Wedding Invitation Wording Ideas & Examples

Anatomy of a Wedding Invitation

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Johnson {host line}
request the honour of your presence {request line}
at the marriage of their daughter
Anna Evelyn {bride}
to
Mr. John Michael Smith {groom}
Saturday, the eighteenth of July {date}
two thousand twenty-one {year}
at five o’clock {time}
Grace Fellowship Church {location}
Osceola, Wisconsin {city & state}

General Tips

Check with your officiant for style specifics but traditionally—​if a couple marries in a house of worship, the request line wording reads “request the honor”.

Words, dates, and numbers are typically spelled out, and the only abbreviations are Mr. and Mrs.

Punctuation is typically found only in the time, date or in the location.

If the bride’s parents are hosting and the daughter shares their last name, it can be omitted from the invitation.

Parents Hosting

Brides Parents

Formal

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Allen Johnson
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Anna Evelyn
to
John Michael Smith
on Saturday, the ninth of May
two thousand twenty-one
at five o’clock
Grace Fellowship Church
Rochester, New York

Less Formal

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Allen Johnson
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Anna Evelyn
to
John Michael Smith
Saturday, the eighteenth of July
two thousand twenty-one
at five o’clock
Grace Fellowship Church
Rochester, New York

Grooms Parents

Formal

Mr. and Mrs. John Jacob Smith
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of
Miss Anna Evelyn Johnson
to their son
Mr. John Michael
on Saturday, the eighteenth of July
two thousand twenty-one
at four o’clock in the afternoon
St. Paul’s Church
46 Main Street
Butler, Kentucky

Less Formal

Mr. and Mrs. George Jacob Smith
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of
Anna Evelyn Johnson
to their son
John Michael
on Saturday, the eighteenth of July
two thousand twenty-one
at four o’clock in the afternoon
St. Paul’s Church
46 Main Street
Butler, Kentucky

Groom’s Parents Included (But Not Hosting)

Formal

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Allen Johnson
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Anna Evelyn
to
John Michael Smith
son of
Mr. and Mrs. George Jacob Smith
on Saturday, the eighteenth of July
two thousand twenty-one
at five o’clock
Grace Fellowship Church
Rochester, New York

Less Formal

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Allen Johnson
invite you to share in the joy
at the marriage of their daughter
Anna Evelyn
to
John Michael Smith
son of
Mr. and Mrs. George Jacob Smith
on Saturday, the eighteenth of July
two thousand twenty-one
at five o’clock
Grace Fellowship Church
Rochester, New York

Both Sets of Parents

Formal

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Allen Johnson
and
Mr. and Mrs. George Jacob Smith
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their children
Anna
to
John
on Saturday, the eighteenth of July
two thousand twenty-one
at six o’clock
Grace Fellowship Church
Rochester, New York

Bride & Groom Hosting

Bride & Groom

Formal

Anna Evelyn Johnson
and
John Michael Smith
request the honor of your presence
as they unite in marriage
on Saturday, the eighteenth of July
two thousand twenty-one
at four o’clock
Grace Fellowship Church
Rochester, New York

Less Formal

The pleasure of your company is requested
at the marriage celebration of
Robin Johnson
and
John Smith
on Saturday, the eighteenth of July
two thousand twenty-one
at four o’clock
Grace Fellowship Church
Rochester, New York

Both Sets of Parents + Bride & Groom

Formal

Together with their families
Anna Evelyn Johnson
and
John Michael Smith
request the honor of your presence
as they unite in marriage
on Saturday, the eighteenth of July
two thousand twenty-one
at six o’clock
Grace Fellowship Church
Rochester, New York

Less Formal

Along with their parents
Anna Evelyn Johnson
and
John Michael Smith
Invite you to celebrate their wedding
on Saturday, the eighteenth of July
two thousand twenty-one
at six o’clock
Grace Fellowship Church
Rochester, New York

Bride’s Parents (Divorced and Both Remarried)

Formal

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Allen Johnson
and
Mr. and Mrs. Neil Andrew Blakely
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Anna Evelyn
to
John Michael Smith
on Saturday, the ninth of May
two thousand twenty-one
at six o’clock
Christ Lutheran
Brighton, New York

Less Formal

Robert and Elizabeth Johnson
and
Colleen and Neil Blakely
Invite you to celebrate
the marriage of their daughter
Anna Evelyn Johnson
to
John Michael Smith
on Saturday, the ninth of May
two thousand twenty-one
at 6:30 in the evening
Golden Hills Country Club
Brighton, New York

Both Sets of Parents (Divorced) + Bride & Groom

Together with their families
Anna Johnson
and
Paul Benson
invite you to celebrate their marriage
on Saturday, the ninth of May
Two thousand twenty-one
at 6:30 in the evening
Golden Hills Country Club
Brighton, New York

Bride’s Parents (Divorced)

Formal
Ms. Patricia Ann Johnson
and
Mr. Robert Allen Johnson
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Anna Evelyn
to
John Michael Smith
on Saturday, twenty-third of July
two thousand twenty-one
at six o’clock
Grace Fellowship Church
Rochester, New York

Less Formal

Patricia Johnson
and
Robert Johnson
request the pleasure of your company
at the wedding celebration of their daughter
Anna Evelyn
to
John Michael Smith
twenty-third of July
two thousand twenty-one
at six o’clock
Grace Fellowship Church
Rochester, New York

Divorced and Stepparent of Bride

Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Korman
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage
of Mrs. Korman’s daughter
Anna Johnson
to
John Smith
on Saturday, the ninth of May
two thousand twenty-one
at four o’clock
Grace Fellowship Church
Brighton, New York

Bride’s Mother and Groom’s Parents (Divorced and Both Remarried)

Mrs. Colleen Marie Johnson
and
Mr. George Smith and Mrs. Janelle Smith Baker
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their children
Anna Evelyn
and
John Michael
on Saturday, the ninth of May
two thousand twenty-one
at six o’clock
Christ Lutheran
Brighton, New York

Bride’s Widowed Father

Mr. John Holmes
husband of the late Margaret Holmes
requests the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Anna Evelyn
to
John Michael Smith
Saturday, the ninth of May
two thousand twenty-one
at six o’clock
Northbrook Church
Jackson, South Dakota

Double Wedding

Mr. Richard and Mrs. Johnson
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughters
Anna Evelyn
to
Paul Neil Benson
and
Sophia Marie
to
Jacob Joel Mayer
on Saturday, the ninth of May
two thousand twenty-one
at six o’clock
Grace Hope Church
Duluth, Minnesota

Bride & Groom with Widowed

Mother and Groom’s Parents Included

Anna Evelyn Johnson
daughter of
Robert and Colleen Johnson, in blessed memory
and
John Michael Smith
son of
Mr. and Mrs. George Smith
request the pleasure of your company
at their marriage
Saturday, the ninth of May
two thousand twenty-one
at six o’clock
Northbrook Church
Jackson, South Dakota

Military Titles

General Tips

Check with military branch for specifics on protocol for attire, décor, seating, traditions, and terminology.
The chaplain is a good resource.

Even if retired, higher ranking officers still use their titles.

Army & Marines
If rank is captain or higher, title appears with name.

Navy
If Naval rank is lieutenant second grade or higher, title appears with name.

First and Second Lieutenants
Simply use Lieutenant.

Lower Ranks (Enlisted Personnel)
Title appears below their name.

Reserve Officers on Active Duty
Text should appear below their name.
United States Naval Reserve
Army of the United States

Groom is an Officer

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Carl Johnson
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Anna Evelyn
to
Lieutenant Paul Neil Benson
United States Navy
on Saturday, the ninth of May
two thousand twenty-one
at six o’clock
Northbrook Church
Brighton, New York

Groom is Enlisted

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Carl Johnson
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Anna Evelyn
to
Paul Neil Benson
United States Marine Corps
on Saturday, the ninth of May
two thousand twenty-one
at six o’clock
Northbrook Church
Brighton, New York

Professional Titles

Examples of Titles

Professor Jacob Smith
Doctor Chelsea Lee
The Honorable Jeff Andrews (Judge)
The Reverend John and Mrs. Smith (Clergy)

Bride’s Father is a Doctor

Doctor and Mrs. Richard Carl Johnson
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Anna Evelyn
to
Paul Neil Benson
on Saturday, the ninth of May
two thousand twenty-one
at six o’clock
Grace Hope Church
Duluth, Minnesota

Bride is a Doctor

Only if the bride and groom are issuing the invitation should the bride use her title.

The honor of your presence is requested
at the marriage of
Doctor Anna Evelyn Johnson
to
Paul Neil Benson
on Saturday, the ninth of May
two thousand twenty-one
at 6 o’clock
Grace Hope Church
Duluth, Minnesota

Both Hosts Have Titles

Professor Richard Johnson and Doctor Mary Johnson
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Anna Evelyn
to
Paul Neil Benson
on Saturday, the ninth of May
two thousand twenty-one
at 6 o’clock
Grace Hope Church
Duluth, Minnesota

Doctors Richard and Mary Johnson
invite you to celebrate
the marriage of their daughter
Anna Evelyn
to
Paul Neil Benson
on Saturday, the ninth of May
two thousand twenty-one
at 6 o’clock
Grace Hope Church
Duluth, Minnesota

Bride’s Mother Has Title, Father Does Not

The Honorable Mary Johnson and Mr. Richard Johnson
invite you to celebrate
the marriage of their daughter
Anna Evelyn
to
Paul Neil Benson
on Saturday, the ninth of May
two thousand twenty-one
at six o’clock
Grace Hope Church
Duluth, Minnesota

Clergy

The Reverend Richard and Mrs. Johnson
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Anna Evelyn
to
Paul Neil Benson
on Saturday, the ninth of May
two thousand twenty-one
at six o’clock
Grace Hope Church
Duluth, Minnesota