How to Word your Stationery

Wording your stationery can be difficult, especially if you and your fiancé or both sets of parents are contributing to the cost of your wedding, or if you need to give your guests information tactfully. To help you decide how best to word your stationery we’ve put together the following guidelines and examples for those trickier items of stationery.

• Invitation tips
• Invitation wording examples
• Invitation variations and phrases
• Reply Card tips
• What to include in a Reply Card
• Information Card
• Save the Date Card

Invitation Tips

• The Bride’s name traditionally includes her first and middle names but not her title. The Bride’s surname is not included if either or both of her parents are hosting but is often included if the Bride and Groom are hosting, if they are hosting with their families or if the Groom’s parents are hosting.



• The Groom’s name traditionally includes his title, first and middle names, and surname. However if the Bride and Groom are hosting or hosting with their families then often the Groom’s title is not included.



• No matter who is hosting the Bride’s name should always be written before the Groom’s.



• For a formal invitation always use the full names of those hosting.



• Use the hosts formal titles such as Doctor or Professor.



• Some couples choose to only use their first names for a less formal invitation, this can often also be suitable for an evening invitation.



• Include the address of your ceremony (and reception if it is at a different venue) in full without any abbreviations. The postcode is not essential, but if you do include it just include the first part, for example London W1. Remember if your wedding is abroad also include the country!



• Invitations have their own rules for punctuation and grammar. Only use capital letters for names, dates and titles. Words such as; at, on, to, and, request, invite, followed, etc should always be written without capitals. Full stops are not usually used and commas are optional but generally only used as part of addresses if necessary, or dates and times.

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Invitation Wording Examples

Bride's Parents Hosting

Mr and Mrs (Bride’s Parents Name)
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
(Bride’s Name)
to
Mr (Groom’s Name)
at (Ceremony Details)
on (Day, Date, Month, Year)
at (Time)
and afterwards at
(Reception Details)

Bride and Groom's Parents Hosting

Mr and Mrs (Bride’s Parents Name)
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
(Bride’s Name)
to
Mr (Groom’s Name)
son of
Mr and Mrs (Groom’s Parents Name)
at (Ceremony Details)
on (Day, Date, Month, Year)
at (Time)
and afterwards at
(Reception Details)

Bride and Groom and Families Hosting

Together with their families
(Bride’s Name)
and
(Groom’s Name)
request the pleasure of your company
at their marriage
at (Ceremony Details)
on (Day, Date, Month, Year)
at (Time)
and afterwards at
(Reception Details)

Bride and Groom Hosting

(Bride’s Name)
and
(Groom’s Name)
request the pleasure of your company
at their marriage
at (Ceremony Details)
on (Day, Date, Month, Year)
at (Time)
and afterwards at
(Reception Details)

Groom's Parents Hosting

Mr and Mrs (Groom’s Parents Name)
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of
(Bride’s Name)
to their son
(Groom’s Name)
at (Ceremony Details)
on (Day, Date, Month, Year)
at (Time)
and afterwards at
(Reception Details)

Divorced Bride's Parents Hosting

(Bride’s Mother’s Name)
(Bride’s Father’s Name)
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
(Bride’s Name)
to
Mr (Groom’s Name)
at (Ceremony Details)
on (Day, Date, Month, Year)
at (Time)
and afterwards at
(Reception Details)

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Invitation Variations and Phrases

You can vary and change the above examples, by adding or substituting some of the following phrases to your invitations to make them more personal to you, or to reflect the formality of your wedding.

At the beginning:

Request the pleasure of your company
Request the honor of your presence
Would like to invite you to join them
Invite you to celebrate
Would love for you to join them

Dates and Times:

2 o’clock
2 o’clock in the afternoon
2.00 pm
2:00 p.m.
2 p.m.
Two o’clock
Saturday 14th June 2008
Saturday the Fourteenth of June Two Thousand and Eight

At the End:

And afterwards
And afterwards for dinner and dancing
And afterwards for sumptuous dinner and dancing
Followed by dinner and dancing
Followed by a reception at

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Reply Card tips

• Traditionally, replies are sent to the host of the wedding. However it is often more convenient to have replies sent to the organiser of the wedding, this may be a wedding planner, the Bride and Groom or their parents.



• It is often advisable to ask guests to write in block letters to help you read their replies and ensure you have the correct names of those attending.



• Feel free to have fun with your reply cards and to get your guests in the mood for your big day. A fab example of a reply card for a wedding on the French Riviera included phrases like:
  
  Vavavoum! We would love to come to your wedding in the fabulous Cote D’Azure.
  
  Sacre Bleu! We cannot come to your wedding in the fabulous Cote D’Azure.



• Always include a "please reply by date" to help you to organise.

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What to include in a Reply Card

Reply cards can be a very useful way to ask your guests questions to help you organise, so think about anything you would like to know. Below are some popular questions and ideas of how to word them.

Names:

A space for names is traditionally provided at the top of a reply card in one of the following formats:

Name(s): .................
M ....................

A modern alternative for the bottom of a reply card is:

Lots of love
Name(s): .................

Attendance:

Will be delighted to attend
Are regretfully unable to attend

Would love to attend
Sorry, we are unable to attend

I am/We are able to attend
I am/We are unable to attend

I/We wouldn’t miss it for the world!
You have left it far too late to send the invitations out, we have a brilliant social life and are all booked up!

Dietary:

Please let us know if you have any special dietary requirements: ..............

Dietary restrictions: ..............

We will be serving (enter the type of dish you will be serving, such as fish) please let us know if you have any special requirements: ..............

If you have a choice on your menu you can ask your guests preference in advance in the following way.

Please indicate your choice of:
Beef
Fish
Vegetarian

Reply Date:

Please reply by (Date)

The favour of a reply is requested by (Date)

The kindness of a response is requested by (Date)

Other:

This is our all time favourite party tune and we would definitely get up and dance if you played it! .....................

Please let us know if you will be bringing children to the wedding:

Please let us know if you require a babysitter for Saturday night:

We will be staying at .....................

Please reserve us a space on the coach from the ceremony to the reception

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Information Card

Information cards are a useful way to provide your guests with any information not included on your invitations and to tactfully address any sensitive issues. Some popular and useful topics to cover include:

Transport:

Both public and any that you are providing. You can recommend flights, trains, or simply refer your guests to informative websites and services. You can also remind them to answer any transport related questions on your reply card.

Directions:

Directions to your venue and between your venue and reception are always helpful, especially if your guests are traveling far, or if your venue is in a remote area. You may also want to include details of parking facilites.

Accommodation:

This can be a list of local hotels and B&B’s details and/or details of any special rates you have negotiated with your venue.

Gifts:

Many couples struggle with how to word their request for gifts. Below are some examples that will help you if you are having a traditional wedding list or if you are requesting money or a different donation.

Gift Request Examples:

Please do not feel obliged to buy us a gift, your presence on our wedding day is the most important gift that you could give us. However, for those of you who would like to buy us a gift, we have a wedding list at (name of list and details of how to buy).

Please do not feel obliged to buy us a gift, your presence on our wedding day is the most important gift that you could give us. However, if you would like to buy us something we would be most grateful to receive (name of shop) vouchers or a contribution towards (details eg, our honeymoon or appliances for our new home).

What really matters to us is having you there on our big day. However if you do want to buy us a gift we have a wedding list at (name of list and details of how to buy).

As we have been living together for some time, we are in the enviable position of not needing much for our home! If you would like to give us a gift, any contributions towards (details eg, our honeymoon or appliances for our new home) would be gratefully received.

We have decided not to have a wedding list as such. If you would like to buy us a gift, (name of shop) vouchers or a contribution towards (details eg appliances or our new marital bed!) would be very gratefully received for when we buy our new home together.

Please do not buy us a gift, we would prefer a donation to (name or charity or organistation and details of how to donate).

Children:

Another tricky subject to address particularly if you are unable to accommodate or do not want children to attend your wedding. A carefully worded note on your information cards will inform your guests of your wishes without offending.

Examples of Words Inviting Children:

Children and babies are more than welcome at our wedding. Please let us know in advance if you will be bringing your children.

We have arranged a crèche and kids meal for children. Please let us know if you will be bringing your children.

Examples of Words Not Inviting Children:

We regret that we are unable to accommodate children at our wedding. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you.

Unfortunately, due to venue restrictions we are unable to invite children.

Please book a babysitter and have more fun yourselves!

Dress Code:

This can be included on the information card and is especially important if you are marrying in a venue where there are strict rules about how guests should be dressed.

What to Bring:

This can often be useful if your wedding is abroad and the weather is different or if you are organising specific events such as golf or a pool party.

The Weekend:

If you are organising a weekend of celebrations. Get your guests in the mood and let them know what to expect.

Venues:

The contact details for your ceremony and reception details can be useful if your guests want to ask them any specific questions themselves.

Further Information:

You can include your own contact details here, or those of your wedding planner, ushers, or any other useful numbers, for those last minute details.

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Save the Date Card

This is traditionally a simple announcement card, usually from the Bride and Groom although it can be from their parents.

(Bride and Grooms’ Names)
are delighted to announce
that they will be getting married on
Day, Date, Month, Year
Please save the date
Invitation to follow

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