Wedding Invitation Wording For Special Circumstances By Tim Kilroy

There are as many wedding circumstances as there are brides and grooms, and how to express the nuances of your wedding in your invitation can be really tricky. Follow the guide below to create a properly worded wedding invitation that is both accurate and follow proper etiquette.

Jewish Wedding

Since the Jewish faith considers marriage the true joining of two families, the groom's parents' names also appear on the invitations, beneath the bride's parents' names, but with no joining word. The word "and" is used between the bride's and groom's names, however, because the Jewish faith believes that God brings a man and a woman together to be joined as partners for life, instead of a woman being married "to" a man.

Roman Catholic Wedding

The wording for a Roman Catholic wedding will vary slightly, and may include the phrase "Nuptial Mass" if the ceremony will be part of a Catholic service. It is helpful to guests to include this phrase since a Nuptial Mass lasts approximately one hour, longer than the typical marriage ceremony.

Hispanic Wedding

Invitations to Hispanic wedding celebrations may be issued in either English or Spanish, and many couples provide both, on the two inner pages of a folded invitation. Both sets of parents are usually included in the wording, with the bride's parents' names always listed first.

The Bridal Couple As Hosts

If the bride's parents are both deceased, or if the bride and groom are older or marrying for the second time, the couple may choose to issue the invitations themselves. The use of "Miss" versus "Ms." before the bride's name is based on personal preference and may depend on whether or not this is the bride's first marriage.

Including The Groom's Parents As Hosts

If the groom's parents assume a large portion of the wedding expenses, their names may be included, with both sets of parents' names at the very beginning of the invitation. This makes it clear that both families are issuing the invitation.

Including The Groom's Parents

If you simply wish to include the groom's parents' names on the invitation, no matter what the circumstances or financial contribution, the bride's parents are still noted first as the official hosts, with the groom's parents assuming the second position. If the groom's parents' names are short enough, the words "son of" can be included on the same line as their names so that the names of the bride and groom stand out more.

Including The Groom's Parents When Divorced

To include the groom's parents in a place of honor when they are divorced. The groom's mother's name appears first, using her remarried name (if appropriate) and the groom's father is second.

Divorced Parents of Bride Hosting Together

If the bride's parents are divorced but enjoy an amicable relationship (even if one has remarried), they may issue the invitations together. The mother's name always appears first.

Hosted By One Parent

A wedding may be hosted by only one parent if the other is deceased or if the parents are divorced. In this case, the parent issues the invitation alone and the word "his" or "her" is added in place of "their" in the request line.

Wedding Invitation that includes Reception Wording

If you plan to invite all your guests to both the ceremony and reception and you choose not to send a separate reception card, the reception information may be included on the invitation.

Invitation To The Reception Only

If it is a second marriage or if the ceremony itself is small or limited only to family, guests may be invited to just the reception afterwards.

Reception Held At A Later Date

A couple may be honored with a reception at a later date, especially if they have a destination wedding attended by only family, or if they are not able to hold the reception immediately due to business reasons or other logistics. If held on another day, it is not called a wedding reception but simply a party or reception in honor of the couple.

Wedding at the Home of Friends or Relatives

The invitation wording for a wedding at home should include the full address, and the phrase "at the residence of" if the event is being held at the home of friends or relatives.

Wedding at the Bride's Parents Home

If a couple chooses to marry at the bride's parents' home, the address is all the location information you need to include. Remember that for ceremonies that are not held in houses of worship, the phrase "pleasure of your company" is used rather than "the honour of your presence".

Second Wedding With Children Hosting

For a second marriage, if the bride and groom have older children who would like to issue the invitations, the wording is as follows, listing the bride's children first, from oldest to youngest, and then the groom's children. When the children are hosting, honorifics are not used for the bride's and groom's names.

There are thousands of other variations that can come up, but these tend to be the most common issues for wedding invitations. Follow these suggestions, and your wedding invitations will be perfect...just like your wedding day.

Tim Kilroy is a writer living in Boston who has sent out wedding invitations only once, but it was the best time he has ever had at the post office