Wedding Invitation Wording

Wedding Invitation Wording

Once upon a time, there wasn't much variation in wedding invitations. Since the bride's parents were paying for everything, wedding invitations always read that they requested the honor of your presence at the marriage of their daughter. These days, with divorce, blended families, untraditional families, and any and all of the above helping to pay for it, invitations have gotten complicated!

Below are some common situations, and the appropriate wedding invitation wording for each. Keep in mind that this is the formal traditional language. Modern couples may choose to add opening statements such as "With Joy in Their Hearts," or may choose to change the traditional "request the honor of your presence at the marriage" to something like "invite you to be a special part of the wedding of" or even "Come laugh, dance, dine, and celebrate our wedding".

Standard Wording:
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Myers
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Anne Catherine
to
Theodore Joseph Johnson
at the Newport Beach Club
Saturday, the Seventeenth of June
Eight o'clock in the evening

Both sets of parents are funding the wedding:
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Myers
and
Mr. and Mrs. Kwame Johnson
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their children
Anne Catherine and Theodore Joseph
etc.

If Bride's parents are hosting, but would like to include grooms parents on the invitation
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Myers
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Anne Catherine
to Theodore Joseph Johnson
son of Mr. and Mrs. Kwame Johnson
etc.

When the bride and groom are paying for the wedding themselves, the wording should read:
EITHER
You are cordially invited to celebrate
the wedding of
Anne Catherine Myers
and
Theodore Joseph Johnson
etc.

OR

Together with their parents,
Anne Catherine Myers
and
Theodore Joseph Johnson
request the honor of your presence
etc.

Brides parents are divorced:
either
Issued by the parent who raised her
Ms. Janet Myers
requests the honor of your presence
at the wedding of her daughter
Anne Catherine
etc.

or

Divorced parents are hosting the wedding together
Mr. Christopher Myers
and
Ms. Janet Myers request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Anne Catherine

Divorced parent and new stepparent are hosting the wedding:
Mr. and Mrs. Marc Velez
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of Mrs. Velez's daughter
Anne Catherine Myers
etc.

Child of divorced and remarried parents both hosting the wedding
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Myers
and
Mr. and Mrs. Marc Velez
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Anne Catherine
etc.

OR

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Myers
and
Mr. and Mrs. Marc Velez
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of the daughter of Mr. Myers and Mrs. Velez
Anne Catherine
to
etc.

Source : weddings.about.com (Nina Callaway)

Wedding Invitation Wording