If you’re just starting your research you’ll quickly discover just how many etiquette rules there are there are to writing wedding invitations. Don’t worry. We have all of the wedding invitation examples you need to send those invites out with confidence and know how to word your wedding invitations.
Read on for tips on how to make sure that your wedding invitations contain all of the critical information you’ll need in the right format and in a way that complements your theme.
Step 1: Get the names right.
At first glance it may seems simple to put a few names on your wedding invitation text. That used to be the case, but with today’s modern mixed families the rules can be cumbersome to follow. Here’s how to write a wedding invitation and nail the names.
From Bride’s Parents:
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas James Anderson
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Sarah Thompson
to
Robert Alexander Almenar
From Divorced Parents:
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas James Anderson
and
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Thomas Olsen
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Sarah Thompson
to
Robert Alexander Almenar
son of
Mr. and Mrs. Michael David McKinnon
From Couple:
Together with their families
Sarah Thompson
and
Robert Alexander Almenar
invite you to share in the joy
and celebration of their marriage
Traditionally, formal invitation wording would come from the bride’s parents as it was considered their event. But, society has changed quite a bit since then and wedding invitations are meant to make the recipient feel special. If you feel that traditional rules will hurt a few feelings, feel free to change the rules.
Step 2: Include the Coordinates
Critical wedding invitation wording include the date of the event and the exact location. This seems like a no-brainer, but couples often overlook the inclusion of the name of the location as well as including the reception venue.
Here are 2 things to keep in mind:
1. Instead of writing an informal date, write the full length version.
Wrong: August 20, 2019. 11:00am
Right: Saturday, the Twentieth of August. Two Thousand and Nineteen at Eleven O’Clock A.M.
2. Include the full written address of the ceremony as well as its name. If the reception is at a secondary venue, do the same.
Wrong: 1234 Main Street, Chicago Illinois
Right: Wedding Gardens Chapel, 1234 Main St. Chicago Illinois. Reception to follow at Six O’Clock at Elegant Banquet Hall, 431 Lake Road, Chicago Illinois
If both the ceremony and reception are at the same location it’s perfectly acceptable to write “dinner and dancing to follow” or something similar just after the location details. Usually it’s fairly obvious, but if you feel it necessary to specify the time of day choose “in the afternoon” or “in the evening” as opposed to AM or PM.
Step 3: Time To Design:
Clarity is priority #1 when it comes to wording for wedding invitations. This is why we write out numbers in long form, and this is why we specify locations and times. It avoids confusion.
Simple wedding invitation wording with specific details are the only necessary elements. If you like, you can simply choose a nice font and card stock and call it a day. But very likely you’ve already chosen a theme for your wedding. If you haven’t, perhaps you should step back and get to that first.
Your wedding invitation is your guest’s first interaction with your marriage, and they really set the tone. It would be unusual to receive a fantastically formal wedding invitation only to arrive at a rustic barn wedding.
When designing, your wedding invitation format should prioritize text over creativity. Do not include so many visuals and colors that the text becomes illegible. Do, however, include colors from your wedding theme or swirling borders to match your art deco or boho theme.
Fonts also play an important role in setting the theme and tone of your invitation. If you’re a DIY bride or groom, and making your own invitation, make sure to check out Creative Fabrica. It’s a marketplace that offers all kinds of design assets, including many free fonts, such as gorgeous script and handwritten fonts, perfect for your wedding invitation.
The main rule of thumb, unless your theme is intentionally atypical, keep it simple and clean. The only additional – and optional – component would be wedding invitation sayings such as a poem or bible verse. If this is something that you have your heart set on, you likely already have something in mind and don’t need an example.
There are many answers when it comes to how to word your wedding invitations. The key is to let your theme be your guide. If you’ve chosen traditional, then the above mentioned formality is highly recommended. If it’s anything else, as long as you are including the critical information we mentioned in a way that’s impossible for your guests to confuse, feel free to get as creative as you want!
collaborative post
