10 Things to Know About Wedding Invitation Etiquette

Hand calligraphy by Jamie Morin Designs // Layout and design by Hitch Studio

Your wedding invitation is like a first impression. How do you want your wedding style to come across?

When you invite friends and family to your wedding, you’re telling them that you want them to be present at your life-changing event. That kind of message deserves some thoughtful design. From the quality of the paper and colors you choose, to graphics and other elements, invitations give guests a preview of your chosen theme. The right invitation sets the scene for your big day and gets everyone excited about what’s to come.

Hitch Studio can design, customize, and even address your invitations for you! Choose to support a local business. Because I don’t think online companies get out their tape guns to assemble invitations for you with a smile and great service.  😉

What else comes with Hitch Studio wedding invitations? Etiquette advice like this:

  1. Every guest should get their own invitation unless they’re under age 18 or living with a partner/spouse that’s also invited.
  2. Invitations should be written in third person — think “Mr. James Hanson and Miss Angela Nelson request the honor of your presence” rather than “Jimmy and I would love for you to attend”
  3. Use “request the honor of your presence” if getting married in a house of worship and “request the pleasure of your company” if getting married elsewhere.
  4. Skip abbreviations and spell out important information, such as dates, times, and states (Example: “The thirteenth of February, Two thousand twenty-one at six o’clock in the evening on 123 Main Avenue, Brookings, South Dakota”.)
  5. Invitations should go out eight weeks before your wedding date. (Consider earlier if you didn’t send Save the Dates or you’re having a destination wedding).
  6. There are two things you should never put on an invitation: your gift registry and the phrase “no children”. Hitch Studio can help you word a request for an “Adult-only celebration” if you’d like and show you where to put your wedding website instead. Here’s a guide we wrote to not inviting kids to your wedding.
  7. If parents are divorced, list their names on separate lines without an “and” between them, and remember that mom always comes first. If mom is remarried, use her married name. If a remarried parent has a different last name from his or her spouse, put the birth parent first. 
  8. If a parent has passed away, Hitch can help you with wording this delicate situation. We want to make sure it doesn’t sound like the deceased parent is issuing the invitations. You could say something like: The pleasure of your company is requested at the marriage of Elizabeth Anne Williams, daughter of John Williams and the late Jane Williams, to Douglas Nathanial Johnson, son of ….   Mentioning the deceased parent in your program is also a nice touch.
  9. If there is a dress code (like black tie or beach casual attire) list that information in the lower right corner on the reception card.
  10. Order a few extra invitations and envelopes! A good guideline is to order 10-15 more than you think you need. You’ll be glad you have them should you or a calligrapher make a mistake while addressing or if you think of others you’d like to invite. Additionally, you’ll want a few extra copies as keepsakes for yourself and your family members.

We’re happy to talk to you about wedding invitations any time! Set up your free appointment today or there is a FULL LIST of envelope addressing tips in our Wedding Day Designer! If you would like any additional advice, contact us and we can get started creating your dream wedding invitation!

Design by Hitch Studio

1 thought on “10 Things to Know About Wedding Invitation Etiquette”

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top