What Is Included in a Wedding Invitation? A Complete Guide

Why Wedding Invitations Matter

Your wedding invitation is more than just a simple card—it’s a first impression of your big day and sets the tone for the celebration to come. From formal black-tie affairs to casual garden parties, your wedding invitation gives guests a glimpse of the style, mood, and details of your wedding.

In this guide, we’ll break down the essential elements of a wedding invitation, explain the difference between the main invitation, RSVP card, and details card, and share etiquette tips to help you create the perfect wedding suite.

What Is Included in a Wedding Invitation? The Essentials

The main wedding invitation card is the most important piece of your wedding suite. This card includes the who, what, when, and where of your big day.

1. The Main Invitation Card (Must-Have Information)

Every wedding invitation should include these essential details:

• The Couple’s Names
  • Formal weddings: Use full names (e.g., Elizabeth Anne Carter & Jonathan Michael Reed).
  • Casual weddings: First names may be enough (e.g., Liz & Jon).
• The Date of the Wedding
  • Include the day of the week, month, date, and year (e.g., Saturday, October 5, 2025).
• The Time of the Ceremony
  • Formal wording: at five o’clock in the evening
  • Modern wording: 5:00 PM
• The Wedding Location (Ceremony Venue)
  • Clearly list the venue name and address:
    The Grand Garden Estate
    1234 Rosewood Lane
    Charleston, South Carolina
• Reception Information
  • If the reception is at the same location, you can include:
    "Dinner and dancing to follow." OR "Dinner and drinks to follow."
  • If the reception is in a different location, mention it briefly:
    "Reception to follow at The Charleston Ballroom, 5678 Oak Street."

What’s not Included in the Main Invitation? (But Still Important)

A complete wedding invitation suite includes additional separate cards to ensure guests have all the necessary details.

2. RSVP Card (Separate from the Invitation)

The RSVP card is an essential separate piece in the invitation suite. It allows guests to accept or decline the invitation.

What to Include on an RSVP Card:

• A reply-by date (typically 3-4 weeks before the wedding)
• Accept/decline options:
  • ☐ Accepts with joy
  • ☐ Declines with regret
• Meal selection (if applicable)
• A return envelope with pre-printed address and postage (optional)

Etiquette Tip: You can also include a QR code or wedding website link for digital RSVPs.

✉️ Example RSVP Wording:
"Kindly reply by September 10, 2025."

3. Details Card (For Additional Information – Separate from the Invitation)

A details card is a separate card that provides additional important information without cluttering the main invitation.

What to Include on a Details Card:

• Reception location (if different from the ceremony)
• Hotel accommodations and travel recommendations
• Dress code (e.g., Black tie attire requested)
• Wedding website for more details
• A note on children (if it’s an adult’s only wedding)

Etiquette Tip: Do not include gift registry information on the invitation. Instead, add it to your wedding website and mention the website on the details card.

4. Directions & Map (Optional but Helpful)

If your venue is in a remote location or difficult to find, consider including a directions card or a small map.

Options for Sharing Directions:

• Printed map card for traditional invitations
• QR code linking to Google Maps for modern invitations

Wedding Invitation Wording & Etiquette Tips

1. How to Properly Address Guests

Formal Addressing:

• Married couple: Mr. and Mrs. James Carter
• Unmarried couple: Ms. Sarah Johnson & Mr. David Lee
• Family with children: The Carter Family

2. Choosing the Right Tone & Style

Your invitation wording should reflect your wedding style:

📜 Formal Example:
Mr. and Mrs. James Carter
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Alexia Park
to
Brayden Layton
on Saturday, the fifth of October
two thousand twenty-six
at five o’clock in the evening
The Grand Garden Estate
Charleston, South Carolina
Dinner and dancing to follow.

Modern Example:
together with their families
Blair & Easton
invite you to celebrate their wedding
Saturday, October 5, 2025
at 5:00 PM
The Grand Garden Estate
Charleston, SC
Dinner and drinks to follow!

3. When to Send Wedding Invitations

Wedding Invitation Timeline:

• Save-the-Dates: 6-12 months before the wedding
• Wedding Invitations: 6-8 weeks before the wedding
• RSVP Deadline: 3-4 weeks before the wedding

Destination Weddings: Send invitations 3-4 months in advance to allow guests extra time for travel planning.

Crafting the Perfect Wedding Invitation Suite

A wedding invitation isn’t just one card—it’s part of a full invitation suite that includes the main invitation, RSVP card, and details card. Each piece plays a role in ensuring your guests have all the information they need.

Checklist: What’s Included in a Full Wedding Invitation Suite?

• Main Invitation Card (Couple’s names, date, time, location)
• RSVP Card (Separate card for responses)
• Details Card (Reception info, accommodations, wedding website)
• Optional: Directions, venue maps, or additional weekend events

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PS. Want to know how to time your wedding stationery and when to send out your invitations, save the dates, and thank you cards? Check out our Blog Post Here The Ultimate Guide to Timing Your Wedding Stationery with everything that you need to know to keep you on track.