Wedding Invitation Wording: 80+ Examples for 2026

The words you choose for your wedding invitation set the tone for the whole day. Below are more than 100 wedding invitation wording examples — from the most formal traditional samples through modern, casual, creative, romantic, religious, civil, second-marriage, destination and bilingual invitations — with the etiquette behind each one. Skim the headings, copy the sample that fits, then edit until it sounds like you.

The anatomy of a wedding invitation

Almost every wedding invitation in the last hundred years uses the same six lines. Knowing the structure lets you adapt any of the examples below to your wedding without losing the flow.

1. Host line — who is hosting and inviting (the couple, the parents, "together with their families")
2. Invitation line — the verb of inviting ("request the pleasure of your company", "invite you to celebrate", "would love to share with you")
3. Couple names — usually in full, traditionally bride's name first, modernly whichever feels right
4. Date, time, place — the practical information
5. Reception line — whether the reception follows ("Dinner and dancing to follow", "Reception immediately after")
6. RSVP line — how to respond and by when

On a Pressed Love digital invitation, the host line, invitation line, names and date populate the hero of the invitation. The reception and RSVP details live in their own dedicated sections — guests scroll, see the schedule, and confirm in two taps.

Which wording style fits your wedding

If you are not sure where to start, find the row that matches your day and jump to that section. Most couples end up borrowing one line from a formal sample and one from a modern one — that is completely fine, as long as the register stays consistent.

Formal traditional wedding invitation wording

The most ceremonial style. Best for religious weddings, black-tie evenings, family-hosted weddings, and any wedding where the formality of the day matters. Dates and times are spelled out. Last names appear in full. Note the British spelling "honour" — traditional stationers use it on both sides of the Atlantic, and it is the conventional marker of a religious ceremony.

Bride's parents hosting

Mr. and Mrs. Giovanni Rossi
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Anna Maria Rossi
to
Marco De Luca
Saturday, the fifteenth of August
two thousand twenty-six
at four o'clock in the afternoon
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
Bergamo, Italia

Both families hosting

Together with their families
Anna Maria Rossi
and
Marco De Luca
request the honour of your presence
at the celebration of their marriage
Saturday, the fifteenth of August, two thousand twenty-six
at four o'clock in the afternoon
Villa del Balbianello · Lake Como, Italia
Reception to follow

Bride's and groom's parents hosting

Mr. and Mrs. Giovanni Rossi
and Mr. and Mrs. Andrea De Luca
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their children
Anna Maria Rossi
and
Marco De Luca

Groom's parents hosting

Mr. and Mrs. Andrea De Luca
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their son
Marco De Luca
to
Anna Maria Rossi
Saturday, the fifteenth of August, two thousand twenty-six
at half past three in the afternoon

One widowed parent hosting

Mrs. Lucia Rossi
requests the honour of your presence
at the marriage of her daughter
Anna Maria Rossi
to
Marco De Luca

Divorced parents hosting together

Mrs. Lucia Bianchi
and
Mr. Giovanni Rossi
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Anna Maria Rossi
to
Marco De Luca

Each parent gets their own line — never joined by "and" on a single line, which would read as a married couple. The mother is conventionally named first.

A remarried parent and step-parent hosting

Mr. and Mrs. Paolo Bianchi
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of Mrs. Bianchi's daughter
Anna Maria Rossi
to
Marco De Luca

Honouring a parent who has died

Anna Maria Rossi
daughter of Mrs. Lucia Rossi
and of the late Mr. Giovanni Rossi
and
Marco De Luca
request the honour of your presence
at their marriage

A parent who has died is never listed as a host, because a host must be able to receive guests. Naming them in the couple's lineage line — "daughter of the late Mr. Rossi" — is the traditional and gentle solution. On a digital invitation you also have the option of a short memorial section further down the page, with a photograph.

Couple hosting, formal register

The honour of your presence is requested
at the marriage of
Anna Maria Rossi
and
Marco De Luca
Saturday, the fifteenth of August, two thousand twenty-six
at four o'clock in the afternoon

With professional or military titles

Dottoressa Anna Maria Rossi
and
Captain Marco De Luca, Italian Army
request the honour of your presence
at their marriage
Saturday, the fifteenth of August, two thousand twenty-six

Formal British style

Mr and Mrs James Whitfield
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Eleanor Rose
to
Mr Thomas Hale
at St Mary's Church, Chipping Campden
on Saturday the fifteenth of August, two thousand and twenty-six
at two o'clock
and afterwards at Cotswold House

Modern wedding invitation wording

Same six-line structure, contemporary phrasing. Best for civil ceremonies, garden weddings, vineyard weddings, brunch weddings, and any wedding where the day feels more like a celebration than a ceremony. Numerals replace spelled-out dates, first names often replace full names, and the host line loosens up.

Couple hosting

Anna and Marco
invite you to celebrate their wedding
Saturday, August 15, 2026 · 4:00 pm
Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como
Dinner and dancing to follow

Both families hosting (modern)

With joyful hearts, we invite you to celebrate
as Anna and Marco become a family
Saturday, August 15, 2026 · 4:00 pm
Villa del Balbianello · Lake Como
Reception immediately after

Warm and direct

We're getting married — and we'd love you there.
Anna and Marco
August 15, 2026 · Lake Como
Save the day. Details to follow.

Minimal and typographic

Anna · Marco
15 · 08 · 26
Lake Como
4 pm, then dinner

Date first

Saturday, 15 August 2026
is the day Anna Rossi and Marco De Luca get married.
Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como · 4:00 pm
Ceremony, aperitivo, dinner, dancing.

Modern with a story line

Six years after a delayed train to Bologna,
Anna and Marco are getting married.
Saturday, August 15, 2026 · Lake Como
Come for the ceremony, stay for the dancing.

Modern formal hybrid

Together with our families
we request the pleasure of your company
at our wedding
Anna Rossi and Marco De Luca
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 4:00 pm
Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como

City wedding

Anna and Marco are getting married in Milan.
Saturday, August 15, 2026 · 5:00 pm
Palazzo Reale, then dinner at Ristorante Cracco
Cocktail attire · Bring shoes you can walk in

Brunch wedding

Anna and Marco
invite you to a morning wedding
and the long lunch that follows
Sunday, August 16, 2026 · 11:00 am
Cascina Rosa, Franciacorta

Winter wedding

A winter wedding, a warm room, and everyone we love in it.
Anna and Marco · Saturday, 12 December 2026 · 3:00 pm
Castello di Rivoli, Torino
Dinner and dancing to follow · Coats and boots encouraged

Modern with a digital line

Anna and Marco
Saturday, August 15, 2026 · Lake Como
Everything you need — schedule, travel, dress code — is on this page.
Tap below to RSVP by 15 July.

Casual and simple wedding invitation wording

For elopements, intimate weddings, destination weddings, second marriages, and any couple whose voice matters more than tradition. Casual wording works especially well on digital invitations, where the design carries the elegance and the words can carry the personality. Keep it short: if a line would not survive being read aloud, cut it.

Conversational

Two friends. One forever.
Anna and Marco are getting married, and you're invited.
Saturday, August 15, 2026 · 4 pm
Lake Como — bring sunglasses, an appetite, and your best dance.

Playful

She said yes. He cried. Now you have to come.
Anna + Marco · August 15, 2026
Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como

Couple introducing themselves

Hi — we're Anna and Marco.
We met on a train to Bologna six years ago.
On August 15, 2026, we're making it official, at Villa del Balbianello.
We'd love to have you with us.

Four lines, nothing more

We're getting married.
15 August 2026, 4 pm.
Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como.
Please come.

Small wedding

We're keeping it small — which is exactly why we want you there.
Anna and Marco · Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 4 pm
Osteria del Lago, Como · Twenty of us, one long table.

Elopement announcement plus party

We eloped in May. We're celebrating in August.
Anna and Marco
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 7 pm
Terrazza Marconi, Bologna · Food, drinks, and a very long playlist

Backyard wedding

Anna and Marco are getting married in her parents' garden.
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 4 pm
Via delle Rose 12, Bergamo
Flat shoes. Long dinner. No speeches, we promise.

Weekday wedding

Yes, it's a Thursday. Yes, we mean it.
Anna and Marco · 13 August 2026 · 5 pm
Lake Como · Take the afternoon off, we'll make it worth it.

Casual, families included

Together with our families, we'd love you to join us
as we get married.
Anna and Marco · 15 August 2026 · 4 pm
Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como

One-line invitation

Anna and Marco are getting married on 15 August 2026 at Villa del Balbianello, and the day would not be the same without you.

Casual with a clear ask

We're getting married and we need to know who's coming.
Anna and Marco · 15 August 2026 · Lake Como
Two taps to RSVP. Deadline 15 July. Thank you in advance.

Very simple, very warm

Come and watch us get married.
Then eat with us, and dance with us.
Anna and Marco · 15 August 2026 · Lake Como

Creative and playful wedding invitation wording

Unique wedding invitation wording is mostly a question of confidence: pick one joke, land it, then get out of the way of the practical detail. The examples below each keep the date and venue crisp, because a funny invitation that leaves guests unsure of the time has failed at its actual job. If your day has a strong visual identity, browse the template gallery first and write to match it.

Ticket format

ADMIT ONE — The Anna and Marco Wedding
Doors 3:30 pm · Ceremony 4:00 pm · Dinner 6:30 pm · Dancing until late
Saturday 15 August 2026 · Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como
Non-transferable. Non-refundable. Absolutely non-optional.

Menu format

THE MENU
To start: a ceremony, 4:00 pm
Main: dinner under the pergola, 6:30 pm
Dessert: cake, then dancing
Anna and Marco · 15 August 2026 · Lake Como

Press announcement

BREAKING: Local couple finally sets a date.
Sources confirm Anna Rossi and Marco De Luca will marry on 15 August 2026 at Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como.
Witnesses requested. Dancing expected. RSVP by 15 July.

Boarding pass

BOARDING PASS — ROSSI / DE LUCA
Destination: Lake Como · Date: 15 AUG 2026 · Boarding: 15:30
Baggage: one outfit you can dance in
Please confirm your seat by 15 July

Terms and conditions

By attending you agree to: cry at least once, eat more than planned, and stay on the dance floor past midnight.
Anna and Marco · 15 August 2026 · 4 pm · Villa del Balbianello

Save the date, save the liver

Save the date. Then save your energy.
Anna and Marco are getting married on 15 August 2026 at Lake Como, and the party is the whole point.

Music-themed

Side A: the ceremony, 4 pm
Side B: the reception, 6:30 pm until the neighbours complain
Anna and Marco · 15 August 2026 · Villa del Balbianello
Song requests welcome at the RSVP step

For a food-obsessed couple

We have argued about the menu for eleven months.
Please come and eat it.
Anna and Marco · 15 August 2026 · 4 pm · Lake Como

Festival wedding

ANNA + MARCO FEST 2026
One stage. One couple. One very committed DJ.
Gates 3:30 pm, vows 4:00 pm, headline act after dinner
15 August 2026 · Cascina Rosa, Franciacorta

Understated dry humour

After six years, two flats and one very patient dog,
Anna and Marco are getting married.
Saturday 15 August 2026 · 4 pm · Villa del Balbianello
The dog is not invited. You are.

Romantic wedding invitation wording

Romantic wording leans on imagery and rhythm rather than jokes or ceremony. It suits intimate weddings, evening ceremonies, and couples who want the invitation to feel like a letter. Two rules keep it from tipping into cliché: use one image, not five, and keep the practical lines plain.

Classic romantic

Anna and Marco
invite you to witness the beginning of forever
Saturday, the fifteenth of August, 2026
at four o'clock in the afternoon
Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como

Two becoming one

Two hearts, one promise, and everyone we love in one room.
Anna Rossi and Marco De Luca
15 August 2026 · 4:00 pm · Lake Como

Letter style

Dear friend,
On the fifteenth of August we are going to stand in front of the people who made us who we are, and promise each other the rest of our lives. We would very much like you to be one of them.
With love, Anna and Marco

Golden hour

At golden hour, on the water, with you.
Anna and Marco · Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 6:30 pm
Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como

Quiet and sincere

We found each other. Now we are choosing each other, out loud, in front of you.
Anna and Marco · 15 August 2026 · 4 pm · Lake Como

Seasonal romantic

In the last warm week of summer
Anna and Marco will be married
beneath the lemon trees at Villa del Balbianello
Saturday, the fifteenth of August, at four o'clock

Together with our families, romantic register

Together with their families
Anna Maria Rossi and Marco De Luca
invite you to share in the joy of their marriage
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 4:00 pm
Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como

Vow-flavoured

To have, to hold, and to celebrate — with you.
Anna and Marco
15 August 2026 · Lake Como
Ceremony at four, dinner at half past six

Long engagement

We have loved each other for eleven years.
On 15 August 2026, we are finally going to say so in front of everyone.
Anna and Marco · 4 pm · Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como

Evening ceremony

Come at dusk.
Anna and Marco are marrying by candlelight
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 8:00 pm
Chiostro di San Nicolò, Bergamo · Supper immediately after

Religious wedding invitation wording

The phrasing "request the honour of your presence" traditionally indicates a religious ceremony. Below are common variations by faith. Adapt the names of God, the venue and the ceremonial language to your tradition; the invitation structure stays the same. If your ceremony is in a language your guests do not read, this is exactly where the multilingual section further down earns its keep.

Catholic

Mr. and Mrs. Giovanni Rossi
request the honour of your presence
at the Nuptial Mass uniting their daughter
Anna Maria Rossi
and
Marco De Luca
in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony
Saturday, August 15, 2026 · 4:00 pm
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, Bergamo

Christian (non-denominational)

Because God has brought them together
Anna Maria Rossi and Marco De Luca
invite you to worship with them
as they are joined in marriage
Saturday, August 15, 2026 · 2:00 pm
Grace Community Church, Bergamo

Anglican / Church of England

Mr and Mrs James Whitfield
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Eleanor Rose
to
Mr Thomas Hale
at St Mary's Church, Chipping Campden
Saturday 15 August 2026 at two o'clock
and afterwards at Cotswold House

Orthodox

With the blessing of Almighty God
Mr. and Mrs. Giovanni Rossi
invite you to share in the sacred celebration of marriage
of their daughter Anna and Marco De Luca
Saturday, August 15, 2026 · 4:00 pm

Jewish

Together with their families
Anna Rossi and Marco De Luca
invite you to share in their joy
as they are joined in marriage under the chuppah
Saturday, August 15, 2026
Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como

Jewish, with Hebrew date and parents named

Rachel Levi and Daniel Ben-Ari
together with their parents
Sara and David Levi · Miriam and Yoav Ben-Ari
invite you to celebrate their marriage
Sunday, the third of Elul, 5786
16 August 2026 · Ceremony at 6:00 pm
Seudat mitzvah and dancing to follow

Muslim (Nikah)

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Together with our families
we invite you to celebrate our Nikah
Anna and Marco
Saturday, August 15, 2026
Lake Como, Italia

Muslim, with Nikah and Walima

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem
Mr. and Mrs. Ahmed Karim
request the honour of your presence
at the Nikah of their daughter
Amira Karim
to
Yusuf Rahman
Nikah: Friday 14 August 2026, 5:00 pm
Walima: Saturday 15 August 2026, 7:00 pm

Hindu

With the blessings of Lord Ganesha
and our families
we joyfully invite you to the wedding of
Anna and Marco
15 August 2026
Villa del Balbianello

Hindu, multi-day with ceremony names

Shubh Vivah
Mr. and Mrs. Rajesh Mehta
request the pleasure of your company
at the wedding of their daughter
Priya
to
Arjun, son of Mr. and Mrs. Vikram Shah
Mehndi: Friday 14 August · Sangeet: Friday evening
Baraat and Vivah: Saturday 15 August, 10:00 am
Reception: Saturday, 7:00 pm

Sikh

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh
With the blessings of Waheguru and our families
we invite you to the Anand Karaj of
Simran Kaur and Jasleen Singh
Saturday 15 August 2026 · 9:30 am
Gurdwara Sahib, Novellara · Langar to follow

Buddhist

In the spirit of loving kindness
Anna and Marco
invite you to join them as they take their marriage vows
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 11:00 am
Monastero di Pomaia, Tuscany · Lunch and blessing to follow

Interfaith

Two families, two traditions, one marriage.
Rachel Levi and Marco De Luca
invite you to a ceremony that borrows from both,
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 4:00 pm
Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como
Blessings in Hebrew and Italian · Dinner and dancing to follow

Civil and secular wedding invitation wording

For civil ceremonies (town hall, beach, garden, vineyard, restaurant) where no religious element is involved. Use "request the pleasure of your company" or any modern variation. Below are examples by venue type.

Town hall / municipality

Anna Rossi and Marco De Luca
request the pleasure of your company
at their wedding
Saturday, August 15, 2026 · 11:00 am
Palazzo del Comune, Bergamo
Lunch to follow at Villa del Balbianello

Garden / vineyard

Anna and Marco
invite you to celebrate their marriage under the olives
Saturday, August 15, 2026 · 5:00 pm
Cantine di Franciacorta · Brescia
Reception, dinner and dancing to follow

Beach

Salt, sun, and the rest of our lives.
Anna and Marco are getting married on the beach.
August 15, 2026 · 6 pm · Spiaggia di Tropea
Stay for dinner under the stars.

Registry office, ceremony only

Anna and Marco are signing the papers.
Friday, 14 August 2026 · 10:00 am
Ufficio di Stato Civile, Bergamo
Ten of us, twenty minutes, then breakfast. Please join us.

Restaurant wedding

Anna and Marco
request the pleasure of your company
at their wedding lunch
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 1:00 pm
Trattoria della Pieve, Bergamo Alta
Ceremony at noon at the Comune, five minutes' walk away

Museum or gallery

Anna Rossi and Marco De Luca
invite you to their wedding
among the things they love most
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 6:00 pm
Pinacoteca di Brera, Milano · Dinner in the courtyard to follow

Mountain or lakeside

Up the hill, past the pines, at the top.
Anna and Marco are getting married on 15 August 2026 at 4 pm,
Rifugio Alpe Corte, Val Seriana.
Bring walking shoes and a jacket for the evening.

Home wedding

Anna and Marco
invite you to their wedding at home
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 4:00 pm
Via delle Rose 12, Bergamo
Please park on the street and come round the back

Couple-hosting wedding invitation wording

If you and your partner are paying for the day, the invitation should say so — not as a boast, but because the host line tells guests who to thank and who to reply to. Couple-hosted wording is now the most common style we see, and it is the default for second marriages, mature couples, and anyone marrying far from the family home. The tell-tale grammar is first person: "we invite you", "our wedding", "join us".

Formal, couple hosting

Anna Maria Rossi
and
Marco De Luca
request the pleasure of your company
at their marriage
Saturday, the fifteenth of August, two thousand twenty-six
at four o'clock in the afternoon

First person plural

We're getting married!
Anna and Marco invite you to join us
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 4:00 pm
Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como

Couple hosting, families acknowledged

With the love and support of our families
we, Anna and Marco, invite you to our wedding
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 4:00 pm
Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como

Mature couple

Anna Rossi and Marco De Luca
having found each other later than expected
and being in no doubt whatsoever
invite you to their wedding
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 4:00 pm · Lake Como

Same-sex couple, formal

Elena Conti
and
Sofia Marchetti
request the pleasure of your company
at their marriage
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 4:00 pm
Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como

Same-sex couple, modern

Our mothers have been planning this since the day we met.
We are finally letting them.
Ben Adler and Chris Novak are getting married
15 August 2026 · 4 pm · Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como

Couple hosting, short and modern

We're hosting. You're invited.
Anna + Marco · 15 August 2026 · Lake Como
Ceremony 4 pm · Dinner 6:30 pm · Dancing after

Couple hosting a destination wedding

We are getting married in Italy, and we know that is a lot to ask.
Anna and Marco · Saturday, 15 August 2026 · Lake Como
Travel, accommodation and the full weekend schedule are on this page.

Couple hosting after a long engagement

Four years engaged, one very patient family, and finally a date.
Anna and Marco invite you to their wedding
15 August 2026 · 4 pm · Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como

Couple hosting, with a request instead of gifts

Anna and Marco invite you to their wedding
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 4:00 pm · Lake Como
Your company is the gift. If you would like to do more, our honeymoon fund is on this page.

Parents-hosting wedding invitation wording

When one or both sets of parents are paying, naming them as hosts is both correct and kind — it is the public acknowledgement of a private contribution. The grammar shifts to third person: the parents "request", and the couple are named as "their daughter" or "their son". Below are the arrangements that cover almost every family shape.

Bride's parents hosting, modern phrasing

Lucia and Giovanni Rossi
invite you to celebrate the marriage of their daughter
Anna
to
Marco De Luca
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 4:00 pm · Lake Como

Groom's parents hosting, modern phrasing

Elena and Andrea De Luca
invite you to celebrate the marriage of their son
Marco
to
Anna Rossi
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 4:00 pm · Lake Como

Parents hosting, couple named first

Anna Rossi and Marco De Luca
together with their parents
Lucia and Giovanni Rossi
Elena and Andrea De Luca
invite you to their wedding
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · Lake Como

Divorced parents, mother remarried

Mrs. Lucia Bianchi
Mr. Giovanni Rossi
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Anna Maria Rossi
to
Marco De Luca

Both parents and step-parents named

Lucia and Paolo Bianchi
Giovanni and Chiara Rossi
invite you to the marriage of Anna Maria Rossi
to Marco De Luca
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 4:00 pm · Lake Como

Grandparents hosting

Mr. and Mrs. Ernesto Rossi
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their granddaughter
Anna Maria Rossi
to
Marco De Luca

Single parent, warm modern register

Lucia Rossi
invites you to celebrate the wedding of her daughter
Anna
and
Marco De Luca
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 4:00 pm · Lake Como

Parents hosting a bride and bride

Lucia and Giovanni Rossi
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Elena Rossi
to
Sofia Marchetti

Parents hosting, religious and formal

Mr. and Mrs. Giovanni Rossi
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Anna Maria
to
Marco, son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrea De Luca
Saturday, the fifteenth of August, two thousand twenty-six
at four o'clock · Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, Bergamo

Parents hosting the reception only

Anna and Marco were married on 12 June 2026 in Bergamo.
Lucia and Giovanni Rossi
now invite you to a celebration in their honour
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 7:00 pm
Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como

Both-families-hosting wedding invitation wording

"Together with their families" is the single most useful line in modern wedding stationery. It is accurate when both sides contribute, tactful when the split is uneven, and it avoids the awkward arithmetic of naming four parents and two step-parents on a card that also needs to hold a date. Use it whenever the honest answer to "who is hosting?" is "all of us".

The standard line

Together with their families
Anna Rossi and Marco De Luca
invite you to celebrate their marriage
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 4:00 pm
Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como

Together with our families (first person)

Together with our families
we invite you to share in our joy
as we are married
Anna and Marco · 15 August 2026 · Lake Como

Both families named in full

The families of Rossi and De Luca
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of
Anna Maria Rossi and Marco De Luca
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 4:00 pm · Lake Como

Two families becoming one

Two families, one very good reason to gather.
Anna and Marco are getting married.
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 4:00 pm · Villa del Balbianello

With the blessing of both families

With the blessing of their families
Anna Maria Rossi
and
Marco De Luca
request the honour of your presence at their marriage

Both families, blended and named

Lucia and Paolo Bianchi · Giovanni Rossi
Elena and Andrea De Luca
together invite you to the marriage of
Anna and Marco
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · Lake Como

Both families, cross-cultural wedding

The Karim and De Luca families
joyfully invite you to the wedding of
Amira and Marco
Nikah: Friday 14 August · Civil ceremony and dinner: Saturday 15 August
Lake Como, Italia

Both families, minimal

Our families invite you.
Anna + Marco · 15.08.2026 · Lake Como
4 pm ceremony, dinner after

Whose name goes first on a wedding invitation — and why

This question comes up more than any other, and the honest answer is that the old rule exists for a reason that mostly no longer applies. In traditional wording the bride is named first because her parents are the hosts: the invitation is written from their point of view, so it reads "the marriage of their daughter Anna Maria Rossi to Marco De Luca". The bride's name comes first because she is the host family's child, not because of any ranking of the couple.

That logic gives you a simple test. Ask who the invitation is written by, and put that family's child first:

• Bride's parents hosting — bride first, groom after "to".
• Groom's parents hosting — groom first, bride after "to".
• Both families hosting — either order; most couples keep the bride first out of habit, and that is fine.
• The couple hosting — no rule at all. Choose by sound, by alphabet, or by whichever name the guest list knows better.
• Same-sex couples — no rule. Alphabetical order is the most common tiebreaker; the second most common is simply which order reads better aloud.

Two practical notes. First, whatever order you pick, use it everywhere — the save the date, the invitation, the RSVP page, the signage, the thank-you cards and your hashtag. Inconsistency is what guests actually notice. Second, if the two of you keep going back and forth, read both versions out loud; the version with the better rhythm nearly always wins, and rhythm is a legitimate reason.

Bride first, parents hosting

Mr. and Mrs. Giovanni Rossi
request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter
Anna Maria Rossi
to
Marco De Luca

Groom first, his parents hosting

Mr. and Mrs. Andrea De Luca
request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their son
Marco De Luca
to
Anna Maria Rossi

Alphabetical order

Ben Adler and Chris Novak
invite you to their wedding
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · Lake Como

Chosen by ear

Marco and Anna
are getting married
15 August 2026 · Villa del Balbianello

Both names on one line, no order implied

Anna · Marco
15 August 2026
Lake Como

Names last, event first

A wedding, on the fifteenth of August, at Villa del Balbianello.
Ours. Please come.
Anna and Marco

Second-marriage wedding invitation wording

For second (or third) marriages, the host line traditionally shifts to the couple themselves — they are no longer "being given" by their parents. Wording leans warm-and-confident: this is a choice they're making for themselves. Children from previous relationships are often named as co-hosts, which is both accurate and a quiet reassurance to them. Pair with a more grown-up template like Big Entrance or Teatro from the gallery.

Couple hosting, second marriage

Anna Rossi and Marco De Luca
request the pleasure of your company
as they exchange their marriage vows
Saturday, August 15, 2026 · 4:00 pm
Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como

With children from prior marriages

Anna, Marco, Sofia, and Luca
invite you to celebrate as we become a family.
Saturday, August 15, 2026 · 4:00 pm
Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como

Children as hosts

Sofia and Luca
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their mother
Anna Rossi
to
Marco De Luca

Second time, second chance

We have both done this before.
This time we got it right.
Anna and Marco · 15 August 2026 · 4 pm · Lake Como

Small second wedding

No aisle, no speeches, no fuss — just the twelve people who matter most.
Anna Rossi and Marco De Luca are getting married
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 1:00 pm
Osteria del Lago, Como · Lunch immediately after

Blended family, formal

Together with their children
Anna Maria Rossi and Marco De Luca
request the pleasure of your company
at their marriage and the joining of their families
Saturday, the fifteenth of August, two thousand twenty-six

Vow renewal after a second marriage

Ten years ago we started again.
Please join us as we say it all a second time.
Anna and Marco · 15 August 2026 · 5 pm · Lake Como

Second marriage, grown children and grandchildren

Anna Rossi and Marco De Luca
together with their children and grandchildren
invite you to their wedding
Saturday, 15 August 2026 · 4:00 pm
Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como · Dinner and dancing to follow

Bilingual and multilingual wedding invitation wording

For weddings with guests from different language backgrounds, write the source invitation in your primary language and rely on the language switcher to render the rest. On Pressed Love, every guest sees the invitation in their device language automatically — 29 languages are supported on every published invitation, with a manual switcher in the corner for guests whose phone language is not their reading language. Below are common openings in five languages couples most often need.

• English: "Together with their families, Anna and Marco invite you to celebrate their wedding."
• Italian: "Insieme alle loro famiglie, Anna e Marco vi invitano a celebrare il loro matrimonio."
• Albanian: "Së bashku me familjet e tyre, Anna dhe Marco ju ftojnë të festoni martesën e tyre."
• Spanish: "Junto con sus familias, Anna y Marco les invitan a celebrar su boda."
• German: "Gemeinsam mit ihren Familien laden Anna und Marco Sie herzlich zu ihrer Hochzeit ein."
• French: "Avec leurs familles, Anna et Marco vous invitent à célébrer leur mariage."
• Portuguese: "Juntamente com as suas famílias, Anna e Marco convidam-no a celebrar o seu casamento."
• Turkish: "Aileleriyle birlikte, Anna ve Marco sizi düğünlerini kutlamaya davet ediyor."

On paper, a bilingual invitation has to choose a layout: two columns, two sides, or two separate print runs. Each has a cost. Below are the layouts couples ask us for most, written out so you can see how they read.

Two-column bilingual (Italian and English)

Insieme alle loro famiglie · Together with their families
Anna Rossi e Marco De Luca
vi invitano al loro matrimonio · invite you to their wedding
Sabato 15 agosto 2026 · Saturday 15 August 2026
ore 16:00 · 4:00 pm
Villa del Balbianello, Lago di Como

Stacked bilingual (Albanian above English)

Së bashku me familjet tona ju ftojmë në dasmën tonë
Klea dhe Endrit
E shtunë, 15 gusht 2026, ora 16:00

Together with our families we invite you to our wedding
Klea and Endrit
Saturday 15 August 2026, 4:00 pm

Bilingual with one shared practical block

Anna e Marco si sposano · Anna and Marco are getting married

15.08.2026 · 16:00 · Villa del Balbianello, Como
RSVP: 15.07.2026

Dates, times and venue names need translating far less often than couples assume. Putting them in a single shared block halves the length of a bilingual invitation.

Spanish and English, couple hosting

Isabel Ferrer y Rafael Duarte
tienen el placer de invitarles a su boda
are delighted to invite you to their wedding
Sábado 15 de agosto de 2026 · 17:00
Finca La Alquería, Sevilla

German and English, formal

Lena Hoffmann und Jonas Weber
geben sich das Ja-Wort
Wir laden Sie herzlich ein, diesen Tag mit uns zu feiern.

We would be delighted if you would celebrate this day with us.
Samstag, 15. August 2026 · 15:00 Uhr · Schloss Elmau

Arabic and English (right-to-left source)

Amira Karim and Yusuf Rahman
request the honour of your presence at their Nikah
Friday 14 August 2026 · 5:00 pm
Walima: Saturday 15 August, 7:00 pm
The Arabic version of this invitation is one tap away, and lays out right-to-left automatically.

Three languages, destination wedding

Anna and Marco · Lake Como · 15 August 2026
Guests are arriving from Italy, Albania and the United Kingdom.
This invitation is written in all three languages — use the switcher at the top of the page to change it.

Language switcher line for the hero

Cambia lingua · Ndrysho gjuhën · Change language

Bilingual RSVP prompt

Confermate la vostra presenza entro il 15 luglio.
Please confirm your attendance by 15 July.

The multilingual case is the clearest argument for digital over paper: a bilingual printed invitation either doubles in size or halves in legibility, whereas a digital one simply renders in the reader's language. If your guest list spans two countries, read the digital versus paper comparison before you commit to a printer.

Destination wedding invitation wording

Give guests permission to plan. Destination weddings need more notice (a 12-month save the date is standard), more practical detail (airport, hotel block, schedule of multi-day events), and ideally a multilingual invitation if guests are flying from different countries. Pressed Love handles the language layer automatically; you only need to write the source text.

Standard destination

Anna and Marco are getting married — in Italy.
Save the dates: August 14–16, 2026 · Lake Como.
Full invitation with travel and accommodation details to follow.

Multi-day celebration

We're inviting you to two days of celebrating, with the wedding in the middle.
Friday, August 14 · welcome aperitivo
Saturday, August 15 · ceremony and reception
Sunday, August 16 · farewell brunch
Lake Como, Italia · accommodation details inside

Acknowledging the ask

We know a wedding abroad is a big ask.
Anna and Marco · 15 August 2026 · Lake Como
Flights, hotels at every budget, and a shuttle from Milan are all listed on this page. If you can come, we would love it. If you can't, we understand completely.

Destination with a travel block

Anna and Marco · Lake Como · 15 August 2026
Nearest airport: Milano Malpensa (MXP), 75 minutes by car
Hotel block: Hotel Belvedere, code ROSSIDELUCA, held until 15 June
Shuttle from Como town at 3:00 pm on the day

Short destination save the date

Book the time off.
Anna and Marco · Lake Como · 14–16 August 2026
Invitation and travel details in the spring.

Local ceremony, destination party

We're marrying quietly at home in June,
and celebrating loudly in Puglia in September.
Anna and Marco · 12 September 2026 · Masseria Torre Coccaro
Three days, one long table, everyone we love.

Wording for digital wedding invitations

A digital invitation is not a photograph of a card. Two lines from the paper tradition stop making sense the moment the invitation lives on a phone, and two new ones become useful. Getting this right is the difference between an invitation that feels designed for the medium and one that feels scanned.

• Drop the envelope line. "The favour of a reply is requested" and the enclosed-card language ("reply card enclosed", "response card must be returned") have no referent on a phone. Replace with a direct instruction.
• Drop the postal RSVP address. There is nowhere to post it to.
• Make the RSVP an action, not an address. "Tap to RSVP by 15 July" tells the guest exactly what to do with their thumb.
• Write a covering message. On paper, the envelope does the greeting. On WhatsApp, the message above the link does it — and it is the single most-read text you will write. Keep it to two sentences plus the link.

A Pressed Love invitation opens with an envelope-opening animation, so the first line a guest sees is the hero line — treat it like a headline, not a paragraph. The RSVP lives in its own section and writes to your dashboard, which feeds the drag-and-drop seating chart directly, so the wording only has to ask; the counting takes care of itself. For the mechanics of sending, see the WhatsApp invitation flow and our full guide to sending by WhatsApp.

Digital hero line

Anna & Marco
15 August 2026 · Lake Como

Digital RSVP instruction

Tap below to let us know if you can come.
Please reply by 15 July 2026.

WhatsApp covering message

Ciao Elena! We're getting married on 15 August at Lake Como and we would love you there. Everything — schedule, travel, dress code — is here, and you can RSVP at the bottom in two taps.

SMS covering message (short)

Anna & Marco are getting married, 15 Aug 2026, Lake Como. Full details and RSVP here.

Email subject and opening line

Subject: You're invited — Anna & Marco, 15 August 2026
Dear Elena, our invitation is finally ready. Everything you need is on one page, including the RSVP. We'd love to see you at Lake Como in August.

Line for a printed QR card

Anna & Marco · 15 August 2026
Scan for the full invitation, schedule and RSVP.

Live-update line

This page is the invitation, so it stays up to date.
Any change to the schedule or the venue will appear here first.

Gift fund line

We have everything we need except a honeymoon.
If you would like to contribute, the fund is at the bottom of this page — and please do not feel any obligation.

Closing line before the RSVP button

That's everything. Now the only thing left is to tell us you're coming.

When you are ready to put your own wording into a real invitation, start at /create — preview is free, and you only pay when you publish.

Save the date wording

The save the date is shorter than the invitation — its job is to lock the date, not to convey the details. Send it 6–8 months out (12 months for destination weddings). Keep it to four lines: announcement, names, date, location. There is a whole page on digital save the dates if you want the format detail, and a full timeline in when to send wedding invitations.

Classic save the date

Save the date
Anna and Marco · August 15, 2026
Lake Como, Italia
Invitation to follow

Casual save the date

It's happening.
Anna + Marco · 15 August 2026 · Lake Como
More details soon.

Formal save the date

Please save the date
for the marriage of
Anna Maria Rossi and Marco De Luca
Saturday, the fifteenth of August, two thousand twenty-six
Lake Como, Italia · A formal invitation will follow

Destination save the date

Save the weekend.
Anna and Marco · 14–16 August 2026 · Lake Como, Italy
Book your leave now — travel and hotel details in the spring.

Save the date with a photo caption

This is us, six years in, still laughing at the same jokes.
We're getting married on 15 August 2026 at Lake Como.
Save the date · Invitation to follow

Save the date, minimal

15 · 08 · 2026
Anna & Marco
Lake Como

RSVP wording

On paper invitations, the RSVP card is a separate piece. On digital invitations the RSVP form lives at the bottom of the invitation page. Whatever the format, the wording should ask three things: are you coming, who are you bringing, and any dietary or accessibility needs.

Standard RSVP

Kindly respond by July 15, 2026
____ will attend with pleasure
____ regretfully declines
Number in your party: ____

Digital RSVP form (Pressed Love default)

Yes, I'll be there · No, I can't make it
Bringing a plus-one? · Yes / No / Their name
Dietary requirements? · Vegetarian / Vegan / Gluten-free / Allergies / Other
Anything else we should know?

Formal RSVP line

The favour of a reply is requested by the fifteenth of July

Warm RSVP line

Let us know by 15 July so we can save you a seat — and a starter.

RSVP with a deadline reason

Please reply by 15 July. Our caterer needs final numbers a month out, and we would much rather chase the tiramisu than chase you.

Per-event RSVP (multi-day)

Friday welcome dinner · attending / not attending
Saturday ceremony and reception · attending / not attending
Sunday farewell brunch · attending / not attending

Reception line wording

Tells guests what to expect after the ceremony. One line, usually at the end of the invitation. Examples:

• "Dinner and dancing to follow"
• "Reception immediately after"
• "Cocktails, dinner, and celebration to follow"
• "Please join us for aperitivo, dinner and dancing"
• "Stay for the party"
• "Reception to follow at Villa del Balbianello, a five-minute walk away"
• "Lunch, then the afternoon off, then dancing at nine"
• "Carriages at midnight"
• "Dinner at half past six · Dancing until late"
• "Followed by supper in the orangery"

Dress code wording

Tucked under the reception line, or — on Pressed Love — in its own dedicated section with a longer description and a visual guide. Common phrasings:

• Black tie — "Black tie" or "Black tie preferred" (tuxedo and floor-length dress)
• Cocktail — "Cocktail attire" (suit / cocktail dress)
• Garden party — "Garden-party attire" (linen suit / sundress and a hat)
• Beach formal — "Beach formal" (linen, sandals or barefoot, no heels)
• Festive — "Festive attire — whatever makes you feel like dancing"
• Colour request — "We'd love to see you in warm neutrals — but please wear what makes you happy"
• Practical warning — "The ceremony is on grass; stilettos will not survive it"

The small lines: gifts, children, plus-ones, timing

These are the sentences couples rewrite fifteen times. The trick is to be unambiguous and short — a hedged line generates more questions than a direct one, and every question a guest has to ask you is a question your invitation failed to answer.

• No gifts: "Your presence is the present. Truly — please don't bring anything."
• Money instead of a list: "We already have a toaster. If you'd like to give something, our honeymoon fund is on this page."
• Honeymoon fund, formal: "Should you wish to give a gift, a contribution towards our honeymoon would be warmly received."
• Charity instead: "In place of gifts, we'd love you to donate to the local animal shelter — details on this page."
• Adults only: "We adore your children, but this is an adults-only celebration. We hope this gives you a night off."
• Children welcome: "Bring the children — there's a supervised room with films and pizza from seven."
• Plus-one given: "You're welcome to bring a guest — add their name at the RSVP step."
• No plus-one: "We're keeping the guest list to those we know well, so we've reserved a seat just for you."
• Unplugged ceremony: "Please keep phones away during the ceremony — our photographer has it covered, and we'd love to see your faces."
• Arrival time: "Please arrive by 3:45 pm. The ceremony starts at 4:00 pm sharp and the doors close."
• Parking and transport: "Parking is limited. A shuttle leaves Como town at 3:00 pm and returns at midnight."
• Accessibility: "The venue is step-free throughout. Tell us at the RSVP step if there's anything else we can arrange."

Common wedding invitation wording mistakes

The mistakes we see most often when couples come to us with wording they have written themselves:

1. Mixing formal and casual phrasing in the same invitation. Pick a register and stick to it. "Request the honour of your presence" and "Stay for the party" do not belong on the same invitation.
2. Hiding the date. The date and time should be readable in three seconds. If a guest has to hunt, you have buried the most important information.
3. Forgetting the year on the save the date. "August 15" is ambiguous twelve months out.
4. Combining wedding-day and pre-wedding events on the same line.The welcome dinner, the brunch, and the after-party are separate; give them their own section.
5. Using "and Guest" when you mean a specific person. If you know the partner's name, use it; "and Guest" reads as impersonal.
6. Naming a deceased parent as a host. A host receives guests. Name them in the couple's lineage line instead — "daughter of the late Mr. Rossi".
7. Leaving the RSVP deadline off. "RSVP" with no date is an invitation to reply in September. Give a date and, ideally, a reason.
8. Keeping paper-only language on a digital invitation. "Reply card enclosed" and a postal address for responses make no sense on a phone.

From paper wording to digital

Every wording style above translates directly to a digital invitation, but a digital invitation can hold more than a paper one can. Use the extra real estate. Your hero gets the names and date. Your story section gets the "how we met" paragraph that would never fit on a card. Your schedule gets the multi-day timeline. Your venue section gets the interactive map. Your FAQ gets the questions you would otherwise answer on the phone fifty times.

If you are ready to design your own, start at /create — pick a template, paste in your wording, preview free, publish when you're ready. Pricing is one-time: €49 to €575, with no subscription and no per-guest fees. Browse the full template gallery, read more on why couples switch from paper to digital, or compare the two formats directly in digital vs paper wedding invitations.

Wedding invitation wording — FAQs