Wedding Invitation Wording Generator
Generate elegant invitation wording for your wedding. Choose formality level and ceremony type, then customise with your details for three wording options.
Wedding Invitation Configuration
How to Word a Wedding Invitation Without Causing a Family Row
Wedding invitation wording is one of the few places in modern life where the rules still genuinely matter, because the wording signals who is hosting (and therefore paying), how formal the day will be, and whose names get top billing. The Wedding Invitation Wording Generator gives you three options at the formality level you choose, so you can compare a 'Mr and Mrs Smith request the pleasure of your company' opener against a 'Sarah and Tom invite you to celebrate' opener side by side.
Traditionally the bride's parents host and are named first; modern weddings name the couple themselves as hosts, particularly when the couple is paying or when both sets of parents contribute. The generator handles divorced or remarried parents (each parent listed on a separate line), single-parent families, and same-sex couples without forcing you into outdated phrasing.
Wording by Formality Level
| Formality | Opener | Style | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very formal | request the honour of your presence | Religious ceremony, full names, year written out | Cathedral, large family wedding |
| Formal | request the pleasure of your company | First and last names, traditional phrasing | Most UK weddings |
| Casual | would love you to join us | First names, conversational tone | Garden, barn, intimate weddings |
| Modern | are getting married and want you there | Casual, sometimes humorous, includes hashtag | City weddings, second marriages |
What to Include Beyond the Names
Date, time, venue and dress code are the essentials. Spell the date out for very formal invites ('Saturday, the fifteenth of June, two thousand and twenty-six'); use numerals for everything else. Include the dress code only if it's stricter than 'wedding guest standard' (white tie, black tie, morning dress, no white). For RSVPs, give a clear deadline (six weeks before the wedding is the standard) and a reply method (return card, email, or RSVP website).
Pair this with the [Wedding Hashtag Generator](/wedding-hashtag-generator) for a custom social tag, and the [Wedding Timeline Builder](/wedding-timeline-builder) to make sure the ceremony time you print on the invite still works once you've allowed for travel buffers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Whose names go first on the invitation?
Traditionally the bride's name goes before the groom's, and the bride's parents are listed first as hosts. Modern weddings list whoever is paying or both names alphabetically. For same-sex couples, alphabetical order is the simplest convention. There's no rule that requires the bride's family to host any more, and many couples find naming themselves as hosts feels right for the way they're funding the day.
How do I word an invitation if my parents are divorced?
Each parent gets their own line, in the order: bride's mother, bride's father, groom's mother, groom's father. If a parent has remarried and the stepparent is hosting too, include them on the same line ('Mr and Mrs Robert Smith'). If a parent has remarried but isn't hosting financially, you can still list them separately as a courtesy.
What's the difference between 'honour' and 'pleasure'?
'Request the honour of your presence' indicates a religious ceremony in a place of worship. 'Request the pleasure of your company' indicates a civil ceremony or non-religious venue. The distinction is genuinely observed by traditional wedding stationery firms even now, so getting it right signals you've thought about the formality.
Should I put 'No children' on the invitation?
No, it reads harshly. Address the envelope only to the parents (not 'and family'), include 'an adult-only celebration' on a separate Information card, or put 'we have reserved x seats in your honour' on the RSVP card. The message gets through without anyone feeling slighted.
How early should invitations go out?
Save-the-dates: 6 to 9 months before. Formal invitations: 2 to 3 months before, with RSVPs requested 4 to 6 weeks before the wedding. Destination weddings: send formal invites 3 to 4 months out so guests can book travel and time off.
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