What to Include in a Wedding Invitation
A good invitation answers every question a guest would otherwise have to ask. This checklist covers the essentials, and what a digital invitation can add.
The essentials
Every wedding invitation, printed or digital, should say:
- Who is getting married, and who is hosting
- The date, and the start time of each function
- The venue name and full address for each function
- How to reply, and by when
- Anything about dress or what to expect, such as an outdoor ceremony
What a digital invitation can add
These are the things a printed card has no room for.
- A map link, so nobody has to type an address (see wedding invitations with a countdown and directions)
- An Add to Calendar file, so the date lands on guests' phones
- A separate entry for each function, with its own time, place and dress code (multiple events)
- A reply form that records how many are coming (RSVP)
- Updates: if a time changes, edit it once and every guest sees the new version
What to leave out
Skip long schedules for the whole weekend on the main page, gift registry details that read as demands, and anything you would not say aloud to a guest. Keep private details, such as a small family dinner, for the guests who need them, using private events and personal links.
A note on wording
Use the voice of whoever is inviting: the hosts, the couple, or both families together. Keep it short. Guests read an invitation on a phone, standing up, so lead with the date and the place.