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When it comes to wedding invitation wording, ensuring all the aspects of a relationship are covered is important. Knowing how, or whom to include can sometimes be difficult. However, since weddings are such special occasions, it is important to use the opportunity to honor important people in your life.

Even in difficult situations, following etiquette can not only help family to feel honored, it can also mend bridges and help set a new tone for the future of the relationship.

Wording invitations for complex relationships also gives guest valuable information about the current situation for the hosts and help them avoid uncomfortable situations. For example, perhaps a bride or groom’s parent is recently deceased and only a few people are aware. The wording of an invitation can guide a guest into understanding the situation and avoid asking or stirring up something painful. Or perhaps a parent has a new spouse that should be included. How you word the invitation is an important part of ensuring that respect is shown to all parties involved.

Here are some sample formats for trickier situations:

One parent deceased and remaining parent not remarried:
God has led two lives
to take one path
Mr. John J. Jones
requests the honor of your presence
at the marriage of his daughter
Jean Marie
to
Mr. Steven James Smith
Saturday, the sixteenth of March
Two Thousand Ten
at three o’clock in the afternoon
Mountain View Community Church
1234 Main Street
Denver, Colorado

From the bride’s parents:
 (divorced)
Mrs. Anne M. Jones
Mr. John J. Jones
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Jean Marie Jones
and
Steven James Smith
Saturday, the sixteenth of March
Two Thousand Ten
at three o’clock in the afternoon
Mountain View Community Church
1234 Main Street
Denver, Colorado
Dinner and dancing to follow

From the bride and groom and their parents:
Before they met, their strength was of one
Through marriage, they will experience
the strength of much more than two
Jane Marie Jones
and
Steven James Smith
together with their parents
request the favor of your presence
at their marriage
Saturday, the sixteenth of March
Two Thousand Ten
at three o’clock in the afternoon
Mountain View Community Church
1234 Main Street
Denver, Colorado

From the bride’s mother:
(remarried)
Mrs. Anne Marie Hughes
requests the honor of your presence
at the marriage of her daughter
Jane Marie Jones
to
Mr. Steven James Smith
Saturday, the sixteenth of March
Two Thousand Ten
at three o’clock in the afternoon
Mountain View Community Church
1234 Main Street
Denver, Colorado

From the bride’s mother and stepfather
Love isn’t love ’til you give it away . . .
Mr. and Mrs. Gary Scott Hughes
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of Mrs. Hughes’ daughter
Jane Marie Jones
to
Mr. Steven James Smith
Saturday, the sixteenth of March
Two Thousand Ten
at three o’clock in the afternoon
Mountain View Community Church
1234 Main Street
Denver, Colorado

From the bride’s relative:
(both parents deceased)
Mr. Jonathan H. Jones
requests the honor of your presence
at the marriage his sister
Jane Marie
to
Mr. Steven James Smith
Saturday, the sixteenth of March
Two Thousand Ten
at three o’clock in the afternoon
Mountain View Community Church
1234 Main Street
Denver, Colorado

When it comes to wedding invitation wording, ensuring all the aspects of a relationship are covered is important. That’s where all the rules of etiquette apply, and that’s the detail that makes a wedding invitation special. Paying attention to those details may be one small part of the overall wedding plan, but it is still an essential part.

Weddings are a momentous occasion that most people hope to share with friends and family. No matter the type of wedding, or where it is held, it is important that we follow wedding invitation etiquette to properly honor the hosts and or parents. How an invitation is written gives guests important cues on relationship dynamics and helps them to avoid small blunders which can cause problems. Wording for example can indicate that the bride’s mother alone is hosting the affair, which gives guests a cue that the father is absent or deceased, and treat the situation accordingly.

Here are some examples of less complicated invitation wording situations:

From the bride’s parents:
For everything there is a season
a time and a purpose
Mr. and Mrs. John J. Jones
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Jane Marie
to
Mr. Steven James Smith
Saturday, the sixteenth of March
Two Thousand Ten
at three o’clock in the afternoon
Mountain View Community Church
1234 Main Street
Denver, Colorado

From the bride’s parents
with mention of the groom’s parents:
A life of sharing, caring
A love of endless giving together
Mr. and Mrs. John J. Jones
invite you to share in the joy
of the marriage uniting their daughter
Jane Marie
to
Mr. Steven James Smith
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Smith
On Saturday, the sixteenth of March
Two Thousand Ten
at three o’clock in the afternoon
Mountain View Community Church
1234 Main Street
Denver, Colorado

From the bride’s parents:
Each hour, each day, each year
We grow as two, yet as one,
We grow apart, yet together
Forming an eternal love
John and Anne Jones
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Jane Marie Jones
and
Steven James Smith
Saturday, the sixteenth of March
Two Thousand Ten
at three o’clock in the afternoon
Mountain View Community Church
1234 Main Street
Denver, Colorado
Dinner and dancing to follow

From both sets of parents:
We have experienced love . . .
in our parents, our families and friends
and now a new love in each other
Mr. and Mrs. John J. Jones
and Mr. and Mrs. Andrew A. Smith
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their children
Jane Marie Jones
and
Steven James Smith
Saturday, the sixteenth of March
Two Thousand Ten
at three o’clock in the afternoon
Mountain View Community Church
1234 Main Street
Denver, Colorado

From the groom’s parents:
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew A. Smith
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of
Miss Jane Marie Jones
to their son,
Steven James Smith
Saturday, the sixteenth of March
Two Thousand Ten
at three o’clock in the afternoon
Mountain View Community Church
1234 Main Street
Denver, Colorado

Destination wedding—from the bride’s parents:
The most joyous of occasions
is the union of man and woman
in celebration of life . . .
Mr. and Mrs. John J. Jones
invite you to share the joy as
Jane Marie Jones
and
Steven James Smith
are married in a
torch light ceremony
Saturday, the sixteenth of March
Two Thousand Ten
at seven o’clock in the evening
Waimea Falls,
Oahu, Hawaii

Reception invitation:
Love was meant to be shared
with parents, family and friends
Mr. and Mrs. John J. Jones
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage reception of their daughter
Jane Marie
and
Mr. Steven James Smith
Saturday, the sixteenth of March
Two Thousand Ten
at seven o’clock in the evening
Mountain View Community Church
1234 Main Street
Denver, Colorado

Contemporary—from the bride’s parents:
Mr. and Mrs. John J. Jones
invite you to share the joy
as two special people
Jane Marie Jones
and
Steven James Smith
become one in marriage
Saturday, the sixteenth of March
Two Thousand Ten
at seven o’clock in the evening
Mountain View Community Church
1234 Main Street
Denver, Colorado

Reception invitation from the bride and groom:
My family, your family — blending as one
Sharing, caring — a new life’s begun
Jane Marie Jones
and
Steven James Smith
are pleased to announce their marriage
on Saturday, March Sixteenth
during a private ceremony in Hawaii
Please join us for a celebration
when we return as husband and wife
Friday, April 10th at 8:00 p.m.
La Baguette Cafe
Denver, Colorado

Fun contemporary—from the bride and groom:
His love is the sunshine
that keeps me warm
To me, she’s the rainbow
after the storm
His love gave me wings
it has set me free
And wherever she is
that’s where I want to be
We invite you to be with us
as we begin our new life together
Ms. Jane Marie Jones
and
Mr. Steven James Smith
are pleased to announce
they will be married
Saturday, the sixteenth of March
Two Thousand Ten
at three o’clock in the afternoon
Mountain View Community Church
1234 Main Street
Denver, Colorado

From the bride and groom and their parents:
Before they met, their strength was of one
Through marriage, they will experience
the strength of much more than two
Jane Marie Jones
and
Steven James Smith
together with their parents
request the favor of your presence
at their marriage
Saturday, the sixteenth of March
Two Thousand Ten
at three o’clock in the afternoon
Mountain View Community Church
1234 Main Street
Denver, Colorado

From the bride and groom and their families:
It is our moment to celebrate
the love that unites us
Together with their families
Jane Marie Jones
and
Steven James Smith
request the favor of your presence
at their marriage
Saturday, the sixteenth of March
Two Thousand Ten
at three o’clock in the afternoon
Mountain View Community Church
1234 Main Street
Denver, Colorado

From the bride and groom with reception following:
In the presence of our loved ones
we will exchange vows of marriage
and pledge to live all our tomorrows
together in love
Jane Marie Jones
and
Steven James Smith
request the honor of your presence
to share in the celebration
of their marriage
on
Saturday, the sixteenth of March
Two Thousand Ten
at three o’clock in the afternoon
Mountain View Community Church
Denver, Colorado
Reception to follow
The Victorian at Heritage Square