What good is a party if there are no guests? Invitations do a lot to set a tone for a party, and are pretty integral to the success of any fete you might have in the works.
If loved ones receive a beautifully designed invitation that previews your party perfectly, they are much more likely to respond with a “yes”. Decide to handwrite your invitations? Well, you might just increase that likelihood even further. After all, apart from the many benefits of handwriting, this detail will make your invitation look extra special.
When it comes to using the right wording and information for the right party, we're here to help you. No matter what the occasion is, we have you covered.
Jump To:
- Birthday Invitations
- Wedding Invitations
- Baby Shower Invitations
- Surprise Party Invitations
- Housewarming Party Invitations
- Themed Part Invitations
- Graduation Party Invitations
- Holiday Party Invitations
- Dinner Party Invitations
- Game Day Party Invitations
#1: Birthday Party Invitations
As Shutterfly explains, an invitation must have all of the details about the party written clearly. This rule applies to birthday invitations too.
Birthday invitations are pretty informal, so you can keep a friendly and casual tone, and adding a little bit of humor in there is a nice touch too! These are the main points you should focus on:
Who – Who is this birthday party held by? Write the name of the person that is responsible for this wonderful celebration so that your guests know who they will be celebrating with.
What – Unless your invitation card yells out BIRTHDAY PARTY on the cover, this is the time to tell your guests what this party is going to be about.
When – This part is the most important part of all – the date and the time of the birthday party (it's best to include what day of the week it will be too).
Where – Give guests the exact address of where this birthday party will be celebrated.
RSVP – Provide your contact details (either a mobile phone number or an email) so that your guests can let you know if they will be attending. This information is also useful in case your guests have any questions.
Extra guests – Can your guests bring an extra person with them? Or are the spaces limited? Let them know.
Instructions/Teaser – This will be the closing part of your invitation. Let them know about any other important information about your birthday party. Will there be a specific theme? Should they wear anything special? Telling them this will not only give them important instructions but will also bring up excitement about what’s coming. Also, make sure to always end on a positive note!
#2: Wedding Invitations
Writing a wedding invitation is a little bit more complex. You want to keep the tone friendly but also refined and elegant. As Invitation Box explains, wedding etiquette is extremely important. It’s what shows how serious you are about this special day.
Introduction – Always begin a wedding invitation by letting your guests know who is inviting them. For some families, the bride and groom will do the invite, for others, the mothers and fathers will.
Request – This is a typical wedding invitation line that reflects proper wedding etiquette. Here is where you should write who you’re inviting to your special day.
E.g. “Request the honor of [guests’ names] presence”
Event – Let your guests know that this invitation is for a wedding, and who is getting married.
Date and Time – If you want the invitation to look more formal, write the date in the long form (day of the week, day of the month, the month in written form, and the year). Underneath the day, write the time the ceremony will begin.
Location – Provide the name of the space where the wedding will be held, the street address, and the state. Keep in mind though, that providing a zip code in a formal wedding invitation is inappropriate (crazy rule, right?)
Reception – End the invitation by providing information about reception. If the location will be the same, then simply write “Reception to follow.” If the location will change, then provide the address.
#3: Baby Shower Invitations
With the cutely decorated cards, and the purely joyous subject matter, there isn’t much that can ruin a baby shower invitation. However, if you do want to make sure that all of the information is included, follow these steps.
Who – Who is the invitation from? Make sure to mention the name of the host.
What – Just in case it is not clear by the teddy bears and balloons on the card, mention what this invitation is for. Let your guests know that this is a baby shower invitation. Mention the mother-to-be’s name too!
When – Include a date and a time in a simple and clear manner.
Where – Include the address of where the baby shower will take place.
RSVP – Lastly, provide your mobile phone number or an email address so that your guests could let you know if they’ll be able to make it.
#4: Surprise Party Invitations
Surprise parties are definitely not easy to organize, but the results are (usually) worth it! And the best way to organize everyone without the guest of honor finding out is through invitations! According to Letters.org, there is some key information to include in this kind of an invite.
Who – This is where the hosts/organizers should introduce themselves to the potential guests.
What – It is absolutely crucial that you say that this is a surprise party. You wouldn’t want the recipient to accidentally blab it out to the special person and ruin the surprise, would you?
When – Include the date and the time in a clear manner.
Where – Write down the full address of where this surprise party will take place.
Instructions – Will this be a themed surprise party? Should the guests bring anything, or dress in a specific way? This is the part where you let them know.
#5: Housewarming Party Invitations
A new house isn’t really a home until it has been warmed up by family and friends, so you want to get that invitation worded right. Have a look at these tips from The Spruce, and celebrate your new home surrounded by love.
Who – As always, begin with who it is that is inviting the guests.
What – What is it that you are inviting them to? Only the coziest, most awesome housewarming party of the neighborhood!
Where – Let your guests know your new address. If they are not from around, The Spruce advises including a map at the bottom might be useful!
When – Obviously, a weekday for a housewarming party isn’t the greatest choice, so always choose a weekend. Once you have that sorted, write the date and time clearly on your invitation.
RSVP – Give your contact details to your guests so that can let you know if they will be attending. Including an RSVP is a good idea so that you can prepare for the right amount of guests.
#6: Themed Party Invitations
Everybody loves a good themed party! But in order for them to be successful, you need your guests to know all the correct info.
Who – At the very top of the invitation let your guests who will be hosting the themed party.
What – Once the host is named, introduce the theme of the party!
Where – Include a full address of where this themed party will be held. If the place is harder to find for people not from around the neighborhood you can include a map at the bottom of the invitation.
When – Put the weekday, the date, and the exact time of the themed party.
RSVP – This is optional, but we think it’s always useful to know how many guests you can be expecting.
Instruction – This is crucial for a themed party! Always end the invitation with instruction of what to wear, what to bring, and anything else that will help make the themed party a roaring success!
#7: Graduation Party Invitations
Whether it's you or a loved one who has graduated – CONGRATULATIONS! Make sure the graduation party is a blast, and the graduate is surrounded by the people who love them. They worked hard and they deserve a celebration to mark this special time in their life.
As with all of the other invitations, the main structure of the text goes in pretty much the same order, though Graduation Invitations And Graduations Parties has great ways to update your invite.
Who – At the top of the graduation party invitation introduce the host.
What – Proudly tell your guests who it is that has graduated. Or in other words, who this party is in honor of.
Where – Include a clear address of where the party will be held. If you are inviting people from outside the city, including a map at the bottom of the invitation may be a good idea.
When – Let your guests know the date and time of this graduation party.
RSVP – This is optional, but we believe it is good to know how many guests will be attending a party.
#8: Holiday Party Invitations
An office holiday party invitation is more formal than most other party invitations. You want to sound professional and respectful towards the people working for the company, but still keep an approachable and friendly tone, according to Letter Writing Guide. But if you get it right, it will create lasting memories to laugh at for the whole next year. You can even draw people in with an occasion-appropriate quote, according to
Who – Include the name of the company that is sponsoring the party. Yes, we know that people don’t just forget which company they work for… But this little detail will make it look a little bit more formal.
What – Tell your guests what kind of party this will be. If it’s a Christmas party, will they have to dress up in costume? Let them know.
Where – If the party will be held in the workplace, write down the exact room. If it will be held in an outside venue, include the full address.
When – Write down the full date and time of when the party will be held.
#9: Dinner Party Invitations
The formality of a dinner party invitation depends on the formality of your dinner party. If it’s an event that happens quite often then keep the tone friendly and informal. However, if it’s more of a refined and sophisticated ordeal, then keeping the tone formal is a must.
Who – Let your guests know who will be hosting this dinner party.
What – Let your guests know that this, indeed, is a dinner party. This is also where you let your guests know whether this will be a formal gathering or not. The Balance also reminds that you check your spelling and grammar throughout!
Where – Write down your address, or the address of where this dinner party will be held.
When – A full date (a specification of the weekday included) and a clear time should be written here.
RSVP – This is a must for a dinner party invitation. After all, you have to know how many people to cook for!
#10: Game Day Party Invitations
A game day party invitation is as informal as invitations can get. After all, you are inviting people to your house for a night filled with football and fun! As All Wording explains, sticking to a certain structure is definitely not necessary, but there are still a few things you must not forget to mention. Also, same as with a birthday party invitation, a little bit of humor can go a long way.
Who – Who is hosting this game day party?
What – What kind of party is this? Mentioning the exact teams and sport is important.
Where – Write down your address, so that people know where to go.
When – Write down the exact date and time this party will be held.
Instructions – Lastly, include all of the important information that your guests need to know. Is the anything they need to bring? Will it be themed? And most importantly, are kids welcome too?
So there you are – wording for pretty much any invitation you would ever need to write! We truly hope that this article helped you out. And if it did, make sure to SHARE it to anything else who might be in need for some idea.
We hope your celebration works out perfectly and you have a grand time!
- LittleThings team.
Thumbnail Photo: Flickr/marina guimarães
