Invitation Wording Guides organized by Family Situation

 Please use this as a guide to writing your invitation text. There are many different ways to word a wedding invitation. We recommend finding as many examples as you can that match or are close to your family and sponsor situation.  Once you see a few examples you will be able to write your text in a way that fits your personality and wedding style.  Please also download thewedding wording worksheet so that you can fill it out and attach it to your order.  Feel free to cut and paste from this document to your Wedding invitation Worksheet.

Download this wedding invitation wording guide in Microsoft Word Format or PDF format.
To assist you in placing your invitation we have provided a Wedding Invitation Worksheet  that you can fill out offline and then upload with your invitation order.

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When the bride's parents sponsor the wedding 

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Waterman 
Smith 
request the honor of your presence 
at the marriage of their daughter 
Carol Ann 
to 
Mr. William James Clark 
on Saturday, the fifth of August 
Nineteen hundred and ninety-four 
at two o'clock in the afternoon 
Saint James by-the-Sea 
La Jolla, California

When the groom's parents sponsor the wedding 

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Burdell Clark 
request the honor of your presence 
at the marriage of 
Miss Carol Ann Smith 
to their son 
Mr. William James Clark

When both the bride and groom's parents sponsor the wedding 

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Waterman Smith 
and 
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Burdell Clark 
request the honor of your presence 
at the marriage of their children 
Miss Carol Ann Smith 
to 
Mr. William James Clark 
OR 
Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Waterman Smith 
request the honor of your presence 
at the marriage of their daughter 
Carol Ann Smith 
to 
William James Clark 
son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Burdell Clark

When the bride and groom sponsor their own wedding 

The honor of your presence is requested 
at the marriage of 
Miss Carol Ann Smith 
and 
Mr. William James Clark 
OR 
Miss Carol Ann Smith 
and 
Mr. William James Clark 
request the honor of your presence 
at their marriage

With divorced or deceased parents 

When the bride's mother is sponsoring the wedding and is not remarried 

Mrs. Julie Hurden Smith 
requests the honor of your presence 
at the marriage of her daughter 
Carol Ann

When the bride's mother is sponsoring the wedding and has remarried 

Mrs. Julie Hurden Booker 
requests the honor of your presence 
at the marriage of her daughter 
Carol Ann Smith 
OR 
Mr. and Mrs. John Thomas Booker 
request the honor of your presence 
at the marriage of Mrs. Booker's daughter 
Carol Ann Smith

When the bride's father is sponsoring the wedding and has not remarried

Mr. Alexander Waterman Smith 
requests the honor of your presence 
at the marriage of his daughter 
Carol Ann

When the bride's father is sponsoring the wedding and has remarried 

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Waterman Smith 
request the honor of your presence 
at the marriage of Mr. Smith's daughter 
Carol Ann

Deceased parents 

When a close friend or relative sponsors the wedding 

Mr. and Mrs. Brandt Elliott Lawson 
request the honor of your presence 
at the marriage of their granddaughter 
Carol Ann Smith

Military

In military ceremonies, the rank determines the placement of names.

Any title lower than sergeant should be omitted. Only the branch of service should be included under that person's name:

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Waterman Smith 
request the honor of your presence 
at the marriage of their daughter 
Carol Ann 
United States Army 
to 
William James Clark

Junior officers' titles are placed below their names and are followed by their branch of service

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Waterman Smith 
request the honor of your presence 
at the marriage of their daughter 
Carol Ann 
to 
William James Clark 
First Lieutenant, United States Army

If the rank is higher than lieutenant, titles are placed before names, and the branch of service is placed on the following line

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Waterman Smith 
request the honor of your presence 
at the marriage of their daughter 
Carol Ann 
to 
Captain William James Clark 
United States Navy

Less Formal or a more Contemporary Wedding 

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Waterman Smith 
would like you to 
join with their daughter 
Carol Ann 
and 
William James Clark 
in the celebration of their marriage