Here at WHSmith Wedding Stationery, we know that wording wedding invitations can be stressful. These top ten tips on how to write the perfect invite will help make your planning easier!

1) Define Your Wedding Theme

Connect your invitations to your wedding theme through your formatting and chosen design. If you're having a formal wedding, then follow a traditional template for your invites. For something a bit more out-there, such as a festival-themed wedding, you can play around when wording wedding invitations!

Formal

Mr & Mrs Hickman
request the company of
____________________
at the marriage of their daughter
Nicola
to
Mr. James Brendan Owen
on Saturday 11^th September 2021 at 2pm

at St Mary’s Church, Bridgnorth

Followed by an Evening Reception
At Patshull Park Hotel, Pattingham

RSVP

By 2^nd June 2021
Sample Address, Bridgnorth
Shropshire, WV16 4BG

Informal

Nicola and James are getting married!
Join us on Saturday 11^th September 2021 at 2pm
For a celebration of fun, family, and friendship
Expect food, laughter, and dancing all night long!

At Patshull Park Hotel, Pattingham
Followed by an Evening Reception

RSVP

By 2^nd June 2021
Sample Address, Bridgnorth
Shropshire, WV16 4BG

Featured Design: Boho Deer Antlers - Pocketfold Wedding Invitation & RSVP

2) Hosts

Traditionally, a bride's parents would pay for her wedding. Therefore, their names would be at the top of the invites. However, if you're funding your own wedding, you're going to want people to know! Beneath, we have included an example of how to word invitations when you're hosting.

Nicola Hickman and James Owen
request the company of
____________________
at their wedding

on Saturday 11^th September 2021 at 2pm

at St Mary’s Church, Bridgnorth

Followed by an Evening Reception
At Patshull Park Hotel, Pattingham

RSVP

By 2^nd June 2021
Sample Address, Bridgnorth
Shropshire, WV16 4BG

3) Request Phrase

The request phrase of your wedding invites is the part that says something along the lines of “request the honour of your presence”. A lot of people don't realise that you also need specific wording for this. The request phrase “request the honour of your presence” is generally used for religious weddings, while “request the pleasure of your company” is meant for a civil ceremony or informal wedding. So, if you are not having a traditional church wedding, bear this in mind!

Featured Design: Marble Elegance Day Invitation

4) Names

As shown above, you can choose whether to have your full names or just your first names when wording wedding invitations. If you want to be traditional, use the bride's first name and the groom's full name, because the wife customarily takes her husband's surname. If you're changing to a double-barrel last name or are having an informal wedding, you can just use your first names. Same-sex couples may want to use both of their names in full, with the names in alphabetical order. Here are some examples:

• Nicola and Mr. James Brendan Owen
• Nicola Hickman and James Owen
• Nicola and James

Same-Sex Couples

• John and Mr. Mark Timothy Cooper
• John Evans and Mark Cooper
• John and Mark

5) Date and Time

If you want to be extra formal, there are specific ways in which you can write out the date and time when wording wedding invitations. This generally includes writing numbers in full (e.g. 'third' instead of '3rd') and using the written version of the year (e.g. 'two thousand and nineteen' instead of '2019'). However, this is all up to you. You can still have a formal invite and use the informal date and time.

Formal

on Saturday, the eleventh of September
two thousand and nineteen
at two o'clock

Informal

on Saturday 11^th September 2019
at 2pm

6) Fine Details

It is good to inform guests about your wedding day, but using too much wording can make your cards go from elegant and refined to crowded and messy. Because of this, we recommend buying a guest information card to include with your invitations. They will make your wedding stationery much more sophisticated. Choosing matching designs will also complement your theme.

Featured Design: Watercolour Beach Scene Day Invitation

7) Day and Evening Invitations

Inviting guests to your wedding can be very expensive, so many people like to have two guest lists - one for day guests and one for evening guests. Evening guests are invited to the reception after the ceremony, but not to the ceremony and meal. Make sure your wording specifies which part they'll be attending, because if you don't, people might assume they're invited to both!

8) Contact Details

If you put contact details on your invites, such as your phone number and address, then you may also want to think about their presentation. You may wish to split up your phone number (e.g. 01746 761851) rather than having it in a standard format (e.g. 01746761851), as this prevents confusion and helps guests contact the right person!

If each part of your address is written on a separate line, then you don't need to add commas at the end of every line:

Bridgnorth
Shropshire
WV16 4BG

However, if multiple parts of your address are on the same line, then you should keep the commas in:
Bridgnorth, Shropshire, WV16 4BG

9) Proofread

When wording wedding invitations, it's important to spot any mistakes before you send them out to guests. Make sure you check them over multiple times and ask a friend or family member to check them, too. Some stationers will send you online proof before you complete your order, which is useful for making sure your wording looks perfect.

10) RSVP Cards

You can buy individual wedding invitations or suites that include an RSVP card. RSVP cards are not only useful, but they're also a lovely way to continue your wedding theme throughout your stationery. They help guests tell you if they'll be attending your wedding day, making planning so much easier.

Wording wedding RSVP cards is very simple. A standard RSVP has a line for guests to write their names and tick boxes to show whether they can attend or not. You can also include space for attendees to write dietary requirements or request a song for the reception party. Add a unique touch by personalising your tick boxes, such as saying ‘count me in!’ rather than ‘would love to attend’.

Featured Design: Kraft Boho Roses RSVP Cards