Wedding planning takes a lot of work. One aspect that needs to be taken care of fairly early on is the wedding invitations, or at least ‘save-the-dates‘. Aside from choosing the design and layout (which can be a feat in itself), knowing exactly what to write and in what order can also be confusing. Fear not, however, for we have done the research! We’ve come up with this handy guide to help you decide exactly what to write in your wedding invitation.
By the way, here are 5 apps that will help you plan your wedding!
Save the dates vs wedding invitations
A save the date is like a pre-invitation invitation. The purpose of these is to let the prospective guests know to expect an invitation in the coming months and to keep the date of the planned wedding free. That way they give them as much advance notice as possible. Save the dates needn’t include many more details than the name of the couple and the date of the wedding, just so that the guests can make sure they keep that date free.
What tradition dictates…
Traditionally, the bride’s parents were considered to be the hosts of a wedding (and would pay for the whole affair). Invitations would be sent out from them, and they would be named at the top of each invitation. However, these days it is considered fairer to include the names of both sets of parents (regardless of which, if either, are helping financially). If, however, the couple decide that they don’t want to include the names of any parents, that is also fine. It is their wedding, after all!
That said, there are some pieces of necessary information that you definitely should put on the invitation…
What to write in a wedding invitation – the essentials
What follows is a list of what should be considered essential information to write in your wedding invitation.
By the way, if you still need to find the perfect wedding invitations, how about designing your own? With MyPostcard you can browse thousands of personalizable designs, and add your own photo or photos. Use the address link feature to ask guests to add their own addresses securely and remotely to your MyPostcard address book (or simply add them yourself), and get your design sent to all of them – printed and delivered by us!
The names of the hosts
Traditionally, the name of the bride would go first, named as the daughter of her parents. The son and his parents names would follow in the same format. It is also an option to only put the bride’s parents’ names, followed by the invitation, or if you want to go down a more modern route, you can just mention “families of” the bride and groom. Alternatively, you can send the invitations direct from the bride and groom, with them as hosts. Here’s an example of what to write in you wedding invitation that you can copy and adjust:
Jennifer Rickard, daughter of Mr. Michael and Lynn Rickard
and James Vaughan, son of Mr. Charles and Elsa Vaughan
[invitation]
Or
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Rickard
[invitation]
Or
Together with their parents/families, Jennifer and James
[invitation]
Or
Jennifer Rickard and James Vaughan
[invitation]
What to write on the wedding invitation itself
This is the part where you actually request the guests to come to the wedding. It can be phrased in a number of ways, including:
… are delighted to invite you to the wedding of [couple’s names]
... request the pleasure of your company at the wedding of [couple’s names]
… request the honor of your presence at their wedding (if the couple are hosting)
The location of the ceremony (if they are invited to both)
You don’t actually need to include the entire address these days. Assuming all guests have access to the internet, you can just include the name of the venue and the name of the town if you want to keep your invitation looking clean and more minimal. You could go totally the other way and include a mini map of the location if it is particularly difficult to find. It totally depends on the aesthetic of the wedding invitations themselves. And, of course, whether or not you think guests might have difficulty in finding the location.
The location of the reception (if different to the ceremony)
The same applies here to the location of the ceremony.
The date and time
Be sure here to write the correct times for guests only invited to evening receptions. Otherwise, it could make for an awkward scene if they turn up to the ceremony and there is no space for them to sit or eat!
RSVP information
Include a way for guests to respond to the invitation, with a date for the final cut-off (usually scheduled to be around 4 weeks before the date of the wedding, but can be earlier if you are planning something like a destination wedding abroad. This can be done in the form of an RSVP card included with the invitation itself, where the address it needs to be mailed back to (traditionally the address of the bride’s parents), or simply an address to which the guest can post their own RSVP, an email address, or phone number.
Optional Information
Dress code
If you are planning to have a dress code for your wedding, the invitation is the best place to inform your guests, as this way they will have plenty of time to find a suitable outfit for the occasion.
Wedding website
It is becoming increasingly popular for couples to have a wedding website made up which offers extra information about how the couple met, for example, testimonials from close friends/family, and photos of the couple. It can also include all the essential details about the wedding, as listed above. If you decide to create one of these, it is a nice idea to add a link to it on the invitation so that guests can also check it out.
Gift list details
Many couples these days will have lived together for some time before deciding to get married. If this is you, you may have acquired many of the traditional home items that would have been gifted to you in the past. For this or other reasons, you may decide to make some kind of online gift list of items you would be grateful to receive. The wedding invitation is a good place to include where to find this information, so guests can be sure to buy something that you really want.
Good luck writing your wedding invitation!
And that’s it! Aside from the essentials you can include whatever information you like, remember it is your wedding, your day, and you can (and should) celebrate in exactly the way you want to!
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