Invitation guidesWhat do you need to write?
Wording you can copy, when to send it and how to get every reply back, for birthdays, parties, showers, housewarmings, festivals and weddings.
Contents
The guides, by occasion
Twenty guides in six chapters
- IFour guidesGuests and repliesHow to word RSVPs and set the deadlinePlus-ones and kids on invitations: how to say itOpen the chapter
- IIOne guideBirthdaysBirthday invitation wording for every ageOpen the chapter
- IIITwo guidesParties and the homeHousewarming invitation wording and etiquetteGraduation invitation wording and examplesOpen the chapter
- IVOne guideBaby celebrationsBaby shower invitations: wording and timingOpen the chapter
- VTwo guidesFestivals and holidaysDiwali party invitation wording and ideasHoliday party invitation wordingOpen the chapter
- VITen guidesWeddingsWedding invitation wording, with examplesWhen to send wedding invitationsOpen the chapter
Start here
The questions every host asks first
Short answers at the top of each guide, with wording you can copy straight onto your invitation.
Chapter I
Guests and replies
Four guides
How to word RSVPs and set the deadline
Ask for a reply by a specific date, with the day of the week: “Kindly reply by Saturday, May 15.” Set the deadline three to four weeks before a wedding, and one to two weeks before a party. Ask only what you need, such as numbers and dietary needs, and follow up kindly with anyone who has not answered.
4 min readPlus-ones and kids on invitations: how to say it
The clearest way to show who is invited is to name them: the names on the invitation, envelope or personal link are the guests invited. Add “and guest” only when a plus-one is welcome. For an adults-only event, say so kindly on the details page or reply card, and repeat it personally to anyone who asks.
5 min readHow to send invitations on WhatsApp
Send each guest a link to the invitation, not an image or a PDF, in a one-to-one chat or a broadcast list rather than a group. Add a personal line and a reply-by date. A link opens on any phone, can be updated after sending, keeps your guest list private and lets guests reply in a tap.
6 min readHow to politely decline an invitation
Decline promptly, warmly and briefly: thank the host, say you cannot come, give one short reason if you wish, and send a good wish for the day. You owe the host a clear no by the reply date, not an explanation. The same three sentences work for a wedding, a birthday or a work event, by reply card, text or call.
4 min read
Chapter III
Parties and the home
Two guides
Housewarming invitation wording and etiquette
A housewarming invitation needs the new address, the date and either a start time or an open-house window, plus parking, a buzzer number or anything else that helps guests find you. Gifts are optional and rarely mentioned. For a Gruhapravesam, give the puja time first, then the meal, and invite elders personally before you send.
5 min readGraduation invitation wording and examples
A graduation invitation names the graduate, the school and the degree or class year, then says what you are inviting people to: the ceremony, a party, or an open house. Give the date, the time (a window for an open house), the address and a reply-by date. Keep it to a few lines, and let the photo and the school colours do the rest.
6 min read
Chapter V
Festivals and holidays
Two guides
Diwali party invitation wording and ideas
A Diwali party invitation opens with a greeting such as Happy Diwali or Shubh Deepavali, then gives the date, the puja time if you are holding one, when dinner is served, the address and a reply date. Add a line on dress, food and sparklers, and a warm word for guests celebrating for the first time.
5 min readHoliday party invitation wording
A holiday party invitation names the kind of party, the date, start and end times, the address and a reply date, then the one detail that shapes the evening: a costume theme, a potluck dish, a gift-swap limit or a dress code. In December, send it three to four weeks ahead, because calendars fill fast.
5 min read
Chapter VI
Weddings
Ten guides
Wedding invitation wording, with examples
A wedding invitation says who is hosting, who is marrying, the date and time, the venue and how to reply. Formal invitations spell out the date and ask for “the honour of your presence”; casual ones say it plainly. Choose the opening line that matches who is hosting, then keep everything else short and clear.
6 min readWhen to send wedding invitations
Send wedding invitations six to eight weeks before the wedding, and save the dates six to eight months before, or eight to twelve months for a destination wedding. Set the RSVP deadline three to four weeks before the day, so you have time to chase late replies and give the caterer final numbers.
5 min readAre digital wedding invitations OK? Etiquette
Yes. Digital wedding invitations are widely accepted for every kind of wedding, formal ones included, as long as each guest receives one personally and it has all the details. Paper still makes sense for a few guests, such as older relatives without a smartphone, and many couples happily mix both.
4 min readIndian wedding invitations: a complete guide
An Indian wedding invitation usually opens with a blessing, names both families, and lists every function with its own date, time, venue and dress code, often haldi, mehendi, sangeet, the wedding or muhurtham, and a reception. Many families send separate invitations per function, so each guest sees only the events they are invited to.
6 min readBridal shower invitation wording and examples
A bridal shower invitation names the bride-to-be, says who is hosting, and gives the date, time and address, with a reply-by date and the registry where guests can find it. Keep the bride's name the largest thing on the card and the tone warm. The groom is named only on a couples' shower, and the wedding date is not needed at all.
5 min readRehearsal dinner invitation wording
A rehearsal dinner invitation says who is hosting (traditionally the groom's parents), names the couple, and gives the date, time and restaurant or home with a reply-by date. It goes to the wedding party, both families and the officiant, and is sent separately from the wedding invitation, three to four weeks before the wedding.
4 min readEngagement party invitation wording
An engagement party invitation names the couple, says who is hosting and that it is a celebration of their engagement, and gives the date, time, venue and a reply-by date. It does not carry the wedding date, which is often not set, and it does not mention gifts. The tone follows the party: a cocktail evening, a backyard afternoon or a ring ceremony with both families.
5 min readHow to address wedding invitations
Address a wedding invitation to the people you are inviting, by name, in the form they use themselves. A married couple shares one line, an unmarried couple gets a line each, children are named under their parents, and a single guest with a plus-one is told so on the invitation. A digital invitation addresses each guest by their personal link.
5 min readWhat to include in a wedding invitation
A wedding invitation has six parts in order: who is inviting, who is marrying, the date and time, the venue with its address, what follows the ceremony, and how to reply by when. Dress code, accommodation, the registry, a map and the schedule of functions belong on insert cards or, in a digital invitation, on their own pages.
4 min readHow to reply to a wedding invitation
Reply the way the invitation asks, by its reply-by date, naming everyone who is coming. An acceptance repeats the invitation's details in the third person on a formal card, or says "We would love to come" on a relaxed one. A decline thanks the hosts and sends a wish. Keep it to a few lines, and leave out gifts, menus and questions.
4 min read