A wedding invitation settles five things: who is inviting, who is marrying, when, where, and how to reply. Everything else is tone.
The formal version
«Mr and Mrs ××× request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter ××× to ×××, on Saturday the eighteenth of October, two thousand and twenty-six, at ×××.»
Together with their families
«Together with their families, ××× and ××× invite you to celebrate their marriage on Saturday 18 October at ×××.» This is the middle ground most couples now use: it acknowledges both families without naming one as host.
In your own words
«We’re getting married, and we’d love you there. Saturday 18 October, 2pm, at ×××.» Perfectly correct, and often the better fit.
What gets left out
- The room and floor — large venues run more than one wedding a day.
- Arrival time and ceremony time — stated separately.
- Who exactly is invited — names, not assumptions, especially for children and plus-ones.
- A reply date — without one, replies drift.
Asking for the reply
One line: «Kindly reply by 15 September at the link below.» A printed reply card has to be stamped; a digital invitation carries the button instead.
When to send
Six to eight weeks before the wedding, or three months if guests are travelling — with the reply deadline conventionally three to four weeks out. That date is yours to choose and to write on the invitation.
The other guides: Managing RSVPs · Making a seating chart
Frequently asked questions
Who should the invitation come from?
Traditionally the hosts, historically the bride’s parents. «Together with their families» is now just as common, and couples inviting in their own name is entirely normal.
Where does the reply request go?
At the foot of the invitation, with a clear date and a single way to reply.
Do I have to include a reply card?
Not with a digital invitation. If you do send printed reply cards, etiquette is firm that they must be stamped — a guest should never have to buy a stamp to answer you.