Can you invite guests to a reception and not the ceremony? Technically, yes, although it is traditional to invite all guests to the ceremony and the reception. But weddings are always changing, whether it be alternatives to cake, wearing cowboy boots instead of heels, or walking down the aisle to an acoustic version of your fave pop song. These are just some examples that prove weddings are always evolving, hence the uptick in reception-only weddings – and the need for invitations to send to them. If you’re looking for the right way to word your reception invitations, you’ll find it here! In this blog post, I’ll share examples of reception wedding invitations, how to word them, and tips on how to do it right so you can avoid criticism and plan the wedding the way you want – or need – to plan it.
Let’s get started!
Why Have a Reception-Only Wedding?
It makes sense, then, that the wedding itself changes a bit through the years. Some modern couples are opting for reception-only weddings, whether due to an elopement, a private family matter, for flexibility in regards to venue options, or various other reasons. Some do it simply due to the cost savings. Many couples want to elope, but still want to celebrate afterward with their family and friends, hence a “Reception-Only Wedding”.
You may face potential criticism from guests who are not invited to the ceremony, but that comes with the territory of planning your wedding your way. There are wording tips for the invitations that will alleviate some questions and concerns from your guests. We’ll discuss those in a minute.
First, we’ll answer what you’re likely looking for here and that is how to invite guests to the reception and not the ceremony. These are called reception wedding invitations and I have plenty of expert knowledge on the topic, so let’s get started.
Decide Your Guest List
Before you choose invitations, you’ll need to know who is invited to the ceremony and who will be invited to the reception only. Most likely, you’re planning a small ceremony with just the two of you and an officiant in an elopement somewhere. Or perhaps you’re inviting just your closest family members to it. Once you decide who is invited to the ceremony and the reception, make a separate list of who will get a reception-only invite.
All set? Okay, good! Step two, you need to find an invitation that explains everything with proper etiquette. Here’s how to word the invitations.
Wording The Invitations
The words you use are very important on reception invitations, as you don’t want to intentionally offend anyone. Will people have some confusion and hurt feelings? Possibly, but that’s sometimes unavoidable when you need to do a reception-only wedding.
Once you decide to have a big party after eloping, go onward! Don’t get caught up in the worry of that. It’s your wedding. Jump right in and check out these invitations to suit your style.
Here are some wording samples and examples of invites.
Semi-Formal
“Please join us
for the wedding reception of
NAME + NAME
[date, time, venue]
Dancing to follow”
Cocktail
“NAME + NAME
invite you to celebrate their marriage
[date, time, venue]
Merriment to follow”
Casual
“NAME + NAME
invite you to their wedding reception party
[date, time, venue]
Dancing to follow”
Formal with Parents
“MR/MRS PARENTS
together with
MR/MRS PARENTS
request the honour of your presence
at a reception celebrating
the marriage of their children
NAME + NAME
[formal spelled-out date, time, venue]
location”
Bold and Fun
“NAME + NAME
LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED
[date, time, location]
merriment to follow”
The wording on these is clear and concise. Guests will understand you got married in private (or will be planning an intimate ceremony) and they are guests for the reception. When in doubt, guests will look to your wedding website, which is in this final step.
Including an RSVP Card
Lastly, include an RSVP card with your invitations so guests can let you know if they can make it. You will want an accurate headcount approximately 2 weeks prior to the reception so you know how many meals and drinks you’ll need.
A simple card like this will do the trick. I highly encourage you to utilize a wedding website and include the link to it on your RSVP card. This ensures guests can go to your website to find out more (i.e. “we eloped!”) and explain in further detail how excited you are to “have a huge celebration with our loved ones to celebrate our marriage!”
On the website, guests will be able to find out more details including dress code, gift registry, and accommodations for out-of-town guests.
► See more designs to match your invites here.
And there you have it! I hope this answers questions on wording of reception wedding invites. I know it seems tricky, but as you can see, the wording flows beautifully thanks to these examples.
I’d love to hear your stories about eloping, having a small ceremony, or your thoughts on this wedding reception only trend. How did you handle the guest list? Have you recently attended a reception-only wedding? Tell me what you think in the comment box below.
Chat soon,
xo
Emma
