Amazing Wedding Reception Invitation Wording Tips and Samples: Invite Guests the Best Way Possible!

After a private marriage ceremony, you and your sweetheart may want to invite people to your wedding reception. In that case, you’ll both need to figure out how to write reception-only invitations. We understand that, as a newly married couple, you might be a bit anxious about this. Don’t worry, though. We’ll show you what an invitation card wrote in the spirit of wedding reception invitation wording etiquette looks like.
Related post:
31 Unique Wedding Reception Ideas to Surprise Your Guests!
Wedding Reception Order of Events to Schedule Your Wonderful Night
Quick Tips for Having the Wedding of Your Dreams

Make Two Guest Lists
Perhaps you’ve chosen to play the small ceremony big reception card. We recommend writing two separate wedding events list in that case. One of them should have names of reception-only guests, and the second one of people witnessing your vow exchange.
Guests invited to the ceremony will, too, be attending your planned fanfare. In other words, you should put their names on both lists. However, those who will not be taking part in the marriage audience belong on the reception save the date list.
Divide and conquer! Create the two lists, and you’ll pave your way to perfect wedding party invitations for everyone!
Set the Decision About Who Attends the Wedding Ceremony Into Stone
Some folks might feel displeased about your decision to invite them only to the marriage reception. They’ll try to persuade you into making changes to your plans and give them a private wedding ceremony invitation too. The truth is, you don’t have to! This is your big day, and no one should pressure you to do anything you don’t feel comfortable with.
Before your acquaintances express their disappointment, you can clarify in the reception invites how much you’ll enjoy celebrating with them. Making one exception could hurt other people’s feelings too, and you’ll inevitably end up making more! That will jeopardize your wedding plans.
Organize a Daytime Wedding Ceremony
We advise you to have a daytime wedding and plan the reception for later in the evening. This way, you and the people closest to you will share the festive feeling in an intimate setting. Use this time to make a champagne toast and take memorable pictures, for example. After you and your dearest ones have shared this moment, you’ll celebrate with the people from your wedding reception list.
Make sure to include the correct arrival time on the wedding invitations for reception only. You’ll also need to make this indication on the ceremony and reception cards. You should cover this information clearly so that your guests know when to get there. That’s one of the reasons you should always plan the wedding reception invitation wording carefully.
Besides, coming before the party starts will make your guests feel special. Therefore, have the bar open and everything set before time. Then, have a cocktail with your guests or allow the band to introduce you as newlyweds before dinner!
Have the Wedding Ceremony and Reception on Different Days
You can actually have the two events scheduled for separate days. Then, you can send your ceremony invitation cards first and the wedding party invitations after getting married. If you really can’t wait, sending invites with enthusiastic wordings before the big day will work!
More importantly, though, celebrating the joy of getting married the way you prefer and with flexibility is a priceless experience. Schedule these events days, weeks, or months apart. Gather your loved ones at the same location or two different ones for each of the special occasions.
You have the last word here, and your wedding reception invitation wording should let you pass it on!
Wedding Reception Invitation Wording Samples
Whether you’re inviting people to both marital events or having a reception-only wedding, you should carefully announce your decision. Besides adding your names and necessary information to your message, it would help if you worded it correctly.
Use the term ’reception,’ and avoid mentioning ‘ceremony’ and ‘wedding.’ If you’re sending cards with the wedding date included, accent the gathering’s day. Write simple reception wordings to avoid any confusion, and don’t justify yourself for not inviting everyone to the ceremony.
To make things easier, take a look at the reception card examples we’ve provided.

Formal:
You should consider sending people formal invitations if you’re planning a more traditional wedding before the reception. Wordings for formal messages include full names, times, and dates written in words and a more serious tone. Please have a look at our wedding reception wording samples to get the gist of what traditional invitations look like.
The Bride’s Parents are Hosting
Mr. and Mrs. John Belleview
have the pleasure of announcing
the marriage of their daughter
Anne Brittany
to
Jonathon Duke Douglass
Please join us for a wedding reception
celebrating their marriage
on Saturday the sixth of July
two thousand and twenty-four
at seven o’clock in the evening
The Harriet Inn Ballroom
2150 Main Street
Waitsfield, Vermont
Emily and Michael
Emily Katherine Schwartz
and
Michael Andrew Gordon
will be married in a small ceremony
on Saturday the sixth of October
Please join us in celebration
at their wedding reception
Saturday the twentieth of October
Two thousand eighteen
At half-past six o’clock in the evening
Brooklyn Winery
Brooklyn, New York
Dahlia and Roger
We’re married!
Please join Dahlia and Roger for cocktails, dinner, and dancing
And help us celebrate the happy occasion!
On November 3, 2018
At Perch in Los Angeles
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Williams
are honored to announce
the marriage of their daughter,
Ariel Williams
to
Jonathan Laurence Brown
on Saturday, July Seventeenth, Two-Thousand and Ten.
The couple will exchange vows
in a private ceremony.
Please join them for a reception
celebrating their union
at six o’clock in the evening
The Golf Club at Newcastle
15500 Six Penny Lane
Newcastle, WA 98059
(425) 793-5566
Informal/Funny:
Informal wedding party invitation cards can help you spread the word about your reception in your own unique way. If you want to throw a joke or show enthusiasm, an informal wedding reception invitation wording will definitely do! Check out the wording samples we’ve included for invitations full of personality!
Open House Style Reception
You’re invited to celebrate
the marriage of
Anne and Jonathon Douglass
Please join us for refreshments on
Saturday, July 6th from 1:00 – 5:00
at our home
1938 Chamber Lane
Waitsfield, Vermont
Destination Wedding Reception
Anne and Jonathon Douglass
are happy to announce
their marriage that took place in a private ceremony
on Wednesday, the ninth of November
two thousand twenty three
in Los Cabos, Mexico
Please celebrate with them at a reception
on Saturday, July 6th at 1:00 in the afternoon
Trattoria Delia
19 Center Street
Waitsfield, Vermont
I Do BBQ
We did! We do! Let’s BBQ!
Please join us at our
wedding reception
July 6th at 1:00
Travis Street Brewing
29 Long Lake Drive
Waitsfield, Vermont
Guy Meets Girl
For the rest of the story…
Please join us at our reception
following the ceremony on
Saturday, the ninth of
October, two-thousand and ten
At four o’clock in the afternoon
424 N. Bellevue Avenue
Newport, RI 02840-6924
(407) 877-1000
As Robin
And Daniel
Celebrate their marriage
Final Thoughts on Wedding Reception Invitations
We hope you find our advice on how to tweak your wedding reception invitation wording helpful! We want you to excel at writing your reception invitation message, traditional or funny. The cards will show your loved ones that you want them present on this unique occasion.
Leave your imprint on the invitations, and remember that they’ll be souvenirs of your big day for your guests. Congratulations on your wedding! We wish you a happy marriage!