Wedding invitation wording: 12 examples to copy, and the structure to write your own

People spend hours on the wording of an invitation, and guests read it in ten seconds. What they are looking for: what it is, when, where, and whether they need to reply. Everything beyond those four answers is charm, to be measured out.

The six details every invitation needs

• Who is getting married: both first names, sometimes surnames
• The date, with the weekday: people locate themselves by “Saturday 12 June”
• The venue, with the town: a venue name alone means nothing to a guest travelling from far away
• The time of the ceremony, and whether drinks follow straight away
• The RSVP deadline: the line most often forgotten, and the one that saves you from chasing
• How to reply: one email, one number or one page. One way, not three

Twelve wordings to copy

They are there to be copied, shortened and mixed. Swap in your names, the date and the venue, and keep the sentence that sounds like you.

Classic

• “Emily and James are delighted to invite you to their wedding, which will take place on Saturday 12 June at 3 pm at St Mary’s Church. They will be delighted to welcome you afterwards at The Old Barn.”
• “Together with their families, Emily and James request the pleasure of your company at their wedding on Saturday 12 June at 3 pm, at St Mary’s Church.”
• “Surrounded by our families, we would love you to join us as we celebrate our marriage on Saturday 12 June at 3 pm. Reply by 1 May, please.”

Romantic

• “Two stories, one promise. Emily and James are getting married on Saturday 12 June, and would love you to be there when they say yes.”
• “Some days you wait for without knowing it. Ours is 12 June. Come and share it with us.”
• “We’ve come a long way to get here. We’d like to take the last steps surrounded by the people who matter.”

With some humour

• “After ten years together, one cat, two house moves and no arguments about the sofa, we’re getting married. Saturday 12 June, 3 pm. Please reply by 1 May, the caterer is waiting.”
• “They said yes (finally). Emily and James are getting married on 12 June, and the buffet is already booked.”

Announced by the children

• “Mummy and Daddy are getting married! We’ll be their proudest helpers on Saturday 12 June at 3 pm. Come and celebrate with us.”

Rustic and relaxed

• “Under the fairy lights in the garden at The Old Barn, we’re getting married on Saturday 12 June. Come as you are, and wear good shoes.”
• “We’re getting married, we’re having a party, and we want you there. The schedule is on our page: the link is just below.”

The delicate lines

“Adults only”

The wording that works says what is planned, not what is refused. “This evening will be an adults-only celebration, and we hope you’ll understand.” If children are welcome at the ceremony and the drinks, say so: a partial invitation goes down better when it is clear. Make room for the exception of very small babies with no alternative, and tell those parents directly.

“No gifts”

Don’t ask for money and don’t put a list in the body of the invitation. “Your presence is the only gift we need.” If you do have a honeymoon fund, it belongs on the wedding page. Guests who want to give something will find it, and the others won’t feel asked.

“Please reply by…”

The tone is organisation, not pressure: “So that we can plan everything, please reply by 1 May.” One date, one way to reply. And say you will chase: it’s not rude, and it spares you doing everything by hand the night before.

What not to print

Anything that can change before the day. The minute-by-minute schedule, the hotel list, the parking, the room plan: a card printed in February will be wrong by June. Put them on a page, and print the address or a QR code on the invitation.

Before you approve the proof

• Read names, dates and times out loud, then have someone else read them
• Check the weekday: “Saturday 12 June” must be a Saturday that year
• Test the QR code with two different phones at real size before printing
• Ask for a proof: it is the last chance to catch a typo