Your wedding invitation is the first impression your guests will have of your event. The invitation also communicates the specific details surrounding your special day such as location, date, time. The wording used on your invitation sets the tone for the type of affair your event will be and gives your guests a glimpse of the mood of your event – is it formal, informal, religious, etc.
In today’s modern times, it is becoming more acceptable to forego some of the traditional, “proper” ways of the past. Although there is still a need for traditional wording there is also a need for guidance when it comes to the “non-traditional” situations or family structures. For instance there are now ways to properly indicate certain social situations such as divorced parents of the bride, second marriages, weddings hosted by the bride and groom, the list goes on and on. There are now common wording options to fit these specific and commonly used instances.
Examples:
Traditional/Formal
Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Jack Weller
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Grace Francis
to
Mr. Jonathan Cole Mulvey
Saturday, the fifteenth of February
Two thousand and ten
at three o’clock in the afternoon
St. Mary’s Cathedral
Arlington Heights , Illinois
Hosted by both sets of parents
Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Jack Weller
and
Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Edward Mulvey
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their children
Grace Francis
and
Jonathan Cole
Saturday, the fifteenth of February
Two thousand and ten
at three o’clock in the afternoon
St. Mary’s Cathedral
Arlington Heights , Illinois
Bride & Groom Hosting
The honour of your presence is requested
at the marriage of
Grace Francis Weller
and
Jonathan Cole Mulvey
Saturday, the fifteenth of February
Two thousand and ten
at three o’clock in the afternoon
St. Mary’s Cathedral
Arlington Heights, Illinois
Private Ceremony/Formal Invitation
Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Jack Weller
request the pleasure of your company
at a Wedding Reception for their daughter
Grace Francis
to
Jonathan Cole Mulvey
Saturday, the fifteenth of February
Two thousand and ten
at three o’clock in the afternoon
St. Mary’s Cathedral
Arlington Heights , Illinois
Corner copy: Couple plans to wed in a private ceremony
Divorced Bride
Grace Francis Smith
and
Jonathan Cole Mulvey
request the honour of your presence
at their marriage
Saturday, the fifteenth of February
Two thousand and ten
at three o’clock in the afternoon
St. Mary’s Cathedral
Arlington Heights , Illinois
Widowed Parent
Bride’s mother deceased
Mr. Aaron Jack Weller
requests the honour of your presence
at the marriage of his daughter
Grace Francis
to
Mr. Jonathan Cole Mulvey
Saturday, the fifteenth of February
Two thousand and ten
at three o’clock in the afternoon
St. Mary’s Cathedral
Arlington Heights , Illinois
