Create the perfect evening wedding invitation in 7 easy steps

They say that the devil is in the detail, and this couldn’t be truer than in the case of evening wedding invitations. We’ve all been there, the hours spent discussing who to invite to the full day’s events and who to the evening only, trying not to offend anyone whilst being conscious that our budget isn’t unlimited. And it isn’t easy, which is why we’ve put together this quick ‘how to’ guide, to help you navigate the world of wedding invitation wording.

Step 1:

Choose your wedding invitation design.

Have a look at our extensive collection of personalised wedding invitations and you’re sure to find the perfect one for you. Your wedding invitation sets the scene for what is to come and as such it should give your guests a clue about the theme for the day, so whether you’re holding a traditional British affair, a wild outdoor festival or an intimate rustic celebration, we are sure to have an wedding invite to match.

Step 2:

Decide who is hosting.

Just like when you write your full day wedding invitation, it is important to decide who will be hosting and word your invitation appropriately. Have a look at our ‘how to word your wedding invitation’ guide for examples of both formal and informal invitation wording and decide which one suits your big day the most.

Step 3:

Avoid any embarrassment and make it clear.

An evening reception invitation is sent out to your guests who will just be coming to the evening portion of your day and whilst it follows the same etiquette as a full day wedding invitation and includes the same key details (couples names, time, date and place) it should also clearly state that the invitees are expected only for the evening reception, this way you avoid any embarrassment on the day for either party.

Have a at the examples below to get an idea of the different ways you can word your invitation. We think they all go particularly well with our range of classic and elegant wedding invitations:

Invite wording for a wedding hosted by bride’s parents

Mr and Mrs David Masters
request the honour of your presence
at an evening reception
to celebrate the marriage of their daughter

Sophie Louise

to

James Michael Stanford

on Saturday, the third of September
two thousand and twenty
at seven o’clock in the evening
at Highford Manor, Surrey
Carriages at midnight

Invite wording for a wedding hosted by both families

Together with their families,

Sophie Louise Masters

and

James Michael Stanford

request the pleasure of your company
at their evening wedding reception
on Saturday, the third of September
two thousand and twenty
at seven o’clock in the evening
at Highford Manor, Surrey
Carriages at midnight

Invite wording for a wedding hosted by the couple

Miss Sophie Louise Masters

and

Mr James Michael Stanford

request the pleasure of your company
to celebrate their marriage
at an evening reception
on Saturday, the third of September
two thousand and twenty
at seven o’clock in the evening
at Highford Manor, Surrey
Carriages at midnight

An informal wedding hosted by the couple

Dust of your dancing shoes
ready for an evening reception
to celebrate the marriage of

Sophie and James

Saturday, 3rd September 2020
7 pm
Highford Manor

OR

Sophie and James

invite you to join them for
an evening of celebration and dancing
Saturday, 3rd September 2020
7 pm
Highford Manor, Surrey

 

Step 4:

Include key information.

Key information for your evening guests includes whether food will be served and if there is a dress code. Pre warning your guests about what food, if any, to expect will avoid expensive tables of untouched bacon sarnies as evening guests have already eaten or, even worse, a horde of hungry guests leaving early to find the nearest late-night eatery. A simple note at the bottom of the invitation such as ‘guests can expect late night snacks/evening buffet to be served around 10pm to keep the munchies away’ will suffice.

Step 5:

Avoid this major faux pas.

The wedding gift list is usually the part of the invitation where couples spend hours agonising over appropriate wording. Trying not to seem as if a gift is expected whilst also providing the relevant information to guests who wish to give one can be a difficult balance to strike. Wedding etiquette suggests that evening only invitations should not mention a gift list, otherwise it can come across as if you’re only inviting these guests in the hopes of a larger pile of presents.  Propriety gives you two options, the first is to mention nothing and only provide details of your registry to guests who directly ask for them, and the second is to provide a link for your wedding website at the bottom of the invitation. If you have a wedding website this should be included anyway as a way of giving more detailed information to prospective guests including details on travel and nearby accommodation. It also has the benefit of allowing you to subtly include a link to your gift registry which guests can use at their discretion. If you’re not planning a wedding website, then perhaps consider our range of WhatsApp wedding cards. They come with a free digital RSVP and info sheet service which will allow you to give this information in a similar way.

Step 6:

Send out evening invitations at the same time as full day invitations.

So that friends and family aren’t left wondering if they will receive an invitation at all it is best to send out all wedding invitations at the same time, regardless if they’re full the full weekend, full day, or evening only. These will be sent alongside a wedding RSVP card or details of how to RSVP online if that’s your preferred method and any further wedding information cards you wish to include.

Step 7:

Match your wedding stationery.

As your wedding invitation is likely to set the tone and even the theme of your wedding, most couples like to continue the same design throughout all of their customised wedding stationery, so to save time down the line, have a look now at the other wedding stationary you may require. For many, this includes wedding ceremony order of service, order of the day cards, table place cards and even personalised menus. And don’t forget to order a couple of extras to save as precious mementos from the best day of your lives. Finally, when all is said and done, design yourself some beautiful wedding thank you cards to thank all of you guests for their attendance (and gifts!).