Believe it or not, the wording used on your wedding invitations is an important part of your wedding as a whole. There are rules of wedding invitation etiquette that should be followed, and wording that speaks to your personalities and the tone of the event. Understanding the ins and outs of wedding invitation wording will help you start your wedding out on the right foot.

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Of course you must start with a list of who you wish to invite to your special day. Understandably this list may become very large once parents on both sides begin adding names to it. Depending on how large you want your wedding to be, you will need to make your list accordingly and work from there. In terms of business acquaintances, etiquette is to invite those with whom you have a friendship on top of business relations.

When preparing lists and wedding invitations, you need to make sure you send them out early so guests have time to prepare. Wedding invitations should come from the home of the bride or her parents, even those mailed to personal friends of the groom whom do not know the bride. Mail your wedding invitations about six weeks ahead of your wedding date. For out of town guests, send out a “Save the Date” card with some resources for travel and hotel accommodations so they aren’t left wondering where to stay. Save the Date cards should be mailed 8 to 10 weeks before the wedding. Guests receiving Save the Date cards should also be sent an invitation.

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For a church wedding, the wedding invitation is worded in a more formal manner than a home wedding or destination wedding. An example of a formally worded wedding invitation is:

Mr. and Mrs. John Thomas Jones
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Jane Marie
and
Mr. Robert Thompson
Saturday, the third of May

Two thousand and nine
at six o’clock in the evening
Lutheran Church
San Diego, CA

Less formal weddings, such as those taking place at your home or the home of a friend, can be worded in a manner that is more fitting to an intimate group of friends and family. An example of wording for a home wedding is:

Mr. and Mrs. John Thomas Jones
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Jane Marie
and
Mr. Robert Thompson
On Saturday evening, May the third
at six o’clock
Thirty five South Strand Ave.

Second marriages come with their own unique wording. Since oftentimes this wedding is hosted by the bride and groom themselves, the wording will reflect that. Wording for a wedding invitation for the encore bride could be:

Jane Marie Jones

And

Robert William Thompson

Invite you to share their joy

At their wedding

Saturday, the third of May

At six o’clock

Hotel del Coronado

Coronado, California

Destination weddings are in a league of their own, and come with a myriad of invitation styles you can choose from. Wedding invitation wording for a destination can be fun and reflective of the specific destination, using words indicative of the location. For beach weddings, you could use wedding invitation wording such as:

Love makes life a paradise…
Jane Jones
and
Robert Thompson
will join hearts
in beautiful Hawaii
May 3, 2009
Paradise Cove

Kapolei, Hawaii

Wedding invitations are a personal note between you and your guests. With just a little thought and these tips, your wedding invitations can be worded just right.

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