10 Wedding Invitation Wording Examples for Every Type of Bride

Wedding planning is a balance between following tradition and inserting your own personal style and taste. Wedding invitations are no exception. While certain details must be conveyed in your invite wording such as who is to be wed, time, date and location, there is still room for creativity in between.

We came up with a few wedding invitation wording examples to show how you can be sure to get all of the important points across and put a unique spin on your invite. Before you read through our classic, simple and playful options, let’s go over the basics.

The structure of the invitation is as follows:

Host: You would think the host line is pretty self-explanatory, but there has been a few changes recently in how weddings are celebrated. Now that many couples are opting to wed once they are more established, traditions are evolving. Some couples host their own wedding, which changes the invitation layout slightly. It is also increasingly common for both families and the couple to contribute to the budget. Whatever path you choose, there is a way to modify your invitation to acknowledge everyone who is contributing to the wedding.

Invitation: If you are having a religious ceremony, it is nice to alert your guests. You can do this by using particular phrasing — “The honor of your presence” signifies a religious service, while “The pleasure of your company” is used to denote a secular ceremony. If neither of these phrases appeal to you, don’t worry! You can phrase the invitation in a way that best reflects the tone of your wedding. You can choose more casual wording if you want guests to come prepared to dance and celebrate or more serious wording if you want more attention to be placed on the formal traditions.

Couple: If the couple is not already listed in the host line, add the names here so attendees know whose wedding they are being invited to. The bride is often listed first by her full maiden name, but again there is flexibility here.

Where/When: This section should not be modified as all guests need to know the time, date and location. This is really important. While every other section of the invitation has room for flexibility, we do not recommend listing the time and location in a clear and concise way.

Reception Information: Set the expectations for your guests so they are aware if they should be prepared to change locations, wear their Sunday best or bring some dancing shoes! This is your opportunity to convey what kind of reception you want to have. Is your focus on the amazing cuisine you chose for dinner, the live band that will be playing all night long or a simple celebration of love? Give your guests a hint so they can help make your evening perfect.

As we mentioned above, the wedding invitation has some formalities that must be included, but there is still plenty of room to add some flare. Below we list wording examples for the popular variations on who is hosting so you can see the subtle differences. We also broke the wedding invitation wording down by style and tone.

Classic wording is for the more traditional bride. Note that in the first example below, the invitation denotes that is will be a religious service, both by the location and because of the wording “request the honor of your presence”. The address does not have to be included if the location is known and easy to find.

For brides that prefer simplicity, check out the wording examples below. No fuss or frills, but the pertinent information is elegantly conveyed. Guests know when and where to be and have been alerted that there will be lively celebrations after the ceremony.

If the wedding is going to be a little unconventional, the invitation should be too! Feel free to incorporate funny puns, a little joke about how you met or a quip about what will be awaiting the guests at the reception. The couple should incorporate their personal style! It is their wedding, after all. Just don’t forget to include all of the important information.

Be sure to double check that all of the information is correct and include a way for your guests to RSVP. Now that the wordsmithing is done, why not get back to the registry! Check out all of our customizable wedding gifts.