The Complete Guide to Wedding Invitation Wording

Wedding invitation wording carries more weight than its word count suggests. Those few lines tell guests how formal the day will be, who is hosting, and what kind of celebration to expect, all before anyone reads a single detail. The good news is that the conventions are simpler than they look, and every variation, from cathedral-formal to backyard-casual, follows the same structure.

This guide walks through every line of a wedding invitation with formal and modern wording for each: the host line in all its family configurations, the request line, the date and time, the reception line, and the RSVP. At the end you will find three complete invitations you can borrow outright.

The words are only half of the invitation; the other half is how they arrive. Greenvelope is a digital invitation platform built for exactly this pairing: its digital wedding invitations combine customizable designs with an animated envelope reveal and built-in RSVP tracking, so the wording you settle on below arrives with the presentation it deserves.

At a Glance

• The five building blocks every wedding invitation shares, whatever its style
• Formal and modern wording side by side for the request line, date, time, and hosts
• Host line wording for every family situation: one set of parents, both families, divorced parents, honoring a deceased parent, and the couple hosting
• How to word the reception line, the RSVP, and the details guests always ask about
• Three complete, copy-ready invitation examples from black-tie formal to backyard casual

Start With the Five Building Blocks

Almost every wedding invitation, whatever its style, is built from the same five parts. Get these right and the wording falls into place.

1. The host line: whoever is inviting guests (traditionally whoever is hosting).
2. The request line: the invitation itself, such as “request the pleasure of your company.”
3. The couple’s names: the stars of the day.
4. The date, time, and place: spelled out formally or written plainly.
5. The reception line: what follows the ceremony, and where.

Formal vs. Modern Wording

The biggest decision is tone. Formal wording spells everything out and stays in the third person; modern wording is warmer and can use numerals and first names.

The Request Line: Honour, Pleasure, or Something Warmer

One old convention is still worth knowing. “Request the honour of your presence” (traditionally with the British spelling) signals a ceremony in a house of worship, while “request the pleasure of your company” is the formal choice for a secular venue. Neither is required, but if you use one, use the right one; the guests who know the difference will notice.

Beyond those two, the request line is yours to soften as far as the day calls for: “invite you to celebrate their marriage,” “would love for you to join them,” or simply “are getting married, and you are invited.” The only rule is that the register should match the rest of the invitation.

Who Hosts? Handling the Host Line

The host line has loosened up a lot, and there is no longer a single “correct” version. Pick the one that reflects who is celebrating and, if relevant, who is contributing.

• One set of parents hosting: “Mr. and Mrs. James Rivera request the honor of your presence…”
• Both families hosting: “Together with their families…”
• Both sets of parents named: “Mr. and Mrs. James Rivera and Dr. and Mrs. Anthony Cole invite you to the marriage of their children…”
• Divorced parents hosting together: list each parent on their own line with no “and” joining them, traditionally with the mother’s name first: “Dr. Elena Marsh” on one line, “Mr. James Rivera” on the next. If a parent is hosting with a new spouse, list that couple together on one line.
• Honoring a deceased parent: a late parent is remembered beside the couple’s name rather than as a host, since the host line implies an invitation being extended: “Sofia Rivera, daughter of James Rivera and the late Maria Rivera.”
• The couple hosting: “Ava Chen and Marcus Reid invite you to celebrate their marriage…”

Every format above works for any couple. For two brides, two grooms, or any couple at all, the conventions are identical; put the names in whatever order the couple prefers, and let alphabetical order settle any tie.

The Reception Line and the RSVP

If the celebration continues at the ceremony venue, one line is enough: “Reception to follow” for formal invitations, or something with more personality, such as “Dinner, drinks, and dancing to follow,” for modern ones. If the reception is elsewhere, add the venue and, for paper, a separate reception card; a digital invitation simply carries the second address and a map link on the same card.

The RSVP line needs a deadline and a method. “Kindly reply by the sixteenth of May” suits a formal invitation; “RSVP online by May 16” suits a modern one. Set the deadline three to four weeks before the wedding, and the timing guide covers the full schedule around it. This is also where format quietly matters: with Greenvelope, the RSVP is built into the invitation itself, so guests reply in the same moment they open it, and hosts watch responses, meal choices, and plus-one counts collect in real time instead of chasing response cards.

Three Complete Examples

Here is how the pieces assemble at three levels of formality. Borrow any of them outright and swap in your details.

1. Formal, parents hosting

Mr. and Mrs. James Rivera
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Sofia Anne Rivera
to
Daniel Marcus Cole
Saturday, the fourteenth of June
two thousand twenty-seven
at half after four o’clock
Grace Cathedral
San Francisco, California
Black tie
Reception to follow

2. Modern, both families hosting

Together with their families
Ava Chen and Marcus Reid
invite you to celebrate their marriage
Saturday, June 14, 2027
4:30 in the afternoon
The Foundry, Seattle, Washington
Dinner, drinks, and dancing to follow
Kindly RSVP by May 16

3. Casual, the couple hosting

We’re getting married!
Jordan Lee and Sam Alvarez
would love for you to be there
Saturday, June 14, 2027, at 4:30 p.m.
512 Alder Lane, Portland, Oregon
Dinner and lawn games to follow
RSVP online by May 16

Wording and design should arrive as one considered piece, and this is where a platform earns its keep. Greenvelope offers a stunning collection of wedding invitation designs that covers every theme, style, and taste, and every template is fully customizable, so the register you chose above pairs with coordinating colors, fonts, and an animated envelope opening your guests won’t forget.

Don’t Forget the Details Line

Below the essentials, a short line or two keeps guests informed and cuts down on questions: dress code, whether children are invited, and how to RSVP. With a digital invitation you can also link straight to directions, a registry, or an FAQ page so the card itself stays uncluttered, and Greenvelope lets hosts add custom RSVP questions for meal choices and dietary needs, so the invitation gathers the answers a caterer will eventually ask for.

Ready to pair your wording with a design? Browse Greenvelope’s wedding invitation collection to find a style that matches the tone you have chosen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do we have to spell out the date and time?

Only if you want a formal tone. Spelled-out dates and times read as traditional and black-tie; numerals are perfectly acceptable for modern or casual celebrations.

How do we word the host line if step-parents are involved?

List the people who are hosting in the order that feels right to your family, or sidestep the question entirely with “Together with their families.” There is no single correct formula anymore.

How should divorced parents be listed on a wedding invitation?

List each parent on their own line without an “and” joining them, traditionally with the mother’s name first. If a parent is hosting with a new spouse, list that couple together on one line.

How do you word the invitation when the couple is hosting?

Skip the host line and lead with the couple’s names, followed by a warm request line such as “invite you to celebrate their marriage.” No host line is needed when the couple is extending the invitation themselves.

Where should the RSVP details go?

Traditionally on a separate response card, but a digital invitation collects RSVPs automatically, so a single line pointing guests to the online reply is all you need.

Related Resources

Explore more guides in the Greenvelope resource hub:

• Digital Invitation Etiquette: Answers to Common Questions
• What Is an Animated Envelope Invitation?
• When to Send Invitations: A Timing Guide for Every Event