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Invitations to gay weddings have probably been around as long as same-
sex unions themselves, which is to say virtually since the dawn of
organized society. Same-sex unions were socially recognized in cultures as
old as ancient Greece, and Rome, and someone had to let people know
where to drive the chariot and deliver the statue. We can only imagine
how Nero must have agonized over just the right wording to invite people
to his extravagant public wedding to a man named Sporus.
Luckily, you don’t have to chisel your wording onto a stone tablet today.
We can help you figure out just the right text to fit your ceremony.
General Rules of Invitation Etiquette
Traditionally, wedding invitations adhered to strict rules of formality. For
example, check out what Emily Post wrote in 1922:
The invitation to the ceremony is engraved on the front sheet of white
note-paper. The smartest, at present, is that with a raised margin—or
plate mark. At the top of the sheet the crest (if the family of the bride
has the right to use one) is embossed without color … wedding
invitations and all accompanying cards are always enclosed first in an
inner envelope that has no mucilage on the flap …
Luckily, you’ve got a little more flexibility these days. There are some basic
rules of etiquette you may want to follow, however. Here are a few rules:
- Typically, phrasing is in the third person (don’t use ‘we’ or ‘us’).
- Spelling is formal. Do not use abbreviations; use the full word, such
as Doctor, Avenue, or Senior. For a more formal touch, use English
spelling (honour instead of honor). Spell out dates and times.
- Do not indicate where you are registered for gifts on the invitation
itself. Guests will know to ask, or you can mention your gift
preferences on a separate website or other communication.
You can find more examples of traditional wording etiquette here and here.
Wording Examples
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Both partners hosting
Please celebrate with us
Emmanuelle Mullen
and
Carla Garcia
as we begin our new life
together
on October 21, 2010
at 5:00 pm
Unity Church
103 Oak Street
Boulder, Colorado
Maria Doe and Maria Smith
invite you to join them
as they exchange vows and unite their lives
Saturday, October 5, 2010
St. Marks Church
314 Jackson Lane
Kansas City, Missouri
With joy
we, Steven Grimm and Chris Smith
invite you to share in a celebration of our love
Saturday, October 5, 2010
St. Martin’s Church
233 East Eighth Street
Denver, Colorado
Gwendolyn and Maria
Invite you to celebrate
And share their special day
As they formally express their
Commitment to each other
With family and friends present
May 28, 2010 at 4:00 PM
At their home
800 Maple St. Springfield, Illinois
Please join us
as we celebrate our
Commitment Ceremony
Lawrence Cohen and Jonathan Kennedy
Saturday, October 5th at 4 p.m.
Vail Interfaith Chapel
Vail, Colorado
Friends Hosting
Ron Christian and Randoph Branson
request the honour of your presence
at the commitment ceremony of
Lawrence McMillan
to
Keith Richard Jacobsen
Sunday, July 13, 2010
4664 Seventh Street
Sacramento, California
One set of parents hosting
Mr. and Mrs. Richard John McMillan
request the honour of your presence
at the commitment ceremony of their daughter
Amy
to
Ms. Jennifer Sharp
on Saturday, the twentieth of March
at two o'clock in the afternoon
Arlington St. Church
351 Boylston Street
Boston, Massachusetts
Both sets of parents hosting
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Robert Williams
and
Mr. and Mrs. Steven Clark Wallace
request the honour of your presence
at the commitment ceremony of their children
Mr. and Mrs. Randolph Duke
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Maria Anne
to
Cynthia Smith
daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Smith
Saturday, the eighth of March
two thousand ten
at four o'clock in the afternoon
Beth Shalom Synagogue
233 Oak Street
Nyack, New York
Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Thomas
and
Mr. and Mrs. Derrick Nelson
invite you to share in the joy
of the commitment ceremony uniting their
children
Linda Bree
and
Carla Jane
on
Saturday, the third of May
at ten o'clock in the morning
St. Mary's Church
222 Scribner Ave
Darien, Connecticut
Partners and Parents Hosting
Together with their families
Corey Davis and Justin Whitford
invite you to share in the joyous beginning
of their new life together
The celebration of their commitment and love
will be held on
Sunday, July 8, 2010
At 4:00 in the afternoon
Together with their parents
Julia Renee Golen
and
Kristen Lee Demett
request the honour of your presence
at their marriage
on Sunday, the fourth of October
two thousand fourteen
at six o'clock in the evening
Mount Zion Church
11890 Leaf Avenue
Chicago, Illinois
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