The Rules of Wedding Invitations

There is a certain etiquette when it comes to wedding invitations and these may seem a bit daunting when you approach sending out your wedding invites.  But, really, there are just a few simple rules to follow and we have jotted them down here to give you a bit of a guide.

Firstly, your guest’s names should always be handwritten on each invite.  As tempting as it is to word-process each one for efficiency, all this does is make it more impersonal.  Write your full guest’s names and remember to add ‘and Guest’ for any singletons you may be inviting and wish for them to bring someone of their choosing.

Traditionally, if the bride’s parents are acting as hosts for the marriage, this should be stated on your wedding invitations (for example ‘Mr & Mrs Andrew Hamilton request the pleasure of your company at their daughter’s marriage….’).  Your should always try to have a host if possible, even if this is yourselves (Clare and David invite you to their wedding…), or even children of the couple (Alfie and Scarlet would love you to attend their mummy and daddy’s wedding…)

Sending out your wedding invitations is the one time that you need to be organised and punctual – late invites are a no-no as you want to give people the time to plan for attending your special day.  If you are very organised you may have already sent save the date cards out in preparation but this doesn;t mean you can leave the actual invites til the last minute!

Hand-delivered invitations are a lovely touch but this isn’t always possible.  If you have moved away from home but still have family living near other guests, try to get a responsible family member to deliver the invites on your behalf.  This will also save you some money on posting the invites.