Confused about how to word your formal wedding invitations? With so many different kinds of families out there, many people are, so let’s go over the basics:
Traditionally, the parents of the Bride would be the ones to issue the invitations. If the parents of the bride are issuing the invitations and are still married the wording should go something like this:
Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Danvers Stapleton
request the honour of your presence
at the wedding of their daughter
Mary Elizabeth Stapleton
and
Mr. Thomas Howard Killian III
son of Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell Roberts Killian
on Saturday, the second of June
two thousand and eight
at two o’clock
First Congregational Church
1512 Mulberry Drive
Alexandria, Virginia
If the parents of the bride are both issuing the invitations and no longer married the invitation should begin:
Mr. Phillip Danvers Stapleton
and
Mrs. Regina Wrigley Stapleton
request the honour of your presence
…
If the Bride’s natural parents are divorced and remarried, and both couples are issuing the invitations, the invitation should begin:
Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Danvers Stapleton
and
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Alexander Parker
request the honour of your presence
…
As you can see, married couples share a line, divorced ones do not. If only one parent is remarried, that parent shares their line with his or her spouse while the unmarried parent gets his or her own line. If the invitations are being issued by only one parent, it is acceptable to omit the other parent’s name from the invitation.
More and more couples are choosing to issue their own wedding invitations. When such is the case the appropriate wording is as follows:
Mary Elizabeth Stapleton
and
Thomas Howard Killian III
request the honour of your presence
at their wedding
on Saturday, the second of June
two thousand and eight
at two o’clock
First Congregational Church
1512 Mulberry Drive
Alexandria, Virginia
When wedding invitations are issued by the parents of the Groom, the wording should go as follows:
*the same rules apply for step-parents and divorced parents as were put forth for invitations issued by the parents of the Bride!
Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell Roberts Killian
request the honour of your presence
at the wedding of
Ms. Mary Elizabeth Stapleton
to their son
Thomas Howard Killian III
on Saturday, the second of June
two thousand and eight
at two o’clock
First Congregational Church
1512 Mulberry Drive
Alexandria, Virginia
When the invitations are being issued by both sets of parents, use the following wording:
Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Danvers Stapleton
and
Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell Roberts Killian
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their children
Mary Elizabeth Stapleton
and
Thomas Howard Killian III
on Saturday, the second of June
two thousand and eight
at two o’clock
First Congregational Church
1512 Mulberry Drive
Alexandria, Virginia
Things to remember about invitations:
-The names the Groom’s parents needn’t be included on the invitation if the invitations are being issued by the Bride’s parents. The opposite applies when the Groom’s parents are issuing the invitations.
-You may have noticed the spelling of the word honor is not the American English spelling. On formal invitations it is appropriate to use the British English spellings of the words honour and favour (the American English spelling may be used if you prefer).
-When it comes to middle names, it is better to omit the name all together than to use an initial. All names should be spelled out.
-If the wedding ceremony is to take place in a house of worship, the proper wording is request the honour/honor of your presence. If the ceremony is to take place in a non-religious place, the proper wording is request the pleasure of your company.
-Be sure to spell out all words including words in the address (Street, Lane, Road) and words in the date and time (two o’clock, eighth, January). There are two exceptions to this rule, in the address the words Saint (St. James Avenue) and Mount (Mt. Pleasant Place) may be abbreviated.
-Roman numerals should be used after names instead of the third or 3rd.
-Specifications about the time of the ceremony, such as in the evening or in the afternoon are not necessary when it is obvious whether the time refers to AM or PM (for example, few weddings take place at two o’clock in the morning!) For reference though, in the morning refers to any time before noon, in the afternoon refers to any time between the hours of noon and five PM, in the evening refers to any time after five.
