Invitations Etiquette
- Question:
- Both sets of parents want their names on the invitations. How should I word that?
- Answer:
The people who are hosting the wedding (oftentimes, these are the same folks who are footing the bill) should be at the top of the invitation. If that's both parents, here's what you do:
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Geller and Mr. and Mrs. George Bing request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their children Monica Elizabeth and Chandler Michael
If the groom's parents are simply honored guests at the event, then their names can go after their son's:
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Geller request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter Monica Elizabeth to Chandler Michael Bing son of Mr. and Mrs. George Bing
If either set of parents is divorced, things get a bit more complicated because you'll need to put each parent on their own line. Or it might be easier for you to include them this way:
Together with their families Monica Elizabeth Geller and Chandler Michael Bing request the honour of your presence...
You'll get the same idea across, without turning your invitation into a list of names.
- When do we announce our elopement?
- Should I announce my small second wedding?
- Must we invite my stepmom if my dad can't attend?
- How do I keep my reception adults-only?
- How can I cut guest dates?
- How do I put both sets of parents on the invite?
- How do we request non-black tie attire?
- How do I word ceremony-only invites?
- We're doctors—how do we use our titles?
- Can we specify an end time?
- Is it ok to print envelopes on a computer?
- When should I send out-of-state invites?
- Can I include my deceased father on my invitations?
- Should I leave my father's name off of my invites?
- Must I include my in-laws on the invites?
- How do we explain that there's no dinner?
- Are nuptial newsletters necessary?
- Can invites say "no dinner" for a late ceremony?
- Should my parents get an invite?
- Must invites include groom's parents' names?
- What should go in my wedding programs?
- Must I send rehearsal dinner invites?
- Can registry info go with invites?
Submit Your Own Etiquette Question
Have an etiquette question you'd like our editors to answer?
- Where should RSVPs arrive?
- When do I send invites and save-the-date cards?
- What do I write on invites for a second wedding?
- How early should I send out my invitations?
- Is one invite ok for ceremony and reception?
- How do I phrase my Brady Bunch invites?
- How do I address professional guests' invites?
- If we pay without help, what do invites say?
- How do I word my invitations?
- Can I use printed labels on my invites?
- Must we mail invites for brunch?
- When should we put our engagement announcement in the newspaper?
- How can I turn down my mom's offer to address the invitations?
- How do I refer to the groom's stepfather on the invitation?
- Can we change our embrassing monogram?
- Do I have to provide postage on the RSVP cards?
- Should we put the name of the person who contributes the most money first on the invitations?
- Is it okay to have guests reply by email?
- When writing my thank-you notes, what do I say about the hideous vase my aunt gave me?
- How long do I have to write thank-you notes for my wedding presents?
- My invitations came from the printer and they forgot to list the time, what can I do?
- What should a couple do if their guests aren't sending in their RSVPs on time?
- How do I send a late invitation?
- Are inner envelopes required?
- Is it okay to have a B list if I don't get enough "yes" responses?
