Wedding invitation wording is traditional and important

Wedding invitation wording can seem like an unnecessarily traditional and stodgy old topic for young, new brides, but as any mother or mother-in-law can tell you, wedding invitation wording is an important and necessary topic to cover during any wedding planning pep talk. This is because wedding invitation wording is the first impression guests have of the wedding. The right wedding invitation wording conveys who is holding the wedding, the style and theme of the wedding, and even how the guests should dress for the wedding. The proper wedding invitation wording and wedding invitation etiquette can even keep feelings from being hurt.

Invitation wording begins with who is holding the ceremony. If you’re having the traditional ceremony in which the bride’s parents pay for everything, then the traditional wedding invitation etiquette dictates that your invitation should list the bride’s parents’ names above all else. If this is a formal wedding, your invitation wording would read something like “Mr. and Mrs. Jonathon Smith invite you to share in the marriage of their daughter…” On the other hand, if the occasion is less formal – or if the bride’s mother is a professional woman who goes by her own name – the wedding invitation wording would read “Mr. Jonathon and Ms. Regina Smith invite you to share in the marriage of their daughter…” If you and your fiancé are paying for the ceremony, proper wedding invitation etiquette allows you to instead list your own names, such as “Tiffany L. Hunt and James P. Gant invite you to share in the joyous celebration of their marriage…”

Invitation wording, of course, should always include details as to the location and time of the wedding, and if your ceremony or reception is in any way different from a standard church affair, you should include such information. For instance, including the line “Casual reception to follow” is important in invitation wording if you will be having a garden wedding with a very informal celebration afterward. If the ceremony will be adult-only, try to include invitation wording such as “Please join us for an adult reception.”