The Complete Guide to Wedding Invitation Wording

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.

The host line — whoever is inviting guests (traditionally whoever is hosting).
The request line — the invitation itself, such as “request the pleasure of your company.”
The couple’s names — the stars of the day.
The date, time, and place — spelled out formally or written plainly.
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.

Part	Formal	Modern
Request line	request the pleasure of your company	would love for you to join them
Date	Saturday, the fourteenth of June	Saturday, June 14, 2026
Time	at half after four o’clock	at 4:30 in the afternoon
Hosts	Mr. and Mrs. John Smith	Together with their families

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…”
The couple hosting: “Ava Chen and Marcus Reid invite you to celebrate their marriage…”

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.

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. 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.

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