Do’s And Don’ts In A Wedding Invitation Wording
While incorrectly writing wedding invitations isn’t the worst thing you can do, a simple spell check error will have you waving your bridal gown or tuxedo shirt as a surrender flag and fleeing for the hills. Sorry if we made you feel uneasy. Don’t be.
While the terms “do” and “don’t” may appear to be universal directives, we recognize that each wedding is unique. You and your partner will have to determine what kind of wording to use for your invitations. These “rules” are more like guidelines for how to design your invitation wording in the most sophisticated way possible.
These recommendations are for you if you want to add a feeling of sophistication to your wedding invitation wording. Take the advice below with a grain of salt if you’re planning a more informal wedding and/or choose a more visual or modern approach to your invitation design.
Do’s And Don’ts Of Wedding Invitation Wording
Keep the following wedding invitation dos and don’ts in mind.
General Invitation Language Dos and Don’ts
- Use upper-case letters for day and month proper names, but lower-case letters for numbers.
- DO use the third person in formal invitations: Mrs. and Mr. You are invited by the bride/parents… groom’s
- DO proofread as if your life was on the line. Not only your partner and parents should be consulted, but also your best friend, your English major college roommate, your coworker..
- At the start of each line, DO NOT use capital letters. Use them as you would at the start of a sentence instead.
- DON’T utilize symbols unless they’re for a specific design reason—though an ampersand between the couple’s names is OK if the font allows it.
DON’T utilize symbols unless they’re for a specific design reason—though an ampersand between the couple’s names is OK if the font allows it.Names and Titles: Do’s and Don’ts
- Proper names and titles should be capitalized.
- DO spell out the word Doctor (but not Mr.).
- On the invitations, use both partners’ full legal names. Use a nickname on a save the date postcard or any less formal element of the invitation suite if you wish.
- Include a nickname if possible.
- If the bride’s and/or groom’s middle names become too long to fit on one line, remove them.
- Include a host line at the top of the invitation to identify who is hosting. This is usually determined by who is paying for the wedding, although it can also be determined by personal taste.
- DO put the names of the non-hosting parents underneath their child’s name as a courtesy.
- USE NO ABBREVIATIONS. Except for courtesy titles, spell everything out.
- Except after courtesy titles, don’t use punctuation:
- Except for Doctor, don’t spell out courtesy titles.
The Don’ts and Dos of Dating
- For official invitations, specify the date. Because numbers are easily misread, spelling out the date guarantees that no one is confused.
- DO include the date.
- DO state the year.
- DO keep in mind that, while it is not required for informal invitations, specifying down dates is acceptable regardless of formality.
- The ceremony’s location is included in the Do’s of Locations. For out-of-town visitors, including the complete address.
- If the wedding is being held at a private residence, provide the name of the homeowner.
- If the reception location differs from the ceremony, add it on a separate card for formal invitations. Include it on the invitation after the ceremony location if going less formal.
- If the address of the wedding venue is redundant or obvious, such as a well-known institution with only one location, DON’T provides it.
- DON’T leave your visitors guessing. Include complete addresses for locations as well as all other essential information so that they may arrive at the correct spot at the appropriate time.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
