The world of wedding invitation etiquette can be tricky to navigate.

The wording might not be as fun to think about as paper designs, calligraphy and colour schemes. But when it comes down to it, even the most gorgeous wedding invitations need to be informative.

However, those old and fast rules have had to give way to the realities of modern life and rightly so, too.

Your wedding invitations are the first impression guests will have of your celebration. They should convey the who, when and where details of the day, while offering a sneak peek of your wedding aesthetic. Wedding invitations should detail all essential wedding info; who’s getting married, who’s hosting, and where and when the ceremony and reception will take place.

In the past, it was relatively easy. An invitation would be extended from the bride’s family (or occasionally the bride and groom’s family) requesting the pleasure of the company of….

With this in mind, we’ve put together a few top tips which we hope will put an end to your wording worries!

So here are some Little Paper Shop top tips for your wedding invitation wording…What is the traditional wording used in wedding invitations?

If the bride’s parents are hosting the traditional format would be:

With great joy, we invite you

to witness the marriage of our daughter

Jenny Williams to Michael Smith

If both sets of parents are hosting the ceremony: 

Mr & Mrs Glen Williams and Mr & Mrs Drew Smith

invite you to share in the joy of the marriage

uniting their children Jenny Williams & Michael Smith

If the grooms parents are inviting guests:  

Mr Drew Smith and Mrs Michelle Smith

request the honour of your presence

at the marriage of uniting their son

Michael Smith to Jenny Williams

What happens if the bride and groom are hosting the wedding?

The choice is yours you could either follow the format above or use the following:

Together with their families

Jenny Williams and Michael Smith

invite you to share their joy at the

celebration of their marriage.

So what about those couples who want to throw out the rule book altogether and have a bit of fun?

We like this:

Oh my gosh! Camilla and Adam are FINALLY getting married and you’re invited to join in the party…

Or something like this:

We’re tying the knot and we’d love you to be there!

You could even create your very own love story. In fact, the only rule we’d ever insist on is that it’s completely up to you.

Here at The Little Paper Shop we’ve seen every variation imaginable. From step-parents to single parents and less formal weddings. We think that while rules are useful sometimes they’re also made to be broken! That’s why as part of our design service we will also offer our guidance when it comes to wording.

Take a look at The Little Paper Shop’s Bespoke service –

We’re here to help you design your dream Bespoke Wedding Stationery and make something completely unique to you!

‘Before any bookings we like to meet with our prospective couples.’

It’s your chance to get to know our Creative Director Cara a little better, review our portfolios, tell us what you like and ask any questions.

To arrange a meeting at our Cheshire studios with no obligation to book, just give us a call on +44 (0)1270 381021 or email hello@thelittlepapershop.com

‘Book your appointment today’

Contact us to arrange – we’ll get the coffee brewing!

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