Wedding invitation wording: examples for every kind of wedding

The wording is the first thing a guest reads, and it sets the tone for the whole day. A black-tie wedding in a cathedral and a barn party with a hog roast call for very different invitations, and there's no single right way to write yours. Below are examples for the most common situations. Borrow them, mix them and change the words until they sound like you.

The basic shape

Almost every wedding invitation follows the same order: who is inviting, the request itself, the two of you, the date and time, and the place. Keep to that order and the details will read naturally, whatever style you choose.

When the bride's parents are hosting

This is the traditional British wording, and it's still a lovely choice for a formal wedding:

Mr and Mrs David Harris request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter Emily to Mr Jack Thompson, on Saturday 12th June 2027 at 2 o'clock, at St Mary's Church, Ludlow, and afterwards at Oakly Park.

In the UK, "request the pleasure of your company" is the usual phrase for both church and civil weddings. If the parents are divorced or have remarried, they can each be named on their own line, for example "Mrs Sarah Harris and Mr David Harris".

When both families are hosting

Together with their families, Emily Harris and Jack Thompson request the pleasure of your company at their wedding, on Saturday 12th June 2027 at 2pm, at Oakly Park, Ludlow.

"Together with their families" is a graceful way to include everyone without listing four or more names, and it works whether or not anyone is contributing to the cost.

When you're hosting yourselves

Emily Harris and Jack Thompson would love you to join them as they celebrate their marriage, on Saturday 12th June 2027 at 2pm, at Oakly Park, Ludlow.

This is now the most common wording for couples paying for their own wedding. It's warm without being casual, and it suits almost any venue.

Relaxed and informal

For a garden party, a festival-style wedding or anything with picnic blankets, you can afford to be playful:

• We're getting married! Come and celebrate with Emily and Jack on Saturday 12th June 2027, from 2pm at Oakly Park, Ludlow.
• Emily and Jack are tying the knot, and it wouldn't be a party without you.
• Food, drink and dancing to follow. Please bring your best moves.

A small wedding followed by a bigger party

If you're marrying with just a few people present and celebrating with everyone later, say so clearly so nobody feels they've missed the ceremony:

Emily and Jack were married in a small ceremony in May, and would love you to celebrate with them at a party on Saturday 12th June 2027 from 6pm, at The Boathouse, Henley.

Evening invitations

Evening guests are a very British tradition, and they deserve wording of their own that makes clear when to arrive. We've written a separate guide to evening wedding invitation wording, with examples.

Wording for children

The kindest approach is to say it plainly and warmly, and to say it on the invitation rather than leaving guests to work it out from the names:

• We love your little ones, but our wedding will be an adults-only celebration.
• We hope you'll enjoy a night off! Our wedding is for adults only.
• Children are very welcome. Please include them in your reply so we can plan for them.
• Due to limited space, we're only able to invite children of close family.

Whatever you decide, address each invitation to exactly the people invited. On a digital invitation, guests see only their own names when they reply, which removes a lot of awkwardness.

Wording for plus-ones

If someone may bring a guest, address the invitation to "Sophie Turner and guest" or say "You're very welcome to bring a guest. Please let us know their name when you reply." If plus-ones aren't possible, there's no need to say so on every invitation. Simply invite people by name, and be ready with a kind answer if anyone asks.

Wording for gifts

Gift wording is traditionally left off the main invitation and included separately. On a digital invitation it can sit in its own section further down, which keeps the opening clean:

• Your company is the best present we could ask for. If you'd like to give a gift, we have a small list at John Lewis.
• We're lucky to have everything we need for our home, so if you'd like to give a gift, a contribution towards our honeymoon would be wonderful.
• Having you there is gift enough. Please don't feel you need to bring anything.

Dates and times

On formal invitations, dates and times are often written out in full: "Saturday the twelfth of June, two thousand and twenty-seven, at two o'clock". It looks elegant but is harder to read at a glance, so most couples now use "Saturday 12th June 2027 at 2pm". Whichever you choose, give the ceremony start time, not the time you'd like people to arrive, and mention it if guests should be seated earlier.

Finishing touches

• Read it aloud. If it sounds stiff when spoken, it'll read stiffly too.
• Check every name, date and postcode twice, then ask someone else to check them.
• Keep the invitation itself short and put practical details in their own sections.
• Match the tone to the day. If the wedding is relaxed, the invitation can be too.

One advantage of a digital invitation is that a mistake is easy to put right. Change it once and every guest sees the corrected version at the same link.