Appleberry Ink
WEDDING INVITATION WORDING
Etiquette & Wording Formats
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There are rules for wedding invitation wording, many of which I was not aware of when I got married.
Here are questions you need to answer before writing your text:

• Who’s hosting (paying) for the wedding?
• This will determine the layout and wording, see examples below for formats.
• The formats include:
• Couple hosting it themselves
• Couple and both parents hosting together
• Both parents hosting
• Brides parents hosting
• Groom’s parents hosting
• Within those categories are options for those with multiple sets of parents.

• Is it a formal or casual affair?
• Formal – write names in full, including middle names. Casual may omit a middle name.
• Formal – invites spell out everything, including the hour, date, year and address (Street, Road, Avenue, etc.). Exceptions are Saint (St.) and Mount (Mt.)
• Casual – invites can include numbers (2:00 pm, 13th, 2010).
• If you’re getting married in a house of worship use “request the honour of your presence.” If it’s in a non-religious setting use, “request the pleasure of your company.”
• Formal – written in third-person. For example, “Mr. and Mrs. Robert Anderson” instead of “We.”

• What are the grammar/punctuation rules?
• ‘Two thousand ten’ doesn’t have “and” in it, it wasn’t “Nineteen and ninety” was it?
• Capitalize names, the day, month and year. The beginning of each line does not need to be capitalized.
• No punctuation is necessary, except after titles such as Mr. and Dr..

• Whose address should be the return address?
• The return address printed on the envelope flap should be the address of those hosting the event, not necessarily the bride and groom. Names are not commonly used with a formal return address. Guests who are unable to attend but wish to send a gift will use this address.

• Whose address should be on the response envelope?
• Having your name and address pre-printed on the front of the Response Card envelope is a good way to encourage your guests to respond promptly. Traditionally the hosts’ name and address should appear on the response envelope. However you may use the address that is most convenient.

• What if we don’t want people to bring children?
• It isn’t easy to tell people their kids are not invited. The easiest way is to spread it through word of mouth or your wedding website.
• If you want a more “formal” approach, here are two ways:
  1. Say “Adult Reception” on the reception card.
  2. Or on the response card put:
  Please respond on or before (Date)
  M_________________
  Number of Adults___

WORDING TEMPLATES
Hosting Categories: Couple Only, Couple & Parents Together,
Both Parents Together, Bride's Parents Only, Groom's Parents Only
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There are also formal and casual options and formats for different sets of parents.

COUPLE HOSTING

COUPLE (STANDARD)
FORMAL
Samantha Marie Anderson
and
David Jacob Johnson
request the pleasure of your company
at the celebration of their marriage
Saturday, the seventeenth of October
Two thousand ten
Two o’clock in the afternoon
Cedar Creek Park
5987 Chestnut Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Reception to follow
CASUAL
Samantha Marie Anderson
and
David Jacob Johnson
request the pleasure of your company
at the celebration of their marriage
October 17, 2010
2:00 pm
Cedar Creek Park
5987 Chestnut Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Reception to follow

COUPLE (PARENTS NAMES ADDED)
FORMAL
Samantha Marie Anderson
Daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Michael Anderson
and
David Jacob Johnson
son of Mr. & Mrs. William Johnson
request the pleasure of your company
at the celebration of their marriage
Saturday, the seventeenth of October
Two thousand ten
Two o’clock in the afternoon
Cedar Creek Park
5987 Chestnut Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Reception to follow
CASUAL
Samantha Marie Anderson
Daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Michael Anderson
and
David Jacob Johnson
son of Mr. & Mrs. William Johnson
request the pleasure of your company
at the celebration of their marriage
October 17, 2010
2:00 pm
Cedar Creek Park
5987 Chestnut Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Reception to follow

COUPLE AND PARENTS HOSTING

COUPLE AND PARENTS (STANDARD)
FORMAL
Together with their parents
Samantha Marie Anderson
and
David Jacob Johnson
request the pleasure of your company
at the celebration of their marriage
Saturday, the seventeenth of October
Two thousand ten
Two o’clock in the afternoon
Cedar Creek Park
5987 Chestnut Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Reception to follow
CASUAL
Together with their parents
Samantha Marie Anderson
and
David Jacob Johnson
request the pleasure of your company
at the celebration of their marriage
October 17, 2010
2:00 pm
Cedar Creek Park
5987 Chestnut Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Reception to follow

COUPLE AND PARENTS (OPTION 2)
FORMAL
Together with
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Anderson
and
Mr. & Mrs. William Johnson
Samantha Marie Anderson
&
David Jacob Johnson
request the pleasure of your company
at the celebration of their marriage
Saturday, the seventeenth of October
Two thousand ten
Two o’clock in the afternoon
Cedar Creek Park
5987 Chestnut Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Reception to follow
CASUAL
Together with
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Anderson
and
Mr. & Mrs. William Johnson
Samantha Marie Anderson
&
David Jacob Johnson
request the pleasure of your company
at the celebration of their marriage
October 17, 2010
2:00 pm
Cedar Creek Park
5987 Chestnut Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Reception to follow

BOTH PARENTS HOSTING

BOTH PARENTS (STANDARD)
FORMAL
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Anderson
and
Mr. & Mrs. William Johnson
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their children
Samantha Marie Anderson
&
David Jacob Johnson
Saturday, the seventeenth of October
Two thousand ten
Two o’clock in the afternoon
Cedar Creek Park
5987 Chestnut Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Reception to follow
CASUAL
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Anderson
and
Mr. & Mrs. William Johnson
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their children
Samantha Marie Anderson
&
David Jacob Johnson
October 17, 2010
2:00 pm
Cedar Creek Park
5987 Chestnut Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Reception to follow

BOTH PARENTS (4 SETS)
FORMAL
Mr. & Mrs. Roger Marshall
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Anderson
Mr. & Mrs. Johnathan Hanks
Mr. & Mrs. William Johnson
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of
Samantha Marie Anderson
&
David Jacob Johnson
Saturday, the seventeenth of October
Two thousand ten
Two o’clock in the afternoon
Cedar Creek Park
5987 Chestnut Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Reception to follow
CASUAL
Mr. & Mrs. Roger Marshall
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Anderson
Mr. & Mrs. Johnathan Hanks
Mr. & Mrs. William Johnson
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of
Samantha Marie Anderson
&
David Jacob Johnson
October 17, 2010
2:00 pm
Cedar Creek Park
5987 Chestnut Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Reception to follow

BRIDE’S PARENTS HOSTING

BRIDE’S PARENTS STANDARD
FORMAL
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Anderson
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Samantha Marie
to
David Jacob Johnson
Saturday, the seventeenth of October
Two thousand ten
Two o’clock in the afternoon
Cedar Creek Park
5987 Chestnut Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Reception to follow
CASUAL
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Anderson
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Samantha Marie
to
David Jacob Johnson
October 17, 2010
2:00 pm
Cedar Creek Park
5987 Chestnut Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Reception to follow

BRIDE’S PARENTS (2 SETS)
FORMAL
Mr. & Mrs. Roger Marshall
and
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Anderson
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Samantha Marie Anderson
to
David Jacob Johnson
son of Mr. & Mrs. William Johnson
Saturday, the seventeenth of October
Two thousand ten
Two o’clock in the afternoon
Cedar Creek Park
5987 Chestnut Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Reception to follow
CASUAL
Mr. & Mrs. Roger Marshall
and
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Anderson
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Samantha Marie Anderson
to
David Jacob Johnson
son of Mr. & Mrs. William Johnson
October 17, 2010
2:00 pm
Cedar Creek Park
5987 Chestnut Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Reception to follow

GROOM’S PARENTS HOSTING

GROOM’S PARENTS (STANDARD)
FORMAL
Mr. & Mrs. William Johnson
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of
Samantha Marie Anderson
to their son
David Jacob Johnson
Saturday, the seventeenth of October
Two thousand ten
Two o’clock in the afternoon
Cedar Creek Park
5987 Chestnut Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Reception to follow
CASUAL
Mr. & Mrs. William Johnson
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of
Samantha Marie Anderson
to their son
David Jacob Johnson
October 17, 2010
2:00 pm
Cedar Creek Park
5987 Chestnut Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Reception to follow

GROOM’S PARENTS (2 SETS)
FORMAL
Mr. & Mrs. Johnathan Hanks
and
Mr. & Mrs. William Johnson
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of
Samantha Marie Anderson
to their son
David Jacob Johnson
Saturday, the seventeenth of October
Two thousand ten
Two o’clock in the afternoon
Cedar Creek Park
5987 Chestnut Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Reception to follow
CASUAL
Mr. & Mrs. Johnathan Hanks
and
Mr. & Mrs. William Johnson
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of
Samantha Marie Anderson
to their son
David Jacob Johnson
October 17, 2010
2:00 pm
Cedar Creek Park
5987 Chestnut Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Reception to follow