Figuring out how to word your wedding invitations and save the dates can be tricky.
And when do you send everything out and to who? Sometimes it seems like too much to figure out!
Don't worry. Leveret Paperie's Wedding Invitation Wording and Etiquette Guide is here to help.
Need help figuring out how to address your envelopes? What is the traditional way of addressing a couple on a wedding invitation? What if you want to make it a bit more modern? Never fear! Below you will find various styles for how to invite all you guests to you wedding. Just click the "How to address your envelopes" link above.
Depending on your style, Save the Dates can definitely be more casual than your wedding invitations.
Below are some options for wording and a few rules of thumb.
SAVE THE DATE RULES OF THUMB
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When to send your Save the Dates:
Your Save the Dates should be sent about 6 months before your wedding. For destination weddings or when many of your guests will be travelling to the event, it is best to send the Save the Dates out 6 - 8 months in advance.
What information to include:
There are 4 essential pieces of information to include on your save the date:
1. Your Names (last names optional)
2. The Date of your Wedding
3. The City you are getting married in
4. A mention that a "formal invitation will follow"
Usually Save the Dates also have the phrase "Save the Date" somewhere on the card itself.
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Who gets save the dates:
Anyone you plan on inviting to your wedding. You will want to include everyone who's actually invited on the address itself. So if you are okay with your friend bringing a guest go ahead and include "and guest" on your envelope.
Click here to jump to information about envelope addressing.
SAVE THE DATE WORDING IDEAS
Basic:
Save the Date
Jennifer and Luke
are getting married in Charlotte, NC
July 25, 2018
Formal Invitation to Follow
A Little More Formal:
Save the Date
of July 25, 2018
for the wedding of
Jennifer Harrington and Luke Duarte
Charlotte, North Carolina
Formal Invitation to Follow
Something Fun:
Save the Date
Jennifer and Luke
**are getting hitched/tying the knot/making it happen**
in Charlotte, North Carolina
July 25, 2018
Formal Invitation to Follow
**basically you can spice this section up with your own phrasing**
Wedding Invitations can be a bit tricky to word depending on how formal or informal you want to be, who's hosting, etc. Below you'll find examples of how to include everything you'll need for the perfect wedding invitation and also some general guidelines to follow. Worried about how to address your envelopes? Don't! We've got that covered too.
WEDDING INVITATION RULES OF THUMB
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When to send your Wedding Invitations:
Your Wedding Invitations should be sent about 2-3 months before your wedding. If it is a local event, 2 months is perfectly acceptable but if you have many travelling guests it is better to send them a little earlier.
When you should request your RSVPs by:
Generally RSVPs are needed for a final headcount by the venue 1 month prior to your wedding date. You will want to include an RSVP by date in your invitations and it may be good to have a little bit of buffer time in there to make sure those last minute guests have time to get theirs in. You will inevitibly have a few friends or family members who forget to RSVP. It is okay to give them a gentle email reminder or phone call if you're running up to your venue's headcount deadline.
What information to include on your invitations:
There are 6 essential pieces of information to include on your wedding invitations:
1. Your Full Names
2. The Date of your wedding
3. The Location of your wedding
4. The exact time your ceremony will begin
5. Information on when and where the reception will be (especially if at a different venue)
6. A card or information about how your guests should RSVP
Below is some optional information that you might want to consider:
1. An insert card that has travel, accommodation and other pertinent information
2. Your wedding website
3. Meal selections - depending on your event you may want guests to pick their meal choice when they RSVP.
4. If you do not want to receive gifts or have a honeymoon fund you prefer to have guests give to, you will want to include that on a separate card.
5. If your event will be for adults only it is important to put a note on the invitation that indicates that.
Who to send your invitations to:
Anyone you plan on inviting to your wedding. You will want to include everyone who's actually invited on the address itself. So if you are okay with your friend bringing a guest go ahead and include "and guest" on your envelope.
​
Click here to jump to information about envelope addressing.
WEDDING INVITATION WORDING IDEAS
Informal with Families Hosting:
Along with their families
Jennifer Harrington
and Luke Duarte
joyfully invite you to celebrate with them as they join their lives in marriage
Saturday, July twenty-eighth, two-thousand-eighteen
at six o'clock in the evening
The Ballantyne Hotel and Lodge
10000 Ballantyne Commons Parkway • Charlotte, North Carolina
Dinner and dancing to follow
Informal with Bride and Groom Hosting:
It is with great joy that
Jennifer Harrington
and Luke Duarte
invite you to celebrate with them as they join their lives in marriage
Saturday, July twenty-eighth, two-thousand-eighteen
at six o'clock in the evening
The Ballantyne Hotel and Lodge
10000 Ballantyne Commons Parkway • Charlotte, North Carolina
Dinner and dancing to follow
Traditional Wording with Bride's Parents Hosting:
Mr. and Mrs. David Harrington request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Jennifer Elizabeth to
Luke Alexandar Duarte
Saturday the twenty-eighth of July, two-thousand-eighteen
at six o'clock in the evening
The Ballantyne Hotel and Lodge
10000 Ballantyne Commons Parkway • Charlotte, North Carolina
Reception to follow
Traditional Wording with Both Parents Hosting:
Mr. and Mrs. David Harrington request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Jennifer Elizabeth to
Luke Alexandar Duarte
son of Mr. and Mrs. John Duarte
Saturday the twenty-eighth of July, two-thousand-eighteen
at six o'clock in the evening
The Ballantyne Hotel and Lodge
10000 Ballantyne Commons Parkway • Charlotte, North Carolina
Reception to follow
Casual Wording with Bride's Parents Hosting:
Mr. and Mrs. David Harrington invite you to celebrate
the marriage of their daugther
Jennifer Elizabeth to
Luke Alexandar Duarte
Saturday the twenty-eighth of July, two-thousand-eighteen
at six o'clock in the evening
The Ballantyne Hotel and Lodge
10000 Ballantyne Commons Parkway • Charlotte, North Carolina
Drinks, Dinner and Merriment to Follow
Casual Wording with Both Parents Hosting:
Mr. and Mrs. David Harrington invite you to celebrate
the marriage of their daugther
Jennifer Elizabeth to
Luke Alexandar Duarte
son of Mr. and Mrs. John Duarte
Saturday the twenty-eighth of July, two-thousand-eighteen
at six o'clock in the evening
The Ballantyne Hotel and Lodge
10000 Ballantyne Commons Parkway • Charlotte, North Carolina
Drinks, Dinner and Merriment to Follow
Wording options for Unmarried Parents Hosting:
Mr. David Harrington and Mrs. Eliza Sanders
joyfully invite you to the marriage of their daugther
Jennifer Elizabeth to
Luke Alexandar Duarte
Son of Mr. John Duarte and Ms. Deborah Lind
Saturday the twenty-eighth of July, two-thousand-eighteen
at six o'clock in the evening
The Ballantyne Hotel and Lodge
10000 Ballantyne Commons Parkway • Charlotte, North Carolina
Drinks, Dinner and Merriment to Follow
***Please Note: These are some great examples of how you can word your invitation. Of course, you can change up the words and mix and match styles as much as you like. This is your wedding, so you get to choose what the wording of your invitations will say.
If you are having a more formal event, the traditional wording is the most commonly accepted wording.
REPLY CARD WORDING IDEAS
Kindly Reply by June 25th
M_____________________________________
___ Can't wait to be there
___ Will celebrate from afar
Please initial your meal choice(s):
___Chicken ___Steak ___Vegetarian
RSVP
_____________________________________
(names)
___ Accepts with pleasure
___ Regretfully declines
Kindly reply by June 25th
Other Yes/No Reply options:
Excited to be there/Will be there in spirit
Dancing shoes packed!/Sadly, can't make it
Wouldn't miss it!/Sad to not make it
Will be there/Can't make it
Whether you go the formal or informal route, you need to include each person you want to invite on your envelopes.
WAYS TO ADDRESS YOUR ENVELOPES
Married couple traditional:
Mr. and Mrs. Logan Hunt
223 Round Rock Way
Charlotte, North Carolina 28810
Married couple modern:
Mr. & Mrs. Logan and Sandy Hunt
223 Round Rock Way
Charlotte, North Carolina 28810
Two Married Doctors:
Doctors Logan and Sandy Hunt
223 Round Rock Way
Charlotte, North Carolina 28810
Married couple with two last names:
Mr. Logan Hunt and Mrs. Sandy Lewis
223 Round Rock Way
Charlotte, North Carolina 28810
​
Married same sex couple (same last name):
Mr. and Mr. David and Mark Lindley
223 Round Rock Way
Charlotte, North Carolina 28810
​
Married same sex couple with two last names:
Ms. Leigh Peters and Ms. Darcy Ward
223 Round Rock Way
Charlotte, North Carolina 28810
Note: Keep names all on one line for a married couple.
You can put either name first, but if you can't decide then do it alphabetically.
Single Person:
Ms. Dina Landon
152 Leawood Court
Apartment 23A
Charlotte, North Carolina 28802
Person with Guest (unknown name):
Ms. Dina Landon and Guest
152 Leawood Court
Apartment 23A
Charlotte, North Carolina 28802
Person with Guest (specific person):
Ms. Dina Landon and Mr. Preston Cooper
152 Leawood Court
Apartment 23A
Charlotte, North Carolina 28802
Family with Children's Names Included:
Mr. and Mrs. Logan Hunt
Daniel, Miss Madison and Miss Grace-Ann
223 Round Rock Way
Charlotte, North Carolina 28810
Family Option 1 (more traditional):
Mr. and Mrs. Logan Hunt and Family
223 Round Rock Way
Charlotte, North Carolina 28810
Family Option 2 (more modern):
The Hunt Family
223 Round Rock Way
Charlotte, North Carolina 28810
Other Potential Titles:
The Honorable Logan and Mrs. Sandy Hunt
Captain Logan Hunt, U.S. Navy and Judge Sandy Hunt
Lieutenant Logan Hunt and Doctor Sandy Hunt
