Wedding Invitations

When to mail Wedding Invitations

Generally 6-8 weeks prior to the ceremony.

Wedding Invitation Structure

Host Line - The first line of the invitation is the Host Line and is written in third person. Traditionally, the names that appear on the host line are the bride's parents, but technically this line should be the names of the hosts of the wedding. The host line sometimes will contain both sets of parent's names or contemporary family structures may find that 'together with their families' is more appropriate.

Request Line - The second line is the Request Line, and the place of the actual 'inviting' of the invitation. Traditionally the phrase 'request the honour of your presence' is specifically for ceremonies held at a place of worship, while 'request the pleasure of your company' are for ceremonies held elsewhere or on an invitation for the reception only. For a less traditional wedding, the request line could be worded as 'invite you to celebrate their marriage' or 'invite you to share their love and future together.'

Event Line - The Event Line on the invitation is where guests are informed to what they are being invited to. Wording consists of 'at the wedding of' and 'at the wedding of their daughter' for a ceremony, or 'at the wedding reception for' for a reception. When both parents are hosting a wedding, this line might say 'at the wedding of their children.' When it is an invitation for ceremony and reception, generally 'reception to follow' is located at the very bottom of the invitation.

Bride and Groom Lines - The Bride and Groom Lines are where the couple is named individually with the woman's name always preceding the man's. For traditional invitations hosted by the bride's parents, the bride would be referred to by first and middle name, with no title or last name. If the couple hosts their own wedding, they would use their titles of Miss / Ms. and Mr. as well as their last names.

Date and Year Lines - The Date and Year Lines should have all information and numerals written out. One line is for the day, such as 'Sunday, the eighth of May' and if you choose to include the year it should be on the following line, i.e. 'two thousand and nine.'

Time Line - The Time Line should also be completely written out such as 'two o'clock' of 'half past three.' If you think your guests might be confused on the time of day, you might want to include whether it is in the morning, afternoon, or evening. An example would be 'half past three in the afternoon.'

Location Line - This is for the Address, City and State. Again, write out all names and numerals (under 100). Including the actual street address is optional. City and state appear together on a separate line, i.e. 'San Francisco, California'

Reception Line - The Reception Line appears last on the invitation if the wedding is informal, and the invitation is not going to include a separate reception card. Generally it is the last line and uses the words 'and afterwards the reception' or 'reception immediately following.' If the reception is not at the same location as the ceremony then it would include it, i.e. 'reception to immediately follow at' and on a separate line, 'The Sir Francis Drake Hotel.'

Additional Lines - Additional information can be included on the very bottom of the invitation with several spaces between it and the body of the invitation. Typical text here is 'Black Tie' or 'Casual Attire.' This is also where you might want to put a desire for a response such as 'Kindly Respond.'

Order Extra Invitations

It is suggested that you order more invitations than you think you will need; you might want to add some guests after the first invitations go out or you may discover people you forgot to include. Also take into consideration any errors or waste when addressing the invitations.

Wedding Announcements

Wedding Announcements

Traditionally Wedding Announcements are sent out by the Bride’s parents to friends and family not sent invitations to the wedding. Announcements are sent out after the wedding has taken place, never before. Traditionally they are mailed the day of the marriage, but after the ceremony.

Information to include on a Wedding Announcement

Simply state Mr. Jonathan Michael Richter and Mrs. Nancy Louise Richter (if you are keeping different last names you state your full name) and then 'Announce the Happy News of their Nuptials' or 'We are happy to announce that on March 7, 2009 we were married at Saint Johns, San Francisco, California.' You may also include additional information, such as to announce a new residence and new telephone number.

Miscellaneous

Save The Date Announcements

Generally send Save The Date announcements several months to a year prior to the wedding date. This provides time for guests to make travel arrangements and to set aside your wedding date in their calendars. Some choose to include travel and accommodation details with their save the dates.

How to invite only a few quests to the ceremony and everyone else to the reception

Send everyone an invitation printed with such wording as:

For those few you would like to invite to the ceremony, include an enclosure card printed with the ceremony information:

*Wedding Invitations by Jennifer Cegielski is a good resouce for Wedding Etiquette, and from which we referenced much of the above information.

Baby Announcements

Proper information to be included on a birth announcement

Include the name of the baby, the date and time of birth, weight, the names of the parents, and possibly the town or hospital in which the baby was born.

When to send Baby Announcements

Generally the latest a baby announcement should be sent is six months after the birth.

Wording / Wedding

Brides Parent's Hosting I Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Evan Patterson request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their daughter Melanie Lynn to Mr. Mathew Harrison Thompson Saturday, the third of March Two thousand and nine at three o'clock in the afternoon Church of Saint James San Francisco, California Brides Parent's Hosting II Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Evan Patterson invite you to share in the ceremony uniting their daughter Melanie Lynn and Mathew Harrison Thompson Saturday, the third of March Two thousand and nine at three o'clock in the afternoon Church of Saint James San Francisco, California Bride's Parents Hosting / Parents Divorced Mrs. Janis Louise Davidson Mr. Thomas Evan Patterson request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their daughter Melanie Lynn Patterson to Mr. Mathew Harrison Thompson Saturday, the third of March Two thousand and nine at three o'clock in the afternoon Church of Saint James San Francisco, California Bride's Divorced and Remarried Parent's Co-Host Mr. and Mrs. James Thomas Harrison And Mr. and Mrs. Brian Wilson Francis Request the honour of your presence At the marriage of their daughter Melanie Lynn Harrison To Mr. Mathew Harrison Patterson Saturday, the third of March Two thousand and nine at three o'clock in the afternoon Church of Saint James San Francisco, California Bride's Parents Hosting / Acknowledge Groom's Family Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Evan Patterson request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their daughter Melanie Lynn to Mr. Mathew Harrison Owen son of Mr. and Mrs. James Carl Owen Saturday, the third of March Two thousand and nine at three o'clock in the afternoon Church of Saint James San Francisco, California Groom's Parents Host Mr. and Mrs. Seth Jackson Kirkwood Request the honor of your presence at the marriage of Miss Melanie Lynn Thompson to their son Mathew Harrison Kirkwood Saturday, the third of March Two thousand and nine at three o'clock in the afternoon Church of Saint James San Francisco, California Both Sets of Married Parents Host Mr. and Mrs. Mathew Harrison Patterson And Mr. and Mrs. Seth Jackson Kirkwood Request the honour of your presence At the marriage of their children Melanie Lynn Patterson to Mathew Harrison Kirkwood Saturday, the third of March Two thousand and nine at three o'clock in the afternoon Church of Saint James San Francisco, California	Bride and Groom Host I The honour of your presence Is requested at the marriage of Miss Melanie Lynn Thompson to Mr. Mathew Harrison Patterson Saturday, the third of March Two thousand and nine at three o'clock in the afternoon Church of Saint James San Francisco, California Bride and Groom Host II Miss Melanie Lynn Thompson And Mr. Mathew Harrison Patterson Request the honour of your presence At their marriage Saturday, the third of March Two thousand and nine at three o'clock in the afternoon Church of Saint James San Francisco, California Contemporary Wording Example I Together with their families Melanie Lynn Thompson and Mr. Mathew Harrison Patterson invite you to share their joy as they wed Saturday, the third of March Two thousand and nine at three o'clock in the afternoon Church of Saint James San Francisco, California Contemporary Wording Example II Please Join Melanie Lynn Thompson and Mathew Harrison Patterson as they celebrate their marriage Saturday, third of March Two thousand and nine at three o'clock in the afternoon Church of Saint James San Francisco, California Wedding at Home Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Evan Patterson request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter Melanie Lynn to Mr. Matthew Harrison Thompson Saturday, the third of March Two thousand and nine at three o'clock in the afternoon 234 Rosswood Road San Francisco, California Wedding at Residence other than Hosts' Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Evan Patterson request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter Melanie Lynn to Mr. Matthew Harrison Thompson Saturday, the third of March Two thousand and nine at three o'clock in the afternoon at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. John Edward Kelly 567 Tall Oaks Drive San Francisco, California Ceremony and Reception at Same Location Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Evan Thompson request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter Melanie Lynn to Mr. Matthew Harrison Patterson Saturday, the first of March Two thousand and nine at three o'clock in the afternoon The Yacht Club San Francisco, California and afterwards the reception
RSVP Card
Response Card Wording I The favor of your reply is requested by The Fifth of May	Response Card Wording II Kindly reply before the fifth of May _____accepts with pleasure _____declines with regret
Reception Card
Reception Card Wording I Reception immediately following the ceremony The Ritz Carlton Six hundred Stockton Street San Francisco, California	Reception Card Wording II Reception to follow at The Ritz Carlton At half past five o'clock Six hundred Stockton Street San Francisco, California
Save the Date Card
Save the Date Wording I (optional numeral date i.e. 03.03.2009) Your Presence is requested at the marriage of Melanie Lynn Thompson To Mathew Harrison Patterson Saturday the third of March San Francisco, California Please reserve the date Formal Invitation to follow Save the Date Wording II Melanie and Brian Saturday, the third of March Two thousand and nine San Francisco, California Please reserve the date	Save the Date Wording III Please save the date of Saturday, the third of March for the Wedding of Melanie and Brian San Francisco, California Invitation to follow

Wording / Baby

General I We welcome with love Jonathan Patrick Thompson May 11, 2009 9 lbs, 10 ounces 20 inches (optional) Melanie and Brian General II Melanie and Brian Proudly announce the birth of their (son/ daughter) Jonathan Patrick Thompson May 11, 2009 9 lbs, 10 ounces 20 inches General III It's a (Boy/ Girl)! Jonathan Patrick Thompson May 11, 2009 Ten thirty three a.m. 9 lbs, 10 ounces Melanie and Brian Adoption Adoption I Joyfully we announce the adoption of Jonathan Patrick Thompson born May 11, 2005 placed into our loving arms on May 20, 2005 weight 9 lbs, 10 ounces length 20 inches Share this happiness with us! Melanie and Brian Adoption II Melanie and Brian Thompson joyfully announce the adoption of their son Jonathan Patrick Thompson born May 11, 2009 Placed into their loving arms May 20, 2009 Multiple Births Multiple Births We've been doubly blessed! Jonathan Patrick Thompson 9 lbs, 10 ounces Sarah Marie Thompson 8 lbs, 10 ounces Born on May 11, 2009 Proud Parents Melanie and Brian