosted at one of their houses; in that case, you would put their name first
- If it is hosted by a business, then the hosts are listed in order of their rank.