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"Getting married is an absolute minefield. It’s something which can be quite overwhelming; there are so many decisions to make, vendors to source, styles to choose from…so it’s easy to understand why some couples feel a little stressed during the planning process. After almost five years as a stationer, I’ve been asked all the questions and I am only too happy to provide a supporting ear to my couples on issues beyond their paper goods.
There are some points you may wish to take into consideration, and these all really boil down to whether you or your family’s are hosting/paying for the wedding itself. Traditionally, either one set or both sets of parents would host the wedding, but it is more commonplace these days for the couple themselves to host.
If one set of parents is hosting the wedding, it is commonplace to leave off their child's surname and include their future wife/husbands full name. For example:
Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Thomas request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter Jessica Natalie to Anthony James Jackson
If both sets of parents are hosting the wedding, the couples first and middle names (if any) are typically included but neither surname:
Mr. James Deacon & Ms. Louise Deluca and Mr. and Mrs. David Gregg request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their children Antony Deacon and Connor Gregg
If you and your partner are hosting the day yourselves, then you don't need to include your parents names at all. You could word your invitations in the following way, which is really popular:
The honor of your presence is requested at the marriage of Molly Jayne Covey to Alice Greer
This may be too formal for you; as such, if you want to be more relaxed, you may prefer to replace the first two lines with:
Together with their families Nicolas Andrew Wilson and Naomi Jade Simpson invite you to join them as they celebrate the happy occasion of their marriage.
Your invitation needs to be clear and concise as it provides your guests with the key information about your wedding, such as the date, the location and the time. You may also want to include the full address of your venue and also, a time by which you would like your guests to be seated ready for the ceremony to begin.
In terms of further information, a details card to go with your invite is a really a good idea; you may have a wedding website set up for this but it can only serve you well to have some of the main information printed too...especially for the older generation. Here is what you should consider sharing with your guests…
Your guests may be travelling to your wedding from some distance, so it is always a good idea to provide them with some additional information to make it super easy for them to attend your wedding. I always recommend including:
- Local hotels/accommodation options - Taxi/cab services - if your guests don't fancy driving and would prefer to let loose at your wedding, they may require taxis to take them home or to their hotel. Advise your guests to book in advance. - Dress code are there any requirements for your big day? Will people need to wear sensible shoes due to rough terrain? Let your guests know if there is a dress code. - Menu options if you want your guests to choose from a menu, then you may wish to include it on the details card. - Gifting do you want guests to come bearing gifts, or would you just prefer their company? Let them know so they know the etiquette for your day. Perhaps you have a gift registry, or just want money towards your honeymoon… - Children some venues have number restrictions, or deep water on site which isn't suitable for children. Or you may not want children at your wedding. Which is cool...just let your guests know!
If you are having a destination wedding, you may wish to include things like flights, transfer information, best places to eat locally, day trips, etc.
So you have your invite wording sorted, and you have provided your guests with all the information they need. But will they attend? If you are sending an RSVP with your invites, be sure to include:
- a RSVP return date and address - a tick box to accept or decline the invite - a line for them to fill in any dietary requirements or meal options
You may also wish to include a line for song requests - that's always popular!
I recommend one invite per family or couple, with an extra 20% to account for people you've forgotten, people you need to invite should people RSVP that they cant come, or for keepsakes.
If you're struggling to keep your guest list down, here are some top tips for sticking to your magic number:
- Only invite people that you see as part of your future - Limit the number of guests your parents can invite - Prioritise your guest list into have to invite (close family), would love to invite (close friends) and can take or leave (old work colleagues, general school friends) - Cut out plus ones for people you know will have other friends in attendance - Say no to children (or at least no to children who aren't immediate family)
If you have any more questions about how to word your invites, how to consolidate your guest list or indeed, to book your invites, then feel free to get in touch - jenna@wonderlandinvites.com |
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