Your grandmother says "the honour of your presence is requested." Your maid of honor says "come party." Both of them are technically correct — they're just writing for different weddings.
This guide gives you 25 wedding invitation wording templates organized by 5 styles: classic, modern casual, religious, destination, and bilingual. Each is fill-in-the-blank-ready. You'll find the one that matches your wedding's actual vibe, swap in your details, and have your invitation written in 5 minutes.
But first: the anatomy. The 6 elements every wedding invitation has, why each matters, and the small wording differences that signal a $1,000 invitation vs a $50 one.
The 6-element anatomy of every wedding invitation
Every well-written wedding invitation has these elements, in roughly this order:
1. The host line — who is inviting guests.
- Mr. and Mrs. James Lewis (traditional, parents hosting)
- Together with their families (modern, both families hosting)
- Sarah Lewis and Daniel Carter, along with their parents (combined)
- Sarah Lewis and Daniel Carter (couple is hosting solo — common in 2026)
2. The request line — the actual ask.
- Request the honour of your presence (most formal, with British "honour" spelling)
- Request the pleasure of your company (formal, slightly softer)
- Invite you to celebrate (modern, warm)
- Would love to share their wedding day with you (most casual)
3. The couple's names — the most prominent line typographically.
- Sarah Anne Lewis & Daniel James Carter (full names, formal)
- Sarah and Daniel (first names, modern)
4. The action and date — what's happening and when.
- At the marriage of + on Saturday, the eighteenth of April two thousand twenty-six (formal)
- On April 18, 2026 (modern)
- Saturday · 18 April 2026 (minimal modern)
5. The location — where the ceremony is.
- At the Villa Benezia, 1234 Bank Street, Grass Valley, California (formal, full address)
- Villa Benezia · Grass Valley, California (modern)
- Tuscany, Italy · venue details to follow (acceptable when venue not finalized)
6. The closer — what happens next.
- Reception to follow (most common)
- Dinner, dancing, and dessert to follow (warmer)
- Wedding website: sarahanddaniel.com (modern info-forward)
- Black tie / cocktail attire / garden party attire (when dress code matters)
These 6 elements can be rearranged, combined, or omitted depending on style. But every well-written wedding invitation has the equivalent of these answers somewhere.
Use any wording style with any Digittify template.
Every Digittify wedding invitation template includes editable text in Canva — swap any wording from the 25 below into your animated invitation in seconds. The aesthetics and the words are independent.
Style 1: Classic / Traditional (5 templates)
The aesthetic of Episcopalian weddings, formal Catholic ceremonies, country club receptions, and anywhere the dress code is "black tie." British spellings of "honour" and "favour" are common.
Template 1.1 — Parents hosting, deeply formal
Mr. and Mrs. James Anthony Lewis request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter
Sarah Anne to Mr. Daniel James Carter
on Saturday, the eighteenth of April two thousand and twenty-six at half past four in the afternoon
Villa Benezia Grass Valley, California
Reception to follow
Template 1.2 — Both families hosting, formal
Mr. and Mrs. James Anthony Lewis together with Dr. and Mrs. Robert Christopher Carter request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their children
Sarah Anne Lewis & Daniel James Carter
Saturday, the eighteenth of April two thousand twenty-six at four o'clock in the afternoon Villa Benezia · Grass Valley, California
Template 1.3 — Couple hosting, formal voice
The honour of your presence is requested at the marriage of
Sarah Anne Lewis and Daniel James Carter
Saturday, the eighteenth of April two thousand and twenty-six Villa Benezia, Grass Valley, California
Reception to follow at six o'clock
Template 1.4 — One deceased parent honored
Mr. James Anthony Lewis and the late Mrs. Margaret Lewis request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter
Sarah Anne to Mr. Daniel James Carter
Saturday, April 18, 2026 Villa Benezia · Grass Valley, California
Template 1.5 — Divorced parents both hosting
Mr. James Anthony Lewis and Mrs. Margaret Whitfield request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter
Sarah Anne to Mr. Daniel James Carter
Saturday, April 18, 2026 Villa Benezia · Grass Valley, California
Style 2: Modern Casual (5 templates)
The most common style in 2026 — warm, second-person, intentionally less formal. Suitable for garden weddings, vineyard weddings, urban receptions, and most weddings where the couple is hosting themselves.
Template 2.1 — Couple hosting, warm
Together with their families
Sarah Lewis & Daniel Carter
invite you to celebrate their wedding on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at four o'clock in the afternoon
Villa Benezia Grass Valley, California
Reception to follow
Template 2.2 — Modern minimal
Sarah & Daniel are getting married
04 · 18 · 2026 Villa Benezia · California
Ceremony 4:00 PM · Dinner 6:00 PM
Template 2.3 — Pinterest-aesthetic friendly
With joy in our hearts we invite you to celebrate the wedding of
Sarah Lewis & Daniel Carter
April 18, 2026 Villa Benezia · Grass Valley, California
4 PM · Reception to follow
Template 2.4 — Direct + warm
You're invited to the wedding of
Sarah & Daniel
Saturday, April 18, 2026 Villa Benezia, Grass Valley, California 4:00 PM ceremony · dinner and dancing to follow
Template 2.5 — Couple hosting, voice-of-the-couple
We're getting married — and we want you there.
Sarah & Daniel April 18, 2026 Villa Benezia · Grass Valley
Ceremony at 4 · dinner and dancing after RSVP at sarahanddaniel.com
Style 3: Religious (5 templates by tradition)
The phrasing varies by tradition; the structure stays similar.
Template 3.1 — Christian (Catholic, ceremony in church)
The honour of your presence is requested at the Nuptial Mass uniting
Sarah Anne Lewis & Daniel James Carter
in the sacrament of Holy Matrimony Saturday, April 18, 2026 · 4:00 in the afternoon Saint Bartholomew's Church Grass Valley, California
Reception to follow at Villa Benezia
Template 3.2 — Jewish (with Hebrew dates / blessing)
Together with their parents
Sarah Anne Lewis בת ג'יימס ומרגרט & Daniel James Carter בן רוברט ולורן
joyfully invite you to celebrate their marriage
Saturday, April 18, 2026 · 2 Iyar 5786 Beth Shalom Synagogue · Grass Valley, California
Ceremony at 4:00 PM · Reception to follow
Template 3.3 — Muslim (Nikah ceremony)
By the grace of Allah
Mr. and Mrs. James Anthony Lewis request the pleasure of your company at the Nikah of their daughter
Sarah Anne to Daniel James Carter
Saturday, April 18, 2026 Following Asr prayer Villa Benezia · Grass Valley, California
Walima reception to follow
Template 3.4 — Hindu (with Sanskrit blessing)
With the blessings of our families
Sarah Anne Lewis & Daniel James Carter
shubha vivaha शुभ विवाह
Saturday, April 18, 2026 Mandap ceremony at 4:00 PM Villa Benezia · Grass Valley, California
Reception to follow
Template 3.5 — Secular spiritual blessing
With grateful hearts we invite you to witness the marriage of
Sarah Anne Lewis and Daniel James Carter
Saturday, April 18, 2026 at four o'clock in the afternoon Villa Benezia · Grass Valley, California
Reception to follow
Style 4: Destination / Intimate (5 templates)
For weddings happening somewhere your guests will travel to — destination, elopement, or intentionally small.
Template 4.1 — Italian destination, intimate
We're getting married in Tuscany and we'd love you to be there.
Sarah & Daniel 18 April 2026 Villa Benezia · Tuscany, Italy
Ceremony at 4 PM · long-table dinner at 7 PM Details + travel info at sarahanddaniel.com
Template 4.2 — Caribbean / tropical
Toes in the sand. Sun on our faces. Most importantly: you.
Sarah & Daniel are getting married Saturday, April 18, 2026 Sandals Royal Bahamian · Nassau, Bahamas
Welcome cocktails Thursday · ceremony Saturday at 4 Travel info: sarahanddaniel.com
Template 4.3 — Elopement weekend
We're eloping — and you're invited.
Just us, our families, and the people we'd want there if we'd planned the whole thing.
Sarah & Daniel Saturday, April 18, 2026 Villa Benezia · Grass Valley
Cocktails 5 PM · dinner 7 PM · dancing after
Template 4.4 — Long-weekend destination wedding
Bring your finest, your dancing shoes, and your appetite.
Sarah & Daniel are getting married April 17-19, 2026 Provence, France
Welcome dinner Friday · Wedding Saturday · Brunch Sunday All details at sarahanddaniel.com
Template 4.5 — Intimate, family-only
32 of our favorite people. One unforgettable day.
Sarah & Daniel Saturday, April 18, 2026 Villa Benezia · Grass Valley, California
Ceremony 4 PM · long-table dinner to follow
Style 5: Bilingual (5 templates)
For intercultural couples, destination weddings where guests span languages, or honoring family heritage. The two-language pattern shows the primary language (usually English) on top, the second language below — or alternating by section.
Template 5.1 — English + French
Together with their families Avec leurs familles
Sarah Anne Lewis & Daniel James Carter
invite you to celebrate their wedding vous invitent à célébrer leur mariage
Saturday, April 18, 2026 · Samedi, 18 avril 2026 Villa Benezia · Grass Valley, California
Reception to follow · Réception à suivre
Template 5.2 — English + Spanish
Junto con nuestras familias Together with our families
Sarah Anne Lewis & Daniel James Carter
tenemos el placer de invitarle a nuestra boda we are pleased to invite you to our wedding
Sábado, 18 de abril de 2026 · Saturday, April 18, 2026 Villa Benezia · Grass Valley, California
Recepción a continuación · Reception to follow
Template 5.3 — English + Portuguese
Juntamente com as nossas famílias Together with our families
Sarah Anne Lewis & Daniel James Carter
têm o prazer de o convidar para o seu casamento are pleased to invite you to their wedding
Sábado, 18 de Abril de 2026 Villa Benezia · Grass Valley, California
Recepção a seguir · Reception to follow
Template 5.4 — English + Arabic (with right-to-left script)
بدعوة من عائلتيهما With the blessing of our families
سارة لويس و دانيال كارتر Sarah Lewis & Daniel Carter
يدعونكم لحضور حفل زفافهما invite you to celebrate their wedding
السبت 18 أبريل 2026 · Saturday April 18, 2026 Villa Benezia · Grass Valley, California
Template 5.5 — Custom heritage blend
Together with our families Junto con nuestras familias Avec nos familles
Sarah Lewis & Daniel Carter
invite you to celebrate les invitamos a celebrar vous invitent à célébrer
Saturday, April 18, 2026 Villa Benezia · Grass Valley, California
“We wrote our invitation in Spanish and English. My grandmother in Sevilla cried — she'd never been to a wedding where the invitation respected her language first.
”
Common wording mistakes to avoid
The 6 mistakes we see most often in DIY wedding invitations:
1. Including registry information on the invitation. Always put this on your wedding website, never on the card. Mentioning gifts on the invitation reads as "we want presents" and is the #1 etiquette violation.
2. Mixing formality between sections. "Mr. and Mrs. James Lewis request the honour of your presence" followed by "for a chill backyard hang" creates confusing tonal whiplash. Pick one register and stick to it throughout.
3. Spelling "honor" without a U in formal invitations. The British spelling "honour" is the convention in formal wedding stationery, even in the US. It's a small signal that you understand the tradition.
4. Writing the date as "4/18/2026" on a formal invitation. Use "Saturday, the eighteenth of April two thousand twenty-six" for very formal, or "April 18, 2026" or "18 April 2026" for modern. The numeric format reads casual.
5. Putting the venue address too prominently on a casual invitation. For modern weddings, "Villa Benezia · Grass Valley, California" is enough. The full address belongs on the wedding website or details card.
6. Forgetting to say what the day is for. Some minimalist invitations are so spare that guests have to infer it's a wedding. Always include "wedding," "marriage," or "we're getting married" somewhere.
How to adapt these templates for digital invitations
Animated digital invitations are designed differently than paper:
- Shorter is better. Where a paper invitation has 8-12 lines of text, an animated invitation usually has 4-6. Pick the most important elements.
- Names get emphasis. Your names should be the largest text on screen, animating in last for emotional impact.
- Move details to follow-up. The dress code, ceremony time, and detailed schedule can live on a separate "details" page in your suite (the Couple Bundle and Suite tiers include this) or on your wedding website.
- Test it on a phone. Open the animated invitation on a 6-inch phone screen. If you can't easily read every word, simplify.
Frequently asked
- What is the proper wording for a wedding invitation?
Traditional wedding invitations follow a 6-element structure: host line (who's inviting), request line ('the honour of your presence is requested'), couple's names, date and time, location, and closer (e.g., 'reception to follow'). Modern invitations often condense these into 3-4 lines while keeping the same information.
- Should I use 'honor' or 'honour' on wedding invitations?
Use 'honour' (British spelling) for formal wedding invitations, even in the US. It's a long-standing convention in wedding stationery. 'Honor' (American spelling) is acceptable but reads less formal. For modern casual invitations, you can skip the request line entirely and use 'invite you to celebrate' instead.
- How do you address a wedding invitation when both families are hosting?
Use 'Mr. and Mrs. James Lewis together with Dr. and Mrs. Robert Carter' for formal style, or simply 'Together with their families' for modern style. The latter is the most common 2026 default — it acknowledges both families without requiring full names or titles.
- What do you put on a wedding invitation when the couple is hosting?
Open with the couple's names directly: 'Sarah Lewis and Daniel Carter invite you to celebrate their wedding' or simply 'Sarah & Daniel are getting married.' Most modern weddings in 2026 use this pattern, as couples increasingly host their own celebrations rather than parents.
- Can a wedding invitation be in two languages?
Yes — bilingual wedding invitations are common for intercultural couples, destination weddings, and families with international relatives. The convention is to alternate by line (English on one line, the second language directly below) or by section. Make sure the design accommodates the longer text — bilingual invitations need ~40% more space than monolingual ones.
What to do with these templates
Once you've found the one that matches your wedding's vibe:
- Copy the template to a doc or Canva text frame
- Replace the placeholders with your details — names, date, venue, dress code
- Drop it into your animated invitation template — every Digittify template has editable text fields that accept any of these wordings
- Read it out loud on a phone screen before sending. If it sounds awkward when spoken, it'll feel awkward when read.
The right wording feels invisible to your guest — they read it and immediately know the date, place, and energy without thinking about the words themselves. The wrong wording makes them stop and re-read. Your template above is the right one if it disappears into the design.
See your wording in motion.
Pick a Digittify template, paste any of the 25 wordings above into Canva, watch your wedding details animate on screen. Five minutes to write your invitation tonight.
