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The invitations... I


nvitations should be sent out six weeks before the wedding, so you will need to order them from the printer about three months in advance of the event. It’s worth taking


time to choosewedding stationerywhich matches the style of your wedding, whether it’s romantic and traditional, chic and classical or off-the-wall and bang-up- to-the -minute.


Then the rest of your wedding stationery


can be ordered in the same style, including maps to help guests find their way easily, order of service sheets (you’ll need one for each guest plus a few spares),menus for the


reception, place cards and so on. The exact wording on your invitations can be extremely complicated if parents are divorced or you are hosting the wedding yourselves.


...and what they should say


The traditional invitation, with the bride’s parents as hosts is worded as follows:


Mr and Mrs Simon Hayes request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter Jennifer Anne to Mr Michael Jones at


St Benedict’s Church, Exeter on Saturday August 19th at 2pm followed by a reception at The County Hotel, Exeter


RSVP 10Marigold Gardens, Exeter


In this form, the names of the guests are handwritten in the top left hand corner of the invitation.


Alternatively a space is left in the invitation for the guests’ names:


Mr and Mrs Simon Hayes request the pleasure of the company of


........................................................


at themarriageof theirdaughter JenniferAnne (etc) Make it clear precisely who is being invited. For a married couple, Mr and Mrs John


Jeffries; for a family, Mr and Mrs John Jeffries, Jeremy and Jemima.


Where the bridal couple are the hosts, the invitations should beworded:


Miss Jennifer Hayes and Mr Michael Jones request the pleasure of your company at their marriage (etc)


Divorced parents, if the bride’s mother has remarried


Mr David Jones and Mrs Margaret Simpson request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter Jennifer Anne (etc)


Divorced parents, if the bride’smother has not remarried:


Mr David Jones and Mrs Margaret Jones request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter (etc)


Bride’smother as host, if she iswidowed:


Mrs David Jones requests the pleasure of your company at themarriage of her daughter (etc)


Bride’smother as host if she is divorced:


MrsMargaret Jones requests the pleasure of your company (etc)


Bride’smother if she has remarried and is hosting the wedding with the bride’s stepfather:


Mr andMrs George Simpson request the


pleasure of your company at themarriage of her daughter Jennifer Anne (etc)


Bride’s father as host: Mr David Jones requests the pleasure of your


company at themarriage of his daughter Jennifer Anne (etc)


Bride’s father remarried and hosting thewedding with the bride’s stepmother:


Mr andMrs David Jones request the pleasure of your company at themarriage of his daughter Jennifer Anne (etc)


Invitations to civil weddings follow the same format, substituting the name of the register office or approved venue for the church in the examples above.


Where space at the wedding ceremony is


limited, guests can be invited to the reception only. For these invitations, the wording (depending on the host) is:


Mr andMrs Simon Hayes request the pleasure of your company at a reception at the County Hotel, Exeter on Saturday, 19th August at 3pm


following themarriage of their daughter Jennifer Anne toMrMichael Jones.


Thesamewordingcanbeusedtoinviteextra gueststoaneveningpartyfollowingthe mainreception.


2 6 • D R E A M W E D D I N G S I N B R I S T O L , S O M E R S E T & W I L T S H I R E 2 6 • D R E A M W E D D I N G S I N B R I S T O L , S O M E R S E T & W I L T S H I R E


See the panel for examples. As well as a map detailing how to get there, it’s useful to include with the invitation details of where guests can park and, for those who are coming long distances, a selection of recommended accommodation. For guests of the groom’s family, the groom’s mother should send a list of names and addresses to the bride’s mother so she can issue the invitations. According to strict wedding etiquette, envelopes should be addressed only to the wife of a couple or family: Mrs Samuel Johnson. As a matter of courtesy, an invitation should be sent to the groom’s parents and to the minister and his wife. When ordering your invitations, remember you’ll only need one for each family, plus a few spares for emergencies.


According to strict wedding etiquette, envelopes should


PICTURED ABOVE LEFT & BELOW: Give your stationery an individual touch with the help of Somerset-based Kraftworks, who will hand make a design uniquely for you. For details, call 01823 275456.


be addressed only to the wife of a couple or family


Planning Makes Perfect


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