3 Things to Consider About Wedding Invitation Wording
”How do I word my wedding invitation?”
This is a very common question I get often! I am more than happy to help make suggestions and show examples, but if you’re looking for more information about what might be best for your situation, I’ve got a list right here of a few things to keep in mind.
1. Who’s hosting?
Do your parents need to be included on the invitation? Traditionally, the Bride’s parents were the only parents on a wedding invitation. Today, more and more couples are including the Groom’s parents. Why? Traditionally, the Bride’s parents were the only people paying for the wedding, therefore it was their invitation to their daughter’s wedding. These days, more and more Groom’s parents are contributing financially, so it’s a nice touch to also include them.
So… parent’s names are all about who is paying? Well, yes and no. Traditionally, yes. But many wedding traditions get thrown out the door today. Many couples are paying for their own wedding. If that’s the case, parents’ names are not needed on the wedding invitation. However, having your parents’ names on a wedding invitation is also a great way to recognize them, paying or not.
2. Do I need to include my middle name?
How you want your names on your wedding invitation may seem tricky, but it’s really a matter of preference and what you think will be best for your group of guests. Let’s narrow this down a bit.
• First Names Only: Michelle and Ryan
This is simple and to the point, and especially great if you want your names to shine. Keep in mind however, if you do not have parents names on your wedding invitation, make sure you have your last name somewhere within your suite (maybe on the Details card or even as part of the return address on the envelope). Will everyone know who Michelle and Ryan are? For smaller weddings, yes. But for larger weddings, where you parents may be inviting distant relatives or friends, lean towards no and include it somewhere to be sure.
• Including Middle Names: Michelle Ann and Ryan Thomas
To be a bit more formal, add middle names. Being a momentous event in your life, it’s nice to break out those middle names given to you at birth. But consider the same rule above about including last names somewhere within your suite if no parents are being mentioned.
• Full Names: Michelle Ann Scott and Ryan Thomas McCay
This is the most formal and well-known way to have your names on a wedding invitation. Having your last names gets rid of any confusion of who you are, regardless of having your parents names included on the invitation or not.
3. What else?
I’ll help guide you! We’ll want to give your guests all the essential information for your wedding. Date, Time, Ceremony Location, etc. We’ll discuss what works best with your design and information, but if you have any preference for how you’d like your information laid out, we’ll of course work together to make it happen.
Hopefully this has given you a basic start to figuring out how you might like to word your invitation. When working together, I’ll ask if you have full wording you’d like to use, or after collecting your details I’ll make some suggestions for you to choose from!