10 wedding invitation wording & ideas

There are so many beautiful wedding invitation designs out there but choosing the perfect one is only half the battle. Knowing what to write where or how to say what can be mind boggling, so we’ve written our Nonsense Maker’s guide to wedding invitation wording and ideas to help you on your way to the perfect day.

Wedding themes

Many couples choose an overall theme for their wedding, which can be considered when you choose your wedding invitation design. Here is a list of some popular wedding themes which can be adapted to suit your personalities and budget!

• Whimsical wedding

• Romantic wedding

• Vintage wedding

• Modern wedding

• Rustic wedding

• Garden party/casual wedding

• Bohemian wedding

• Formal/Traditional wedding

• Art Deco wedding

• Eco friendly wedding 

General wedding invitation

When it comes to sending out your wedding invitations the general invite is the hero. This is the basic who what when and where of your wedding, and typically includes the names of the couple, the location, date and time. If you have chosen to go without a separate RSVP card you might also include these details on the general invite as well.

Acknowledging the host (who is actually paying for the wedding, often parents or family members) on your general invite is a lovely additional thank you to those incredibly special people in your lives. You could open with something casual like:

Together with their families, [your names] invite you to celebrate their wedding day.

Or, if the event is more traditional/formal, something like this might suit you better (keeping in mind titles and relationships will vary depending on your individual circumstances):

Mr and Mrs Nonsense Maker (names of the hosts)

Request your presence

At the marriage of their [daughter/son/relationship to the host]

[your first and middle name]

To [your partners full name]

[Son/daughter/etc.] of Mr and Mrs Sensible

Ending your general invite with a little sign off sets the tone of your wedding, for example “We look forward to spending our special day with you” has a much different feel to “Let’s party!”. Choose something that reflects your big day.

Wedding details

Your details card includes all the nitty gritty that doesn’t fit on your general invite. This will often include:

• Ceremony information. Let guests know the location of the venue and any tricky directions.

• Reception information. If the location is different to the ceremony, where is it and how do they get there?

• Transportation. Let guests know about parking and public transport, shuttle bus information, or any other transport options.

• Programme. For example: Ceremony at 3pm, followed by drinks and music in the garden at 4pm, before dinner in the dining hall from 6pm.

• Accommodation information if required.

• Dress code. Let guests know if the event is formal, cocktail, casual, or maybe it’s themed? You might also need to give them an extra heads up, like if it gets very cold at night, or if the event is on grass not to wear heels.

Wedding RSVP

The RSVP card is sent out with the wedding invitations for guests to fill out and return. These let you know the number of people who are able to make it and any dietary requirements of each individual, which is especially important if you are having a seated dinner or have limitations on numbers.

If you are expecting guests to return RSVPs it is polite to include a return postage stamp. May couples give guests the option to RSVP with a message or phone call instead, but there is something quite romantic and exciting about received your guests response via post!

If you have decided against having plus ones or children at your wedding you can also include this information on your RSVP card, or the details card. It can be a tricky topic to broach, but we recommend politely making it clear to your guests. The Wedding Playbook has a list of wording examples to get you started and avoid awkwardness later on.

Wedding wishing well

We know asking for gifts or money is a little awkward, but chances are people are going to give them regardless, so you may as well get something useful! A wishing well card is a nice way of letting people know what you would appreciate the most. This doesn’t have to be a long cheesy poem, keep it simple with something like:

The most important thing is to have you with us on our wedding day. No gifts are required or necessary, however if you would like to give a gift you can contribute to our [house/honeymoon/whatever you’re saving for] fund.

Thank you cards for after the wedding

Wedding thank you cards are sent anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months after the wedding. Often couples will send these out with a photo from the wedding day, along with a personalised thank you for coming, and for any gifts received.

For a more detailed guide on how to write wedding thank you cards see our blog post tips for writing wedding thank you cards.

When to send your wedding invitations

When to send your wedding invitations is up to you, but as a general rule:

• Save the date can be sent as soon as you’ve locked in your venue, but it is usually 6-8 months.

• Invitations can be sent between 6 and 3 months before your wedding, allowing extra time for destination weddings so guests can organise travel and accommodation.

• RSVP return dates are usually 2-3 weeks before the wedding.

• Thank you cards are sent within 3 months of the wedding.

Choose local vendors and artists for your wedding

There are so many wonderful reasons to choose local vendors for your wedding! It is often cheaper, more unique, and it’s great for the local economy, just to name a few.

The beauty of wedding invitations is that unlike a venue, catering, or bands, you are not restricted by immediate geography, and choosing local extends to Australia wide. The Nonsense Maker is just one of many local Australian artists that are excited to work closely with couples looking for a special and unique design.

Supporting your wedding suppliers after COVID

It’s been a rough time for our friends in the wedding business! Supporting local suppliers and vendors could be something as small as mentioning them or sharing a post on your social media, writing a lovely review, or using and recommending their products and services to a friend! Every little bit helps in tough times, and little shows of support from our customers mean the world to small businesses like ours!

With all the traditions, expectations, and pleasantries aside, the most important thing to remember is it’s you and your partners special day, and at the end of it the most important thing is that you are happy!