Part of what makes weddings so remarkable is that they bring people together, regardless of the distance between them. The guests make the ceremonies more fun and memorable. Thus, couples take additional care of their invitations, including the wording.
The way you phrase your invitations will affect the overall vibe and elegance of the ceremony. Below are 12 Catholic wedding invitation wording examples and templates, along with some tips for preparing your invitation suite.
Catholic Wedding Invitation Wording: Examples
1. Mr. and Mrs. Linus Rivera And Mr. and Mrs. Alexei Kramarenko request the honour of your presence at the Nuptial Mass wedding of Jessica Rivera And Vlad Kramarenko On Sunday, the first of October two thousand twenty-two at half after five o’clock Saint Jude Catholic Church 9110 Gold Street, San Bernardino, California
2. Together with their parents, Naya Hudson And Floyd Maxwell Request the honour of your presence at their marriage and the celebration of the Nuptial Mass Friday, the sixteenth of September two thousand and twenty-two eight o’clock in the evening Our Lady of the Abandoned Catholic Church 491 Lake Ridge West Road Monticello, Illinois Reception to follow at Monticello Hotel
3. Ms. Lilly Diaz Mr. and Mrs. Norman Diaz Request the honour of your presence at the Nuptial Mass of Luna Diaz And Carson Midford Uniting them in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony Tuesday, the fifteenth of November two thousand twenty-two four o’clock St. Francis of Assisi’s Catholic Church 255 Auburn Drive Christiansburg, Virginia Reception to follow
4. Ms. Giselle Montserrat request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of her daughter, Giorgia Montserrat, daughter of the late Gregorio Montserrat to Filippe Devillard Saturday, the second of December two thousand twenty-two at half past four o’clock Shepherds of Peace Church Renton, Washington
5. Mr. and Mrs. Rick Millard request the pleasure of your company at the Nuptial Mass uniting in marriage Melissa Millard to Jerome Fuente, Junior son of Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Fuente, Senior Saturday, the tenth of December two thousand twenty-two at half past eight o’clock in the evening Heaven’s Gate Country Club Aspen, Colorado Cocktails, dinner, and dancing to follow Black Tie Optional
6. With the support of their families, Megan Feynman and Thomas Ridley Invite you to partake in the celebration of their union Thursday, the seventeenth of November two thousand twenty-two at four o’clock Middleton Church Lumberton, Mississippi Reception to follow
7. Mr. and Mrs. Brent Parsons request the honour of your presence at the marriage of Laura Parsons And Hunter Millard son of Mr. Carter Millard and the late Mrs. Mildred Millard Sunday, the twelfth of November, two thousand twenty-two at six o’clock The Church of the Holy Trinity Aspen, Colorado Dinner and dancing to follow
8. Ms. Trinity Clarkson Mr. and Mrs. Johannes Clarkson request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter Andrea Clarkson And Louis Hugo son of Mr. and Mrs. Victor Hugo Sunday, the twenty-third of October two thousand twenty-two at seven o’clock St. Agnes Church of Hope 1234 Buchanan Drive Clarksville, Tennessee
9. Together with her parents, Cassandra Bonnevie And Yuan Li Request the honour of your presence as they exchange vows in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony Friday, the twenty-fifth of November two thousand twenty-two at half past five o’clock Elevate Jesus Church, 2009 Shoreline Road Bradley, California Reception to follow Black Tie Optional
Catholic Wedding Invitation Wording Templates You Can Use
10. [Name of bride’s parents] and [Name of groom’s parents] request the honour of your presence at the Nuptial Mass uniting their daughter [Bride’s name] and [Groom’s name] in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony [Day], [Date] [Year] [Time] [Venue or church name] [Address]
11. Together with their families, [Bride’s name] and [Groom’s name] Invite you to join in the celebration of their union in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony [Day], [Date] [Year] [Time] [Venue or church name] [Address] [Post-wedding activities] to follow
12. The honour of your presence is requested at the marriage of [Bride’s name] to [Groom’s name] [Day], [Date] [Year] [Time] [Venue or church name] [Address] [Post-wedding celebrations] to follow [Dress code]
Tips for Catholic Wedding Invitation Wording
Structure of a Typical Wedding Invitation Wording
The standard Catholic wedding invitation wording consists of six parts:
- Host line. The people who financially contributed to the wedding are the event’s “hosts.” Frequently, the hosts are the couple’s parents or close relatives. Sometimes, the bride and groom themselves host their wedding.
- Request line. This part of the wedding invitation is the host’s formal call for your attendance. People typically use “Request the honour of your presence” or a close variant.
- The couple’s names. Custom states that the bride’s name must appear first on the wedding invitations. However, modern couples have the freedom to decide the order of their names.
- Date and time. You must write the schedule of your ceremony. Ensure the font’s readability, as you do not want your guests misreading any detail.
- Location. Indicate the address of the place in which your wedding will happen. Some couples prefer only writing the venue name, city, and state. However, be as specific as you deem necessary for your guests’ convenience.
- Information about the reception. Likewise, write the location and schedule of your reception. The reception information can go on a separate card if your invitation looks cluttered.
In many cases, couples include the wedding’s dress code on the lower right corner of the main invitation card. However, this information can also go on a different card. Alternatively, you can inform your guest of the dress code for your Catholic wedding through your website.
Name Etiquette for Parents
Although the couple’s names are typically straightforward, there are some rules to remember for writing the hosts’ names. Line separations and conjunctions have meanings of which you must be aware.
If both sets of parents are hosting, list the bride’s parents first. On the same line, write “and.” The groom’s parents will appear in the subsequent line.
- Marc Rafaeli and Ms. Elena Rafaeli and
Mr. Jacob Lee and Ms. Anna Lee
If your parents are divorced, write their names on different lines. Do not use “and,” as this conjunction implies being together. Furthermore, list your mother’s name first.
- Deborah Samuels
Mr. Sebastian Anderson
If your parents have remarried, write your mother’s and her partner’s names first. List your father and his new partner on a separate line.
- Jillian Dela Cruz and Mr. Roberto Dela Cruz
Mr. Max Dunnell and Mrs. Claire Forsyth-Dunnell - and Mrs. Wilbur Gonzalez
Mr. and Mrs. Craig Henderson
If only your father has remarried, but your mother still uses his last name, consider writing their names in this way:
- Jennifer Brown
Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Brown
If a widowed parent is hosting, there are a few ways to honor the late parent.
- Veronica Martin
requests the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of
Siobhan Martin
daughter of the late Mr. Richard Martin
If both of the bride’s parents are deceased, the request line can go before the host line. For instance:
- The honour of your presence is requested
at the marriage of
Erica Rose Newmann
daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Newmann
Other than Mr., Ms., and Mrs., avoid using abbreviations. If your parents have a title or a suffix in their name, spell it out. For example, instead of “Dr. Tanya Christie,” you should write “Doctor Tanya Christie.”
More Writing Conventions
If you want an elegant and traditional Catholic wedding invitation wording, you must follow several pieces of writing etiquette. Here is a list of some important rules to observe:
- Spell everything out. Instead of 2022, you must write “two thousand twenty-two.” The proper way to write the time is “four o’clock,” not “4 p.m.” Do not use abbreviations for any name, whether a person’s or a state’s.
- The exception to the rule above is the numbers on an address. For example, you should still write “1234 Central Street.” However, you should omit the area’s zip code.
- Use minimal punctuation. Only place commas when necessary, such as distinguishing the day from the date (“Sunday, the twenty-fourth of September”). As illustrated, hyphens appear in compound numbers, surnames, and location names.
- Observe proper capitalization. Capitalize proper nouns and the start of new lines.
- Do not write the year with “and.” Instead of two thousand and twenty-two, only write two thousand twenty-two.
- Instead of “past,” use “half after.” For example, “half after six o’clock” is the proper way to write it.
- Writing “in the evening” or “in the afternoon” is unnecessary, except when your ceremony starts at eight, nine, or ten. Do not capitalize time indicators.
- Using the British variant “honour” typically implies that the ceremony is religious. Furthermore, the word adds a touch of elegance.
Inclusions of a Wedding Invitation Suite
These examples of Catholic wedding invitation wording are suitable for the main invitation card. However, a typical invitation suite contains several more elements. Each additional card conveys essential information for the guests’ convenience.
- Direction card. This card gives your guests detailed instructions for getting to the venue. Although not required, this element will make it easier for your guests to travel to your location.
- Reception card. If your reception will occur at a different location, it is best to have a separate card. Indicate pertinent information, such as the schedule, dress code, location, and more.
- Weekend itinerary card. If your wedding takes place over a weekend, including an itinerary in the suite is a thoughtful touch. Your guests can prepare for the activities accordingly.
- Details card. This card contains miscellaneous information, such as your wedding website and accommodations. To save some money, you can put these details on the back of the main invitation card.
- Response card. Your guests will use this card to tell you if they will attend your wedding. With proper wording, you can limit your guests or indicate that kids cannot attend the ceremonies. It is worth noting that there are digital alternatives for this card.
Other additions, such as an inner envelope and a wrapper, keep your suite more organized. With that said, the cards you must include depend on several wedding-related factors. Work closely with your planner to help you decide.
Order Your Wedding Invitations Early
As with other aspects of wedding planning, try to order your wedding invitations early. Around six to nine months before your big day, place an order with your chosen stationer and calligrapher.
Designing, creating, and organizing wedding invitation suites will take a considerable amount of time. Other factors, such as the complexity and busyness of the vendors, will influence the turnaround of your invitations.
Create a Bespoke Design
If you want a unique arrangement for your Catholic wedding invitation wording, consider designing it yourself. There are many software, online or downloadable, that makes editing and graphic designing convenient.
Photoshop is a well-known and frequently used application for creating designs. Adobe Illustrator is another option. Canva is also popular, as there are plenty of free elements — fonts, graphics, photos, etc. — to use.
Furthermore, you can ask for opinions and insight from others to improve your work. Once you are content, bring your designs to a trusted stationer or printing company. Find rates that you consider to be a great deal.
