Wedding invitation wording examples and invitation etiquette for your big day

Summary/Overview

Levels

Planning weddings can be incredibly stressful. Take some of that concern off your own plate with this handy guide to how to word your wedding invites, and what kind of etiquette to pay attention to while making them, along with beautiful and customizable templates you can use for your own wedding invitations samples!

What to include on your wedding invitations?

A request for attendance

Example: With great excitement, we invite you to share this special day with us!

The couple’s names

Example: Ruby Johanna Milstein and Dean Chani Crawford

The hosts’ names

Example: Mr. and Mrs. Crawford

Venue location

Example: The Windermere Manor and Estates

Time and date

Example: November 25, 4:30 p.m.

Reception details

Example: Reception to follow.

RSVP information

Example: Please respond by November 12 at ...!

Preferred dress code

Example: Black tie formal wear required.

How to word wedding invitations

Depending on what style of wedding you'll be having, the unique wedding invitation wording you choose may change. Will your wedding have a taco truck and a photobooth? Maybe a more casual or playful tone makes sense for you. Do you plan on getting married at a large country estate with fairy lights on every archway? Then a formal wedding invitation style may be more for you.

Wording and examples for casual wedding invitations

Play around with these examples of more casual and less traditional language for your wedding invitations.

Casual wedding invitation wording example 1:

Sammie Miller and Katrina Hefner

invite you to their wedding

at their house

on June 2, 2023

at 1:30 p.m.

Karaoke and tacos to follow.

Dress in your beachy best.

Casual wedding invitation wording example Example 2:

Together with their families

Sammie Miller and Katrina Hefner

Ecstatically invite you to their wedding

On June 2, 2023 at 1:30 p.m.

Ceremony and after-party will be held at

The Hillman City Community Center.

For more info, please visit www.millerhefner.site.com

Casual wedding invitation wording example Example 3:

Please join us in celebrating

The joyous union of

Sammie Miller and Katrina Hefner!

June 2, 2023

1:30 p.m.

The Kimpton-Coral Gates

Pasadena, CA

Party attire please!

Tasks

invitation

Topics

announcement, announcement AND classy, doodle, branch AND typography, gray, illustrated AND watercolour, plants, wreath

Template IDs

(To pull in manually curated templates if needed)

Orientation

(Horizontal/Vertical)

Vertical

Width

(Full, Std, sixcols)

sixcols

Limit

(number of templates to load each pagination. Min. 5)

Behaviors

(still/multiple-pages/video/animated)

animated, still, multiple-pages, video

Sort

Wording and examples for formal wedding invitations

If your wedding is a more formal affair, whether that’s connected to tradition or not, try out this language for formal wedding invites.

Formal wedding invitation wording example 1:

Mrs. and Mrs. Goldschadt

Invite you to join them in honoring the union of

Jessica Jane Goldschadt and Henry Horatio Cohen

Thursday, the thirteenth of May

Two thousand twenty-three

At half past six in the evening

The Westin West Hollywood

Los Angeles, California

An evening of dinner and music to follow

Black tie formalwear required

Formal wedding invitation wording example 2:

Together with Mr. and Mrs. Goldschadt

and Mr. and Mr. Cohen,

Jessica Jane Goldschadt

and

Henry Horatio Cohen

request the honor of your attendance

at the celebration of their union

Thursday, the thirteenth of May

Two thousand twenty-three

at half past six in the evening

St. Augustine Chapel

San Francisco, California

Reception will follow

Please dress in your black tie finest

Formal wedding invitation wording example 3:

Mr. and Mr. Cohen

cordially invite you to attend

the wedding of

Jessica Jane Goldschadt

Henry Horatio Cohen

Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m.

May 13, 2023

Cape Sorrento

New Haven, Connecticut

Merriment to follow

Black tie suggested

Tasks

invitation

Topics

announcement, announcement AND mediterranean, storybook, artistic AND tangerine, teal, beige AND tropical, victorian, typographic

Template IDs

(To pull in manually curated templates if needed)

Orientation

(Horizontal/Vertical)

Vertical

Width

(Full, Std, sixcols)

sixcols

Limit

(number of templates to load each pagination. Min. 5)

Behaviors

(still/multiple-pages/video/animated)

animated, still, multiple-pages, video

Sort

Wedding invitation etiquette FAQ

How do you address guests on wedding invitations?

Write out full names of guests, if following the most traditional rules. If inviting a couple, address them both. Include social titles and honorifics if that goes with the desired wedding style.

Which wedding guests get a plus-one?

Typically, wedding guests who are married, engaged, or partnered should get a plus-one, as well as all members of the wedding party. For all other guests, feel free to make your own rule, like only your family members get a plus-one, and apply it across the board.

When should wedding invitations be sent out?

Wedding invitations should be ordered at least 4-5 months before the wedding, and wedding invitations should be sent out at least 6-8 weeks prior to the wedding. If you’re hosting a destination wedding, add 1-2 months to that timeline so your guests have extra time to make travel plans.

How much time should wedding guests get to RSVP?

Let your guests know to RSVP 4-6 weeks before the wedding so you have time to make any necessary changes to catering or seating before the event.

Do I need a wedding website?

A wedding website can be helpful for posting more information, especially details that can be a little on the sensitive side, like hosting an adults-only wedding. Wedding websites are also great platforms for your bridal registry and wedding gift information, as it’s not customary to include that kind of info on your invites.

Explore more free Adobe Express customizable templates for wedding invitations

There are a million ways to make wedding invitations personal to your style and aesthetic. Whether you hire a wedding planner or have a DIY wedding, find new ways to express yourself through your invites with these free customizable wedding invitation templates through Adobe Express.