Your wedding invitations are one of the first things your guests will see during the wedding planning process. The way you design the wedding invitations reflects your personal style and expresses the overall mood of the wedding event. It should also give your guests a glimpse into your wedding theme and style.
Along with that, it is also essential to provide guests with detailed information about your wedding in the text on your invitations. This includes finding out who’s getting married, when the ceremony will take place, and where it’s going to take place.
You may think there are many complicated rules, but they actually aren’t that complicated at all. In fact, wedding invitation etiquette is quite straightforward. Here’s a handy guide that covers what to include on your wedding invitation, as well as some useful tips and things you may have missed.
What to include on your wedding invitation
To make things as easy as possible, it is crucial to make the “who, when, where, and why” details of your wedding very clear and easy to read. To make things as easy as possible, we are breaking down what each line means and what elements should include in your wedding invitations.
Greetings and invitation message
The opening wording of your wedding invitation can be written in a variety of ways. Your approach should be based on what suits you as a couple, rather than what is right or wrong. Here are some examples of opening wording for wedding invitations:
- Hi _____, the honor of your presence is requested at the marriage of _____
- _____ invite you to celebrate the marriage of their children _____
- Together with their parents you are cordially invited to celebrate the marriage of _____
- _____ joyfully request the pleasure of your company as we exchange vows
- You are cordially invited to celebrate the marriage of _____
- We invite you to share in our joy and request your presence at the wedding of _____
Guest Unique QR code
Get your guests a unique QR code to show sincereness for inviting them to your wedding. Wedding guests just simply present their guest QR code as an invitation for helpers to scan QR code check-in with Thebigdays wedding guest management. Fast and easy way to help your wedding guests find their seat and speed up the check-in process by scanning special guest QR codes.
All guests’ data will be updated and reflected automatically on guest QR code even though it has been sent to guests. So you can have a peace of mind and don’t have to worry about all the last minute changes.
The Names of the Couple
When listing the names of the couple in wedding invitations, the bride’s name typically goes first, followed by the groom’s name. Most commonly, the bride’s first and middle names are used while the groom’s first and last names are used. Of course, it comes down to personal preference ultimately. You can display your names in a different way depending on whether you want formal or casual invitations.
The Date and Time
For formal weddings, the date and time should be spelled out in full. For instance, if your ceremony is on 24 September 2023, the wording should read, “Saturday, the twenty-fourth of September, two thousand twenty-three.” Numerals are often used on informal weddings. It is important to keep the date and time format clear and accurate, you should avoid using font types that might make confusions on the figures.
The Location
Write the full name and address of your wedding venue, including the state and zip code, in as much detail as possible. Including the country will be helpful if your wedding is taking place abroad. With all that in mind, being specific about the location information of the wedding ceremony will help guests to avoid getting lost. With Thebigdays wedding planning, you can select the wedding ceremony location on Google Map, it will show on the guest page and start navigation right away when guests click on it.
Reception Information
Finally, it would be helpful if guests knew what to expect for the wedding ceremony by informing them of the itinerary. This is a good place to spell out whether the event includes a cocktail hour, dancing, and dinner.
Including details about parking fees and walking distances to the venue in your invitation is a good idea if the venue has limited parking and nearby parking is available.
Sample 1 Formal wording with couple hosting
The honor of your presence is requested at the marriage of
Faiza & Nadya
Saturday, the twenty-fourth of September, two thousand twenty-three.
at half after six o’clock in the evening
Sample 2 Formal wording with parent hosting
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Smith
request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their son
Amelia Bell to Christopher Norman
Saturday, the twenty-fourth of September, two thousand twenty-three.
at half after six o’clock in the evening
Sample 3 Casual wording with couple hosting
Ryan Leong & Olivia Chan
invite you to share in their joy at their wedding
24 September 2023, Saturday at 6:30pm
Sample 4 Casual wording with parent hosting
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Sebastian
invite you to share in their joy at the marriage of their son
Eric James to Felicia Marie
24 September 2023, Saturday at 6:30pm
Tips for Wedding Invitation Etiquette
Keep in mind, it is important that your guests have all the necessary information to attend your wedding. But overloading your invites with text can actually lead to your guests missing out on important details.
What is the best time to send out wedding invitations?
Wedding invitations are typically sent 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding date, according to etiquette experts. Give guests plenty of time to make travel arrangements if they don’t live in town. If the ceremony is at a destination, give guests more time and send them out 3 months in advance.
Do you write guests’ full names on the wedding invitations?
In accordance with proper wedding invitation etiquette, it is appropriate to spell their names out in full (title, first name, and last name). Avoid using nicknames or initials and use appropriate social titles such as “Mr. and Mrs.” or “Mr. and Mr.” when addressing married couples.
Should I use online wedding invitations?
Using a website to design your wedding invitations is currently one of the most popular methods for sending out wedding invitations. With Thebigdays wedding planning, you can create a beautiful and personalized Guest Landing Page. The Guest QR Code Landing Page makes it easy for you to select a preferred theme, customize wedding details and enable specific guest info on the landing page.
Generate and send unique guest QR codes to wedding guests via your social media. Wedding guests just simply present their guest QR code as an invitation for helpers to scan QR code check in with Thebigdays wedding planning. It lets you be more flexible and allows you to easily control guest check-in.
