UK Wedding Invitation Wording Examples

United Kingdom guide · Zippite

UK wedding invitations can be traditional, modern, or somewhere between. Phrases such as “request the pleasure of your company” are familiar in formal examples, but they are not compulsory. Use the wording that fits the couple, families, ceremony, and tone of the day, and make the event details easy to understand.

Decide who is inviting guests

Older formal examples often name the bride’s parents as hosts. Today, the couple, either or both families, or the couple “together with their families” may invite guests. A host line is about acknowledgement and invitation, not a fixed statement about who paid. Check that everyone named is comfortable with the wording.

Formal, couple-hosted:

Alex Morgan and Jamie Patel request the pleasure of your company at their marriage
on Saturday 12 June 2027 at 2.30pm
St Anne’s Church, York
A reception follows at The Assembly Rooms
Kindly reply by 1 May to [RSVP details]

Family-inclusive and modern:

Together with their families, Rowan and Ellis invite you to celebrate their wedding
Saturday 12 June 2027 at 2pm
The Old Mill, Bath
Drinks and supper to follow
Please reply by 1 May at [RSVP details]

“Request the honour of your presence” is used in some church or religious ceremony examples; “request the pleasure of your company” is another recognized formal phrase. “Invite you to celebrate” is direct and contemporary. Choose one style rather than mixing formal language with very casual details. For US examples, see US wedding invitation wording.

Separate ceremony and reception details

If ceremony and reception take place at the same venue, say “followed by a reception” or give a clear reception start time. If they are in different places, name each location and time separately. Include the full venue address and a map or travel link in the details card or wedding website.

For guests invited to the evening reception only, say so plainly—for example, “Please join us for an evening reception celebrating our marriage, from 7pm.” Avoid wording that could make someone think they are invited to the ceremony. Our reception-only wording guide has more examples.

Names, dress code and family wording

Use guests’ preferred names and titles, and make clear whether a named partner or an unnamed guest is invited. If you want a dress code, choose a familiar label and explain it briefly when necessary: “Cocktail attire; the reception is in a garden, so please choose comfortable shoes.” For a child-free event or gift preference, see our kind wording examples.

For blended, divorced, bereaved, or remarried families, you can name the chosen hosts, say “together with their families,” or have the couple invite guests directly. A second wedding does not need a special formula. Discuss sensitive acknowledgements before printing; there is no single correct family arrangement.

RSVP and extra information

Give guests an RSVP method and a reply-by date. If you need meal choices, dietary information, or numbers for a venue, explain what to send and when. Longer travel, accommodation, parking, and access details are easier to keep current on a wedding website or separate information card. Provide a contact for questions and check venue information before sharing it.

Proof names, dates, times and the ceremony/reception scope.
Use consistent spelling and time format throughout the invitation.
Check every map and RSVP link on a phone before sending.
Keep wording warm and clear; tradition is optional.

For reply timing, read our RSVP guide. For accommodation and travel, see wedding guest travel details.

Sources and further reading

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