Traditionally the bride’s parents would pay for your wedding, and would therefore be the hosts of your wedding.  So wedding invitations were worded accordingly.  However, in today’s modern world the bride’s parents are unlikely to be able to, or to be expected to pay for the whole wedding, so the hosts may be both sets of parents or the bride and groom themselves.  Parents may be divorced, separated, remarried or widowed, and the wedding may be at home or abroad, religious or civil, formal or informal.  And of course, your handmade wedding invitations must be worded accordingly.

There is no longer any set criteria for your wedding invitation wording.  It is your wedding, and there are a number of ways you might choose to word your invitations depending on who the hosts are and what style you wish to portray.  Just make sure that the essential information is included:

• Who: The host’s names and the bride and groom names
• What: The wedding - church or civil ceremony?
• When: Date and time
• Where: Ceremony location and reception location, if different from the wedding ceremony

We also recommend including a map or directions card, and don’t forget to include a post code in case guests wish to use a sat nav to get there.  You may also wish to include a list of local hotels for guests who are travelling a long way.  Details of taxi services may also prove useful, along with your gift list and RSVP card.  The Designer Card Company offers RSVP cards that ask the guests to detail any special dietary requirements.  This will help your wedding caterers.

Wedding Invitation Wording Examples

1. Bride’s Parents Host—Formal (Religious venue)

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Marlow
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Jessica Louise
to
Mr. Christopher Heath
at St Peter’s Church,
Caverswall, Staffordshire ST11 9EA
on Saturday 28th August 2010
at 1 o’clock
and afterwards for a reception
at Caverswall Castle, Staffordshire

R.S.V.P.
26 Vicarage Road
Sutton Coldfield
West Midlands
B73 8QP

Carriages at 1 o’clock

2. Bride’s Parents Host—Formal (Secular venue)

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Marlow
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Jessica Louise
to
Mr. Christopher Heath
at Caverswall Castle,
Caverswall, Staffordshire ST11 9EA
on Saturday 28th August 2010
at 1 o’clock
and afterwards for a reception

R.S.V.P.
26 Vicarage Road
Sutton Coldfield
West Midlands
B73 8QP

Carriages at 1 o’clock

3. Bride’s Parents Host—Informal

Peter and Anne Marlow
invite you to the wedding of their daughter
Jessica Louise
to
Christopher Heath
on Saturday 28th August 2010
at 1 o’clock
and afterwards for a reception

R.S.V.P.
26 Vicarage Road
Sutton Coldfield
West Midlands
B73 8QP

4. Both Sets of Parents Host—Formal (Religious venue)

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Marlow &
Mr. and Mrs. Duncan Heath
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their children
Jessica Louise
and
Christopher Daniel

at St Peter’s Church,
Caverswall, Staffordshire ST11 9EA
on Saturday 28th August 2010
at 1 o’clock
and afterwards for a reception
at Caverswall Castle, Staffordshire

R.S.V.P.
26 Vicarage Road
Sutton Coldfield
West Midlands
B73 8QP

5. Both Sets of Parents Host—Formal (Secular venue)

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Marlow &
Mr. and Mrs. Duncan Heath
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their children
Jessica
and
Christopher

at Caverswall Castle,
Caverswall, Staffordshire ST11 9EA
on Saturday 28th August 2010
at 1 o’clock
and afterwards for a reception

R.S.V.P.
26 Vicarage Road
Sutton Coldfield
West Midlands
B73 8QP

Carriages at 1 o’clock

6. Both Set of Parents Host—European style (landscape format)

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Marlow
Mr. and Mrs. Duncan Heath

The pleasure of your company is requested
at the marriage of

Jessica Louise to Christopher Daniel

at the Church of Sant’Andrea, Badalucca, Liguria.
on Saturday 28th August 2010.
at 1 o’clock.
and afterwards for a reception.
at Casa Bella

R.S.V.P.
Casa Bella.
Badalucca, Liguria.
Italy

Black tie

7. Both Sets of Parents Host—Casual

Peter and Anne Marlow &
Duncan and Mary Heath
invite you to the wedding of their children
Jessica Louise
and Christopher Daniel
Saturday 28th August, 2010
at 1 p.m.
The Belfry Hotel
Lichfield, Staffordshire
Dinner reception to follow

8. Couple Hosts—Formal (Religious venue)

The pleasure of your company
is requested at the marriage of
Ms. Jessica Louise Marlow
to Mr. Christopher Daniel Heath
at St Peter’s Church,
Caverswall, Staffordshire ST11 9EA
on Saturday 28th August 2010
at 1 o’clock
and afterwards for a reception
at Caverswall Castle

R.S.V.P.
26 Vicarage Road
Sutton Coldfield
West Midlands
B73 8QP

Carriages at 1 o’clock

9. Couple Hosts—Formal (Secular venue)

The pleasure of your company
is requested at the marriage of
Ms. Jessica Louise Marlow
to Mr. Christopher Daniel Heath
at Caverswall Castle,
Staffordshire ST11 9EA
on Saturday 28th August 2010
at 1 o’clock
and afterwards for a reception

R.S.V.P.
26 Vicarage Road
Sutton Coldfield
West Midlands
B73 8QP

12. Couple Hosts—Casual

Jessica Louise Marlow
and Christopher Heath
invite you to their marriage
at Caverswall Castle,
Caverswall, Staffordshire ST11 9EA
on Saturday 28th August 2010
at 1 o’clock
and afterwards for a reception

R.S.V.P.
26 Vicarage Road
Sutton Coldfield
West Midlands
B73 8QP

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