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WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENT WORDING

wedding announcement wording

Wedding announcement wording is one of those comfortable constants. While so many other aspects of weddings, parties, and socializing, in general have morphed, the wedding announcement wording has no grounds for change. Here are a few wording samples you can use with confidence upholding both the highest standards of etiquette and the new norms of our rapidly changing world. The thing to keep in mind is to match the formality of your wedding ceremony.

Who sends the wedding announcement?

Traditionally the parents of the bride send the wedding announcements. This is reflected in the wording. If the couple hosts their own intimate wedding or marries without a large ceremony and wedding guests, they may opt to send announcements on their own.

Who gets a wedding announcement?

Additionally, announcements are only sent when a wedding is particularly small. If you had a large wedding, do not send announcements to those who simply were not invited. It is a reminder they didn't make the list. Therefore, if you had a wedding large enough to include more than your immediate family and a few of your closest friends, wedding announcements are not sent.

How are wedding announcements worded?

Wedding announcements are worded in the third person as a complete phrase, in the same way invitations are formatted. If you are announcing after an intimate wedding, match the formality of your invitations.

Traditional Announcement Wording

FORMAL

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Gregory Boles
announce the marriage of their daughter
Jacqueline Ellen
to
Mr. Joshua Louis Stiller
Saturday, the sixteenth of May
two thousand and twenty
Ellicott City, Maryland
 

 

— or — 

 

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Gregory Boles
have the honor of announcing
the marriage of their daughter
Jacqueline Ellen
to Mr. Joshua Louis Stiller
Saturday, the sixteenth of May
two thousand and twenty
Ellicott City, Maryland

 

 

INFORMAL

Caroline and Andrew Boles
announce the marriage of their daughter
Jacqueline
to
Joshua Stiller
Saturday, the sixteenth of May
two thousand and twenty
Ellicott City, Maryland

 

— or —

 

Caroline and Andrew Boles
have the pleasure of announcing
the marriage of their daughter
Jacqueline
to
Joshua Stiller
Saturday, the sixteenth of May
two thousand and twenty
Ellicott City, Maryland

 

— or —

 

Caroline and Andrew Boles
have the pleasure of announcing
the marriage of their daughter
Jacqueline
to
Joshua Stiller
Saturday, the sixteenth of May
two thousand and twenty
Ellicott City, Maryland
 

 

Modern Announcement Wording

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Gregory Boles
joyfully announce the marriage of their daughter
Jacqueline Ellen
to
Mr. Joshua Louis Stiller
Saturday, the sixteenth of May
two thousand and twenty
Ellicott City, Maryland
 

 

— or —

 

Caroline and Andrew Boles
joyfully announce the marriage of their daughter
Jacqueline to Joshua Stiller
married
Saturday, the sixteenth of May
two thousand and twenty
Ellicott City, Maryland

 

 

Unconventional & Etiquette Savvy
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Gregory Boles
introduce the new
Mr. and Mrs.
. . .

Their daughter
Jacqueline Ellen
married
Mr. Joshua Louis Stiller
Saturday, the sixteenth of May
two thousand and twenty
Ellicott City, Maryland

 

— or —

 

Caroline and Andrew Boles
announce the marriage of their daughter

Jacqueline and Joshua

Saturday, the sixteenth of May
two thousand and twenty
Ellicott City, Maryland

 

— or —

 

Jacqueline Boles and Jonathan Stiller
announce their marriage on
Saturday, the sixteenth of May
two thousand and twenty
Ellicott City, Maryland

Your love and support as we begin our lives together
has been a gift beyond measure.

 

More questions?

F.A.Q. If we didn’t cover yours, just ask in our new comments section below!

Do we use titles?

When parents are announcing the marriage of their child, no title is used for the child; however out of respect for the new in-law, a title is used (if formal wording is in play). Keep the formality consistent on the invitation and announcement and among all the pieces.

Is it ‘Honor’ or ‘Pleasure’ of announcing?

The British spelling of ‘honour’ is overkill on an announcement, and not used because the sanctuary where the wedding took place is also not traditionally included. For the traditionally-minded, the ‘honor’ of announcing is considered formal, whereas ‘pleasure’ of announcing is considered less formal.

Who do we send announcements to?

Announcements are sent to those who were not invited to the wedding. They are not sent to people who were invited, whether they attended or not.

Do we include our registry? 

Still, no. It’s considered presumptuous to suggest where anyone should buy you a gift.

Do we include our website? 

That’s a modern etiquette conundrum. If your wedding was very small—meaning immediate and maybe a few extended family only—a website with photos from your intimate gathering tells a story of a joyful moment where only family gathered, but suggests friends were included in spirit and being brought in afterwards by way of the announcement. If, however, your website is full of images of a party this person was simply not invited to attend, it certainly is in poor taste to include this kind of information.

Can ‘at home’ information be included? 

Yes. If you choose to add the couple’s new address to the wedding announcement, simply state ‘our new home’ (if sent by the married couple themselves) or ‘at home’ (if sent by the parents or the couple themselves) on a line, spaced below the announcement information, with your new address situated smartly in keeping with the design of the rest of the card. A separate card designed to coordinate with the announcement can be used instead, but is not necessary.