Wedding Invitation Wording–Who’s Inviting the Guests to Your Wedding?

The answer to that question is also usually the answer to this question…Who’s hosting the wedding?

The name(s) of those who are paying, or helping to pay, for the wedding are typically listed on your wedding invitations just before the line that reads ‘invite you to share with us‘ or ‘request the honour of your presence‘ or something similar, depending on your choice of wording.  This may be you and your fiancé or it may be one or both sets of parents.  It may also be both you and your parents combined meaning all of you should be listed as doing the inviting.

If you and your fiancé will be hosting your own wedding, you should be listed as inviting your guests.  You can still also reference your parents or list them by name.  Both options are shown in these sample verses…

BRIDE
and
GROOM
invite you to share in the joy
when they exchange marriage vows
and begin their new life together
on DAY
YEAR
at TIME
LOCATION
ADDRESS
CITY, STATE

~~~

Because you have shared in our lives
by your friendship and love, we
BRIDE
and
GROOM
together with our parents
invite you to share
the beginning of our new life together
when we exchange marriage vows
on DAY
YEAR
at TIME
LOCATION
ADDRESS
CITY, STATE

~~~

BRIDE
and
GROOM
together with their parents
BRIDE'S PARENTS
and
GROOM'S PARENTS
invite you to share in the joy
when they exchange marriage vows
and begin their new life together
on DAY
YEAR
at TIME
LOCATION
ADDRESS
CITY, STATE

If parents will be hosting the wedding, there are typically three scenarios that could apply to your wedding invitation wording as shown in these sample verses…

Bride’s parents

BRIDE'S PARENTS
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
BRIDE
to
GROOM
on DAY
YEAR
at TIME
LOCATION
ADDRESS
CITY, STATE

Groom’s parents

GROOM'S PARENTS
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of
BRIDE
to their son
GROOM
on DAY
YEAR
at TIME
LOCATION
ADDRESS
CITY, STATE

Bride and Groom’s parents

BRIDE'S PARENTS
and
GROOM'S PARENTS
invite you to share in the joy
of the marriage uniting their children
BRIDE
and
GROOM
This celebration of love will be
on DAY
YEAR
at TIME
LOCATION
ADDRESS
CITY, STATE

If either the bride’s or groom’s parents are hosting the wedding but happen to be divorced, here are some sample wordings…

Divorced parents hosting wedding together (TIP…mother’s name is listed first if she is also paying towards the wedding)

FATHER’S NAME
and
MOTHER’S NAME
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
BRIDE
to
GROOM
on DAY
YEAR
at TIME
LOCATION
ADDRESS
CITY, STATE

Divorced parent and new stepparent hosting the wedding

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Johnson
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of {his or her} or 
{mother’s name or father’s name} or {their} daughter
BRIDE
to
GROOM
on DAY
YEAR
at TIME
LOCATION
ADDRESS
CITY, STATE

Divorced and remarried parents both hosting wedding

Mr. and Mrs. John Smith
and
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Johnson
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of {their} or 
{father and mother’s names} daughter
BRIDE
to
GROOM
This celebration of love will be
on DAY
YEAR
at TIME
LOCATION
ADDRESS
CITY, STATE

Since this is just a sampling, feel free to browse more examples of formal wedding invitation wording on our website.