Make sure your wedding invite says all the right things

You know what you’re going for. You’ve chosen your perfect theme and are setting the tone in terms of colour, formality, level of quirkiness or sense of fun.

Now you just have to bring it all together…

For many of your guests, the first sense of occasion they will get about your big day is the Save the Date missive or the wedding invitation itself. So, as well as the look and feel, the design, the envelope size and the quality of the paper (we know there’s a lot to consider!), the words are all important.

So, whether your big day is a swish affair that requires a formal introduction, or it’s a more relaxed do packed with the laid-back, quirky charm of the lucky couple, you’ll need to use the right tone, terms and phrasing to get your message across. Isn’t it grand that you’ve come to exactly the right place?

Your Must Have Checklist

First and foremost, there are a few things that every invitation must feature:

• What the invitation is for – ceremony and reception, reception only or evening reception, for example
• The hosts – whether the parents or the happy couple
• The day, date and time
• Name of the venue and address
• RSVP and RSVP address
• RSVP deadline

You may want to include an RSVP card to make it easier for your guests. Or, if not, email address or telephone number.

Your Things to Think About Checklist

• If you’re having a wedding list, you may want to put in the invitation where people can register and buy. If you’re not having a wedding list, you can also ask (politely!) for people to give donations to charity or for a honeymoon fund, for example.
• If you have a dress code, you can include it too.
• Perhaps you have a wedding website or social media page that you want guests to keep up to date with – put the URL at the bottom of the invitation.
• If you’re putting together a menu and want to know guest’s food preferences, now is a good time to ask.

Setting the Tone – Formal vs Informal

Irish couples are becoming more and more relaxed, individual and unique about their big day. The choices of venues and events, range of budgets and appetites for something different mean that no two weddings are ever the same. Whatever your preference, quirky or quite formal, your invitation will set the scene and tone for your guests, giving them a taste of what to expect.

Variations on ‘request the honour of your presence’ include:

• More relaxed, still formal: ‘…request the pleasure of your company to celebrate the marriage of’.
• Less formal: ‘…invite you to celebrate the marriage of”.
• Informal events and civil partnerships: ‘…invite you to celebrate the wedding of”.
• Informal weddings or post-wedding parties: ‘…invite you to share in the festivities’.
• Casual, fun and informal weddings: ‘would love you to join them in celebrating their wedding’.

Your All Important Words Checklist

The language of your invitation is all important. Especially if you’re aiming to set the tone for a very formal affair. If you’re aiming to be quirky, fun or completely different, the world is your oyster and you can choose from an endless range of possibilities, from romantic quotes to something altogether more funny and personal.

Whether you’re going for formal or informal, use these templates as a guide to achieving the impression you want to make, and feel free to change or amend as needed.

Parents Hosting:

__________________ [names of those hosting]
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
__________________ [bride’s first and middle names]
to__________________ [groom’s full name]
_________, the __ of ________ [day of the week, day and month of wedding]
at ____ o’clock [time of wedding] in the _________ [time of day]
___________________ [location of wedding ceremony]
_________, ____________ [city / town where wedding ceremony will take place]
followed by a reception
___________________ [location of wedding reception]
_________, ____________ [city / town where wedding reception will take place]
RSVP [date RSVP is needed by / how to RSVP]

Couple and Parents Hosting

__________________ [names of the bride and groom]
together with their parents
request the honour of your presence at their marriage
_________, the __ of ________ [day of the week, day and month of wedding]
at ____ o’clock [time of wedding] in the _________ [time of day]
___________________ [location of wedding ceremony]
_________, ____________ [city / town where wedding ceremony will take place]
followed by a reception
___________________ [location of wedding reception]
_________, ____________ [city / town where wedding reception will take place]
RSVP [date RSVP is needed by / how to RSVP]

Couple Hosting

__________________ [names of the bride and groom]
request the honour of your presence at their marriage
_________, the __ of ________ [day of the week, day and month of wedding]
at ____ o’clock [time of wedding] in the _________ [time of day]
___________________ [location of wedding ceremony]
_________, ____________ [city / town where wedding ceremony will take place]
followed by a reception
___________________ [location of wedding reception]
_________, ____________ [city / town where wedding reception will take place]
RSVP [date RSVP is needed by / how to RSVP]

Including Guest Names

__________________ [names of those hosting]
request the honour of the presence of
__________________ [guest names]
at the marriage of their daughter
__________________ [bride’s first and middle names]
to__________________ [groom’s full name]
_________, the __ of ________ [day of the week, day and month of wedding]
at ____ o’clock [time of wedding] in the _________ [time of day]
___________________ [location of wedding ceremony]
_________, ____________ [city / town where wedding ceremony will take place]
followed by a reception
___________________ [location of wedding reception]
_________, ____________ [city / town where wedding reception will take place]
RSVP [date RSVP is needed by / how to RSVP]

With over 20 years’ experience and many happy customers, whatever your wedding invites and stationery needs, we’ll keep you right. To order,  visit www.digitalprintingireland.ie or contact us today to place your order with one of the leading wedding invites printers in Ireland.