Ever wondered what to write on your wedding invites?  Look no further, everything you need to know is listed here!

Planning what to write before you design your invitations will help narrow down the invitation design.  The amount of information can guide how many cards you need and the format that the invitations will take, so having a good handle on this info is the best place to start when choosing wedding invitations. 

Typically, the primary event information is put on the main invitation, and a separate card called a details card is created for the secondary information.  There can also be a separate RSVP and other cards, so let’s go through the list!

What to Write on the Main Invitation

• The couples’ names.  Your names are of course very important here!  But how to format them?  You can consider full names with or without middle names, or you can list only your first names.  Traditionally, the woman’s name goes first for a heterosexual couple, but you can really put them in the order that suits you best!  If your titles are important to you, list them too, although this is usually reserved for the most formal of invitations.
• Parents’ names.  It is good practice to include your parents when listing your names, if they have contributed in some way to the wedding.  You can name them individually with or without their titles, or make a statement such as “together with their parents.”
• The invitation.  You will then need to create a statement that invites your guests to the wedding, and this can be as traditional or as contemporary as you like!  Some helpful phrases include “request the pleasure of your company,” “with so much love…invite you to the wedding of,” “would love you to join us at the celebration of our marriage.”

Bonus tip: A beautiful touch is to begin the invitation with the guests’ names.  This is very personal, and leaves no doubt as to exactly who is invited!

Here’s more…

• The time of the event.  There is some debate as to whether you put the time of the ceremony on the invitation, or you put an earlier time.  I would suggest you list the start time as 15 minutes before the commencement of the ceremony, which gives latecomers time to find their seats. 
• The location.  List the address of the location, without the postcode or the state (which just adds unnecessary clutter).  Having more than one location? Make sure you add start times for each location, and leave time for travel between each place.
• Dress code.  This is a super helpful piece of information that is often left off.  Take a look online and choose the dress code that best suits your wedding vibe, and let people know!  They’ll feel much more comfortable when it comes to choosing their attire for the day. 

What to Write on the Details Card

A details card is a separate card that can list a range of information secondary to the event.  Here’s what you might need to include:

• Gifts.  Your guests will likely want to contribute to the wedding with a gift or money.  Are you having a gift registry, or a wishing well? A statement here about your preference makes it really clear to guests how they can give. 
• Travel and accommodation.  Do you need to provide guests with information regarding buses, flights, onsite or offsite accommodation? How and when do they need to book?  Include all this here. 
• Children.  Are children invited to the wedding?  It doesn’t have to be a controversial topic – just state your preference clearly and politely so that everyone is on the same page.
• Health information.  Do you need to make a statement about health or social distancing?  If you are implementing any health precautions at your wedding, you might like to provide this information, or ask guests to inform you if they are in a high-risk group.
• Other events.  Are you having a rehearsal dinner, or a post-wedding brunch?  Put details of separate events on separate cards, so that guests can have a physically separate invitation.

Collecting RSVPs from Guests

The RSVP information will be determined by how you are collecting RSVPs.  If they are posting a physical card back to you, then there needs to be a separate card.  If they are replying online or via text, you might like to include it on the details card alongside the other information on that card.  List the method of RSVP on the card, and if you have a website, you might like to include a QR code as well, making things super easy for your guests!  

Once you’ve decided the RSVP method, here is the information to include either on the card or online:

• The RSVP date.  This is a very important part of the RSVP, allowing you to collect the replies by a specific date.  Usually, this is around 4 weeks before the wedding, but check with your venue and stationer when they need final numbers.  Yes, you will have to chase guests up!
• A space to write the guests’ names.  For physical cards, leave enough space for people to write in pen, and make sure it’s a light-coloured card with a matte finish so they can actually write on it!
• Their reply.  Choose wording that suits your style, to request a yes/no response.
• Dietary requirements.  Include space for this important information!
• Something fun!  An optional extra is to include a fun question, like the song your guests would love to hear to get them dancing, or some heartfelt marriage advice.

Bonus tip:  If you’re asking people to post RSVP cards back to you, include an envelope that already has a stamp, and preferably your own address.  Ask your stationer if they can print the address for you so you don’t have to write it out!

An Extra Consideration for Your Wedding Invitations

You might be inviting different guests to different elements of the wedding.  For example, I’ve had some couples plan a large ceremony and only an intimate dinner for a subset of guests, and vice versa, with a private ceremony and a big party afterwards.  You’ll need a different invitation suite for different people!  Ask your stationery designer if they can accommodate this difference in wording at no extra cost.  In this case, set up two different guest lists and choose guest name and address printing for the invitations and envelopes.  Then your stationery designer can assemble the correct invitations for each person.

Now you’re all set to talk to your wedding invitations designer about what you need!  Getting a clear picture on the information that you want to include gives you the perfect springboard to start designing your invitations. Don’t need much text? Choose something like a super thick card stock printed with your couple’s monogram on the back.  Want all the bells and whistles for your multi-day event?  Get a pocket or sleeve for all your cards. 

Have questions?