Your wedding invitations do more than simply share the details of your big day — they set the stage for the celebration to come. From the first glance, your wording should reflect the formality, style, and overall tone of your wedding. If you're planning a classic & elegant event, traditional invitation wording is the best way to honor your day with sophistication.

 

In this guide, I’ll walk you through formal invitation etiquette, along with examples of how to word your invitations in different hosting scenarios and ceremony types. 

 

 
The Basics of Formal Wording

A few key elements define a traditional, elegant wedding invitation:

• Hosts listed first: The names of those hosting the wedding (traditionally the bride’s parents) are at the top of the invitation.
  
  
• Third-person phrasing: Instead of “We invite you,” formal invitations typically use “request the honor” or “request the pleasure.”
  
  
• Spell everything out: Numbers, times, and states are written out (for example: “Saturday, the twenty-first of September, two thousand twenty-six, at six o’clock in the evening”).
   

WORDING EXAMPLES

1. The Most Traditional Invitation Wording - The Bride’s Parents are Hosting

For a church ceremony:
Mr. and Mrs. William Jameson
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Emily Grace
to
Mr. Alexander Benjamin Clark
on Saturday, the twenty-first of September
two thousand twenty-six
at six o’clock in the evening
St. Mary’s Cathedral
Indianapolis, Indiana

For a non-church ceremony:
Mr. and Mrs. William Jameson
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Emily Grace
to
Mr. Alexander Benjamin Clark
on Saturday, the twenty-first of September
two thousand twenty-six
at half past five o’clock
The Scottish Rite Cathedral
Indianapolis, Indiana

 
2. A Mix of Modern & Traditional - Both Families are Hosting

 
3. When the Couple is Hosting a Traditional Wedding

For a formal tone, when the wedding is hosted by the couple:
The honor of your presence
is requested at the marriage of
Miss Olivia Katherine Brooks
and
Mr. Jonathan Peter Wells
Saturday, the third of August
two thousand twenty-six
at half past six o’clock
The Grand Hall at Union Station
Indianapolis, Indiana

 
4. How to Navigate Invitation Wording when Divorced or Remarried Parents Hosting

TIP: When both sets of parents are listed separately, it’s best to use line breaks for clarity.

 

 
FINAL THOUGHTS

Your invitation wording should feel as timeless and graceful as your celebration. By following the etiquette of formal phrasing and tailoring the host lines to your unique circumstances, you’ll create stationery that feels polished and appropriate for an elegant wedding.

At Interprintations, I specialize in designing custom wedding invitations for brides in Indianapolis and across the Midwest. Whether you’re planning a 2026 wedding at an iconic venue like the Grand Hall at Union Station, the Scottish Rite, or the Central Library, I'm always happy to help you create stationery that beautifully captures the tone of your day.