Your wedding may be the biggest day of your life, and you want every detail to go as smoothly as possible. This is true whether you are ordering your cake and flowers, or choosing the wedding invitation wording. While the idea of selecting wedding invitation wording may be somewhat intimidating, the good news is that there are basic guidelines you can follow no matter what style service you are planning.

You can find examples of wedding invitation wording for a ceremony at the beach or a traditional church service. There are also samples for any type of family situation including second marriages, ceremonies that incorporate the children or divorced families. We have the tips you need to ensure that your wedding invitations are the perfect beginning to your perfect day.

Traditional Wording

In the classic wedding invitation wording, the bride's parents are listed first as the hosts of this special day. Usually the invitation will say the parents "request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their daughter". After the daughter's name, the groom's name and his parents will be listed.

The rest of the wedding invitation wording will include where and when the ceremony will be held. Information like date, time and address should be spelled out instead of using common abbreviations. This basic formula can be adjusted for different situations, such as when the groom's parents host the wedding or the bride and groom throw the party themselves.

Wording for an Informal Ceremony

While a church wedding will "request the honor of your presence, and informal ceremony will often "request the pleasure of your company" instead. The rest of the wedding invitation wording can follow the guidelines above, unless special instructions need to be included because of the venue where the ceremony will take place. By the mere wording of the invitation, guests will know that the day will not be a formal occasion, and will be able to plan and dress accordingly.

Wedding Reception Invitation Wording

If the wedding reception will take place at the same location as the ceremony, you can simply add a line at the bottom of your wedding invitation indicating that the reception will follow.

However, if your reception will be at a different venue, you will probably want to use a separate card with wedding reception invitation wording that will give the details of where the party will take place. A response card can also be included so that your guests can RSVP and you can get an accurate head count for your celebration.

Wedding invitation wording follows a certain formula, taking a lot of the guesswork out of how to create your invitations. Within the basic framework, there is plenty of room for creativity, so don't be afraid to put your own personal touch on your invitations.