etiquette

GUIDE

Pinkies Up!

Your wedding paper shouldn’t just LOOK like it came from royalty, but it should sound like it too. If there’s ever a time in life where proper etiquette still reigns supreme, it’s in the world of wedding paper! 

Here’s a guide to frequently Asked Questions regarding the ins-and-outs of invitation wording. We’ll help you make sure to cross all the right T’s and dot all the right I’s for the perfect first impression.

Formal Wedding Invitation Wording

As much as we love tradition, some rules are meant to be broken! This guide shares examples that are a strong guide to start from and tweak as you best see fit. Your day, your rules!

Names and Spelling

  • A wedding invitation is issued by the host(s). The hosts' name(s) are spelled out and include middle names and titles. 
  • Titles such as Mr. and Mrs. are not spelled out. Doctor should be spelled out, unless the name would be too long to fit on one line. 
  • The phrase "the honour of your presence" is used when the ceremony will take place in a house of worship. Honour is spelled with a "u" in the British fashion. For other venues "the pleasure of your company" is the traditional wording. 
  • If the bride shares her parents' last name, only her first and middle name are used. 

Time and Date

  • The date is also spelled out, as is the year. Note that there is no "and": two thousand twenty-three. 
  • The day of the week and the month are capitalized; the year is not. 
  • Use the phrase "half after" when indicating time, rather than "half past" or "four-thirty." 

‍R S V P

  • "RSVP," which is an abbreviation of the French “Répondez, s’il vous plaît,” means "please respond." Each of the following usages is correct: RSVP, R.S.V.P., r.s.v.p., R.s.v.p. and "The favour of a reply is requested."
  • RSVP on its own indicates that replies should be sent to the return address on the outer envelope of the invitation. If you want replies sent to a different postal address, or to include an email address or phone number as alternative methods for sending replies, add this information below the RSVP:

Samples of Formal Wedding Wording Hosting Scenarios

Bride’s parents host the wedding and all guests are invited to the ceremony and the reception:

Doctor and Mrs. James Stuart Evans, Jr.
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Katherine Leigh
to
Mr. Brian Charles Jamison
Saturday, the twentieth of June
[two thousand fifteen]
at half after three o'clock
First Congregational Church
Spring Hill, Minnesota
and afterward at the reception
Spring Hill Golf Club
RSVP

Bride’s parents, who are divorced and remarried, host the wedding together:

Mr. and Mrs. Shelby Meachen and Mr. and Mrs. Michael Levy
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Rachel Lynn Levy
and
Doctor Michael Brandon Smithson
Saturday, the twenty-second of March
two thousand eighteen
at six o'clock
Temple Sinai Granville, Ohio

Bride’s mother and stepfather host:

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Denoyer
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of her daughter
Francine Anne Colby
to
Mr. Jonathan Baker Hamilton
Friday, the seventeenth of May
two thousand nineteen
at seven o'clock
Viansa Winery

Bride’s only living parent hosts:

Mr. [Mrs.] Arthur Watson Driscoll
requests the honour of your presence
at the marriage of his [her] daughter
Susan Patricia
to
Mr. Drew Randolph Morris
Saturday, the seventeenth of May
two thousand twenty
at two o'clock
New Haven Community Church New Haven, Georgia

Groom’s parents host:

Mr. and Mrs. Antonio Diaz
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of
Ms. [Miss] Latoya Kenisha Armond
to their son
Mr. Carlos Delapaz Diaz
Friday, the fourteenth of November
two thousand sixteen
at six o'clock
St. Thomas Cathedral Spokane, Washington

Both the bride’s and the groom’s parents host:

Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Zimmerli and Captain and Mrs. Aaron David Schwartz
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of
Cynthia Ann Zimmerli
to
Daniel Issac Schwartz
Saturday, the twenty-fifth of August
two thousand fifteen
at four o'clock
St. James Catholic Church Grand Rapids, Michigan

Bride’s parents host, and groom’s parents’ names are included:

Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Zimmerli
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Cynthia Ann
to
Mr. Daniel Issac Schwartz
son of  Captain and Mrs. Aaron David Schwartz
Saturday, the twenty-fifth of August
two thousand fifteen
at four o'clock
St. James Catholic Church Grand Rapids, Michigan

Bride and groom host:

Ms. [Miss] Andrea Jane Brigante and Mr. Robert Holden White
request the honour of your presence
at their marriage
Saturday, the tenth of July
two thousand seventeen
at half after four o'clock
First Congregational Church Richmond, Virginia
‍
OR
‍
The honour of your presence is requested
at the marriage of
Ms. [Miss] Andrea Jane Brigante
to
Mr. Robert Holden White
Saturday, the tenth of July
two thousand seventeen
at half after four o'clock
First Congregational Church Richmond, Virginia

Both families host together:

Together with their families
Ms. [Miss] Andrea Jane Brigante and Mr. Robert Holden White
request the honour of your presence
at their marriage
Saturday, the tenth of July
two thousand seventeen
at half after four o'clock
First Congregational Church Richmond, Virginia

Bride’s other family members host:

Mr. Henry Stuart Evans requests the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of his sister
Mary Ann
to
Mr. Drew Randolph Morris
Saturday, the fourth of June
two thousand nineteen
at one o'clock
The Ritz-Carlton St. Louis, Missouri
‍
OR
‍
Mr. and Mrs. Elliot Winstead
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their niece
Ms. [Miss] Mary Ann Cole
to
Mr. Drew Randolph Morris
Saturday, the fourth of June
two thousand nineteen
at one o'clock
The Ritz-Carlton St. Louis, Missouri

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