How to word your wedding invitations – some inspiring ideas from a Gauteng wedding venue

One of the most memorable times of your life will be your wedding day – and as a popular Gauteng wedding venue, we know that most couples want everything to be as perfect as it possibly can be and that includes wedding invitations!

Although every couple wants to give their invitations a personal touch, there are still plenty of rules of etiquette to follow if you want something that falls into a traditional category. Here they are:

1. All the names on your wedding invitation should be written in full, including the couple’s middle names.
2. If someone’s name has a “2nd” or “3rd” after it, the Roman numerals “II” or “III” should be used.
3. All wording, including dates, times and addresses, should be spelled out on your wedding invitation. The only two words that do not need to be spelled out in full are the words for the abbreviations St. and Mt.
4. If your wedding will be held in a church or another place of worship than the use of “request the honour of your presence” would be appropriate on the wedding invitation. If you are having an outdoor wedding or it is taking place in a non-religious setting than the use of “request the pleasure of your company” is better.
5. When you decide on your ceremony and reception times, be sure to put the time you need your guests to arrive (as well as the time of the event) on the invitation, for example, you may need them to arrive at 16:00 to be in time for your 16:30 ceremony.
6. It’s important that you sort out an order of priorities in which to mention family, including parents, stepparents and partners. Once you and your partner have decided on this, make sure that you apply it in the same order to each family. Keep in mind that it is considered polite to mention the name’s of the people who are paying for the event first, for example, “Kenny and Marcia Modisane invite you to the wedding of…”
7. Remember to include details about dress code so that your guests fit in with the ambience of the wedding or your reception’s theme.
8. Make your invitation personal by including a quote, poem or extract that has a place close to both of your hearts, bringing your invitation some flair.

Above all, remember that your wedding is all about you as a couple – and the wording of your wedding invitation should reflect this. For a Gauteng wedding venue as unique as you and your partner, contact Idle Winds today.