FAQ: Tricky Wedding Wording

I get asked a lot of questions about wedding invitations, naturally. One of the things I've wanted to do for a while now is come up with a series of blog posts that I can point my brides to when they ask these questions. So today is the day, my friends.

The numero uno question I get from my brides goes something like this:

My mom and dad are divorced and my mom is remarried, but my dad isn't HOW THE HECK DO I WORD MY WEDDING INVITATION?!

(In actuality, no brides have freaked out this bad. But you get the point.)

So I'm going to answer these (and other commonly asked) questions in a series of blog posts that I'm brilliantly calling 'FAQs.' I even made a graphic for the occasion.

You'll see that baby again, let me tell you.

So, let's go over some general wording, and then we'll get into those tricky situations.

First, some traditional wording examples.

(Side note: A lot of brides come to me and say, "my mom wants us to have her and my dad's names on the invitation." This is said with an exasperated tone - you know, that one you use when your own mother wants you to do something but you just don't get it.

Here's what I usually say to those brides:

1. It's completely normal for parents to want to be listed on a wedding invitation, especially because they are usually contributing financially.

2. Your wedding invitation can still be designed in a fun and unique way even if there are one or two more lines factored in. In other words: don't fight that battle.)

OK, so now let's look at some examples.

Traditional Wording (if bride's parents are hosting):

Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Wallace

request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter

Jaime Noelle
to
Tristen Robert Rice

Saturday, the third of August
two thousand and thirteen
at five o’clock in the evening

Meadow Brook Hall
480 South Adams Road
Rochester, Michigan

Reception to follow

Traditional Wording (if groom's parents are hosting):

Mr. and Mrs. James Rice

request the pleasure of your company
as they witness the marriage of

Jaime Noelle Wallace

to their son

Tristen Robert

Saturday, the third of August
two thousand thirteen
at five o'clock in the evening

Meadow Brook Hall
480 South Adams Road
Rochester, Michigan

Reception to follow

Traditional Wording (if both sets of parents are hosting):

Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Wallace &
Mr. and Mrs. James Rice

request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their children

Jaime Noelle
and
Tristen Robert

Saturday, the third of August
two thousand and thirteen
at five o’clock in the evening

Meadow Brook Hall
480 South Adams Road
Rochester, Michigan

Reception to follow

Traditional Wording (if you and your significant other are hosting):

The pleasure of your company
is requested at the marriage of

Jaime Noelle Wallace
to
Tristen Robert Rice

Saturday, the third of August
two thousand and thirteen
at five o’clock in the evening

Meadow Brook Hall
480 South Adams Road
Rochester, Michigan

Reception to follow

Divorced Parent Hosts Alone


Ms. Jane Wallace

requests the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of her daughter

Jaime Noelle
to
Tristen Robert Rice

Saturday, the third of August
two thousand and thirteen
at five o’clock in the evening

Meadow Brook Hall
480 South Adams Road
Rochester, Michigan

Reception to follow

Divorced Remarried Parent Hosts


Mr. and Mrs. Richard Veltri

request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of her daughter

Jaime Noelle Wallace
to
Tristen Robert Rice

Saturday, the third of August
two thousand and thirteen
at five o’clock in the evening

Meadow Brook Hall
480 South Adams Road
Rochester, Michigan

Reception to follow

Divorced Remarried Parent Hosts, both parents included


Richard and Jane Veltri

requests the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of

Jaime Noelle
daughter of Philip Wallace
to
Tristen Robert Rice

Saturday, the third of August
two thousand and thirteen
at five o’clock in the evening

Meadow Brook Hall
480 South Adams Road
Rochester, Michigan

Reception to follow

Divorced Remarried Parents Host Together

Mr. and Mrs. Philip Wallace
and Mr. and Mrs. Richard Veltri

requests the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter

Jaime Noelle Wallace
to
Tristen Robert Rice

Saturday, the third of August
two thousand and thirteen
at five o’clock in the evening

Meadow Brook Hall
480 South Adams Road
Rochester, Michigan

Reception to follow

Widowed Parent Hosts


Mrs. Jane Wallace

requests the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of her daughter

Jaime Noelle
daughter of the late Philip Wallace
to
Tristen Robert Rice

Saturday, the third of August
two thousand and thirteen
at five o’clock in the evening

Meadow Brook Hall
480 South Adams Road
Rochester, Michigan

Reception to follow

Widowed Remarried Parent Hosts

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Veltri
requests the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of the daughter of
Mrs. Veltri and the late Philip Wallace

Jaime Noelle
to
Tristen Robert Rice

Saturday, the third of August
two thousand and thirteen
at five o’clock in the evening

Meadow Brook Hall
480 South Adams Road
Rochester, Michigan

Reception to follow

*If the groom is the one with a deceased parent, you would just list "Son of Mrs. Jane Doe and the late John Doe" right under the groom's.

Now that we've figured out a lot of different ways to traditionally word your wedding invitation, let's look at some modern examples.


Modern Wording Examples:

Together with their families

Jaime Noelle Wallace &
Tristen Robert Rice

Request the pleasure of your company
at their wedding ceremony

August 3, 2013
5:00 in the evening

Meadow Brook Hall
480 South Adams Road
Rochester, Michigan

Reception to follow
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
We are in love &
are getting married

Please join us to celebrate

Jaime Noelle Wallace
& Tristen Robert Rice

August 3, 2013
Five o’clock in the evening

Meadow Brook Hall
480 South Adams Road
Rochester, Michigan

Reception to follow
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Because you have shared in our lives
with your friendship and love, we

Jaime Noelle Wallace
& Tristen Robert Rice

together with our families
invite you to share in our
wedding day

Saturday, the third of august
two thousand and thirteen
at five o’clock in the evening

Meadow Brook Hall
480 South Adams Road
Rochester, Michigan

Reception to follow
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Please join us to celebrate

the wedding of

Jaime Noelle Wallace

and

Tristen Robert Rice

Saturday, the third of august

Two thousand and thirteen

At five o’clock in the evening

Meadow Brook Hall

480 South Adams Road

Rochester, Michigan

Reception to follow

Hopefully this post is helpful. Remember that wording is small part of the process so don't spend too much time worrying about it. If there's a chance you might offend someone, my advice is always to just go ahead and list them. Don't create a rift in a relationship over the wording on your wedding invitation. Your invitation can still be spectacular, even if the wording isn't 100% exactly how you had envisioned it in the first place. :)

FAQs:

To look at some popular wedding fonts, go here.
To figure out how to address your envelopes, go here.