Wedding Invitation Etiquette: Part 2
In the first part of our wedding invitation series, we talked about the basics of invitation etiquette and how much we love following it. In part two of this series, we’re taking it to the next step and walking you through not only how to word your wedding invitations, but also how to address them.
Let’s start by breaking down the text that should be on your wedding invitation. There’s the host, the request, the couple, the date, the time, the location, the city and state, and the reception information. Here’s what you need to know about each:
The Host. A traditional wedding invitation that follows the rules of etiquette will start with the hosts. This can vary from wedding to wedding, depending on whether one set of parents are the host, both sets of parents are, or no sets of parents are. Parents should be listed with their full, formal names and Dr., Mr., Mrs., Ms. or whatever applies.
The Request. It’s the infamous line on any traditional wedding invitation. It’s the request of someone’s pleasure or company and there is just something about that wording that makes our heart flutter. But of course, if your wedding isn’t formal or traditional then the wording of the request can be more casual.
The Couple. Traditionally, the couples’ first names and middle names will be used. And depending on if any parents are listed, the last name may or may not be used. Basically, if a parent’s last name is already on the invitation, the child of that parent doesn’t need their last name on the invitation – unless it differs of course.
The Where and When. Again, to stick with etiquette the date, year, time, location, city and state are all spelled out, no abbreviations, no numbers. And no address for the venue, unless it’s a home that doesn’t have a venue name to it.
The Reception. If your ceremony is at a different location, you should include a totally separate insert on the reception timing and location. If it’s the same location, a simple “reception to follow” or something of the sort will do.
Here are two examples of all that wedding invitation wording put together. The first being the traditional version that would follow all of the etiquette rules, the second being a more modern twist.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter
Ella Grace
to
John Robert Jones
Saturday, the twenty-eighth of November
Two-thousand twenty-two
Five o’clock in the evening
The Country Club
Charlotte, North Carolina
Reception to follow
And the simple, modern approach.
Please join us for the wedding of
Ella Grace Smith
and
John Robert Jones
June 17th, 2021
5:00 PM
The Ranch
Dallas, TX
Dinner and dancing to follow
Once you’ve gotten the wording figured out on your invite, the next big thing will be how you word your envelope, or envelopes. Which brings us to the first point.
Most of the time now, couples opt for a single outside envelope. However, for a formal or black-tie event, inner envelopes are still a thing. Inner envelopes are also a great way to clarify exactly who is invited, especially if there are a lot of families with kids that you don’t plan to invite.
Outer Envelope. The outer envelope should include the guests’ full names, no nicknames, as well as their formal salutation. Under their names will be the mailing address with no abbreviations, except for the state. However, if you want to go totally formal and fancy, you can even spell out the state.
Inner Envelope. Using an inner envelope gives you the opportunity to address people specifically. If you’re inviting a family but not their children, this is a great area to make it clear that you are only inviting them, or vice versa. The inner envelope also gives you the chance to add “and guest” without adding it onto the front envelope.
Don’t forget, this is part two of a two-part series on invitations!
Want to learn more about weddings and invites? Check out our wedding invitations guide or see what’s included in our wedding live stream packages.
Photo credit: Samantha Laffoon Photography