A word on wedding invites

A word on wedding invites

The overwhelming amount of organisation required to put on even the simplest of weddings is something that every modern bride is keenly aware of. The gown, the venue, the cake- not to mention dressing the bridal party and settling on a theme for flower arrangements. Interestingly however it is not until the bride and groom-to-be sit down to pen the invites that they realise that the requirements of this task are something they had not anticipated.

Getting the wording right on your wedding invites is a detail that gets the ball rolling in the right direction for your special day. The wrong spelling, awkward grammar or (heaven forbid) mistakenly inviting your divorced auntie and uncle on the same invite (even worse if they are re-married!) can taint the mood of your wedding, long before the day arrives.

If you are using the services of a professional invitation printer, they will certainly provide you with the support and inspiration you will need to ensure that your invitations are stunningly beautiful and meaningful to you both. Spelling mishaps will be less likely and the appropriate formalities such as using the correct titles for your guests (Mr or Dr?) and order of names (Mrs first or Mr first?) will be explained to you. Using simple template forms, you will usually be guided to enter the names of your guests, the tone you are wanting to achieve- formal or casual, and any other special details that are important to you as a couple.

Your unique style as a couple

It is therefore a good idea to start thinking in advance about the tone you want to set with your invites. When it comes to invites, the theme of your wedding and your unique couple style should be set by the stationery you select rather than wording.  We recommend sticking to formal language for an invite as this is the best way to convey information in a way that is easy to understand. If you are opting for quirky or unusual stationery, this will on its own set the theme, while excellent formal communication on this stationery will ensure that your guests get the information that they need to help make your day special.

Where to start?

So where to start with the wording?  A good place to start is by considering who is hosting the wedding. Is it the bride’s parents? Is it the groom’s parents? If so, then the tradition is for the invite to open with the name of the people who are paying for/hosting the event requesting the attendance of the guest ‘at the marriage of their son/daughter to (name of bride and groom)’.

When you start your invitation in this way, you will be setting a tone that is quite formal and traditional. However, it is now acceptable for the bride and groom to host their own wedding and use their own names as requesting the attendance of the guest. If you prefer a more casual tone then this is definitely the way to go.

Traditionally, the bride is always named before the groom. If adhering to etiquette is what is important to you then you will probably be taking this option. It is your special day however, and if you feel it would be more appropriate to name the groom first, by all means do what you feel is meaningful for you both.

Conveying the correct details about the ceremony is just as important as setting the right tone. Your invite will therefore also need to include the venue for the ceremony and it really is helpful to stick to formalities when presenting this part of the invite. The correct order of information is as follows:

-          The date and time of the ceremony. It is best to spell these out if you want a more formal tone and to use numerical form e.g ‘Saturday, July 21, 20012 at 3pm’ to deliver a casual mood.

-          The location of the ceremony including full address

-          Time and venue of reception

You will also be including an RSVP on your invite and it is helpful to your planning if you include an option for your guest to let you know how many people will be in their party e.g if they are coming alone or with a partner.

Guiding your guest

One final yet important point to remember when preparing your wedding invitation is to provide clear information that will help your guest choose an outfit that is appropriate to your wedding. This means explaining in polite, concise language the dress code of your event. This is usually stated as ‘black tie’ or ‘smart casual’ as decided by you. Your guests will feel that they know what is expected of them if you provide this is a brief and understated fashion.

The essence of the wording on your invite then is to communicate an official message to a guest indicating your wish to have their company at your wedding.

Final word

Our wedding invitation wording  tip is: stick with clear and concise language and express your style as a couple through the stationery you select together.