Wedding Invitation Wording Ideas

Not sure what to write on your wedding invitation? We’ve got everything you need to fix your writer’s block. From formal and traditional to casual and fun, there are plenty of ways to make your wording reflective of your personality and wedding style. Let’s take a look at some tips and insights around wedding invitation wording.

The Basics: What to Include in Your Invitation

Traditionally, the invitation includes the host, the names of the engaged couple, the wedding date, time, location, and reception information. However, you can choose to phrase all that in a way that fits your personality.

Wedding Host Wording

These days, many couples don’t list their parents as wedding hosts, but if you’d like to go the more traditional route, that’s definitely an option. Below are a few different ways to list host information.

Most Popular:
- Together with their parents
  [Bride] + [Groom]
  request your presence at their marriage
- Together with their families
  [Bride] + [Groom]
  joyfully invite you to the celebration of their marriage
- [Bride] + [Groom]
  invite you to celebrate their marriage
Casual:
- [Bride] + [Groom] invite you to their wedding
- Join us as we celebrate our wedding day
- Kindly join us to celebrate the wedding of [Bride] + [Groom]
Formal:
- [Bride’s Parents]
  request your presence at the wedding of their daughter
  [Bride First and Middle Name] to [Groom First and Last Name]
- [Bride’s Parents] along with [Groom’s Parents]
  invite you to the wedding of their children
  [Bride First and Middle Name] and [Groom First and Last Name]

Traditional:
- [Bride’s Parents]
  request your presence at the wedding of their daughter
  [Bride First and Middle Name] to [Groom First and Last Name]

[Bride’s Parents]
request the honor of your presence at the wedding of their daughter
[Bride First and Middle Name] to [Groom First and Middle Name]
son of [Groom’s Parents]

Names of the Engaged Couple

The bride’s name should always come before the groom on all communication, but especially the save the date and invitation.

If it is a same-sex wedding, the names are most often listed in alphabetical order.

Wedding Date, Time & Location

When it comes to the details of when and where the wedding is, ceremony dates can be written out or represented numerically. AM or PM can be added to the time. For a more formal option, the phrases “in the afternoon,” “in the evening,” or “in the late morning” can be used.

Before 12 PM: “In the late morning”
12 PM - 4 PM: “In the afternoon”
5 PM or later: “In the evening”

Finally, the ceremony venue, city, and state are always listed on the invitation while the reception information is typically listed on the wedding website. Below are a few examples of different ways to list dates, times, and locations.

Most Popular:
- Saturday, June 21st, 2025
  2 pm
  St. Thomas Church
  Boston, Massachusetts
- Saturday, the 21st of June, 2025
  2 o’clock in the afternoon
  St. Thomas Church
  Boston, Massachusetts
Casual:
- June 21st, 2025
  at 2 pm
  St. Stephen’s Church
  Boston, Massachusetts
- 6/21/2025
  at 2 pm
  St. Stephen’s Church
  Boston, Massachusetts
Formal:
- Saturday, the twenty-fifth of June
  Two thousand and twenty-five
  at two o'clock in the afternoon
  St. Stephen’s Church
  Boston, Massachusetts
  Reception to follow

Additional Information to Include

Here are a few other details you can include in your invitation. Alternatively, you can point your guests to your wedding website for more information.

General information:
- “Visit our wedding website for more information.”
How long is the celebration?
- “We’re looking forward to spending the afternoon together!”
- “We’d love to see you for the evening, or the whole weekend if you can make it!”
Are there travel details & accommodation options?
- “Visit our wedding website for hotel block and travel information.”
How should they dress?
- “Attire is formal for the ceremony and reception. Suits, Dresses, and no sneakers.”
- “Dress in your best, whatever that means to you!”
Food
- “Expect snacks, a full dinner, and a big dessert buffet!”
- “Light snacks will be served, so plan accordingly.”

Wedding Invitation Wording Examples

Let’s put everything together and take a look at a few examples of what an invitation would look like based on your wedding style.

Looking for something formal?

Mr. & Mrs. Robert Smith

request the honor of your presence

at the marriage of their daughter

Alice Smith

John Wu

Saturday, the Thirteenth of September

Two Thousand Twenty-Five

at two o'clock in the afternoon

The Dean Hotel

Reception and Festivities to follow

Something a bit more casual?

Join us as we celebrate the big day of

Alice & John

September 13th, 2025 | 2pm

The Dean Hotel

Party starts at 4 pm, and we're not stopping 'til dawn!

How about something fun?

Let’s go on an adventure…

Prepare to embark on the greatest quest of all with

Alice & John

September 13th, 2025

2 pm (sharp like a well-honed sword)

The Dean Hotel

Costumes, confetti, and chaos await—all in the name of love!