What Time Do You Put On Wedding Invites?

Wedding invitation wording is crucial for organizing and ensuring a smooth event. It is essential to write the time on the invitation, as guests are likely to arrive 30 minutes before the start time of the ceremony. Traditional wedding invitations may include a start time of 4pm, but it is best to call the wedding for at least half an hour to 45 minutes before the ceremony begins.

When stating the date and time, it is important to maintain formality and clarity. For evening wedding reception invites, only send them to the couple, and follow the “one invite per couple” rule. A good rule of thumb is to call the wedding for at least half an hour to 45 minutes before the ceremony begins and state that time on your invitation.

A wedding invitation usually includes the names of the hosts, couple’s names, a request to attend the wedding, date and time of the ceremony, location of the ceremony, and reception details. It is also important to include an “RSVP by” date on your RSVP cards, giving guests three to four weeks to let you know if they will be attending.

Pad the timing for the ceremony by at least ten to fifteen minutes, allowing guests to arrive at an appropriate pace. If serving pre-ceremony drinks, you can usually get away with a 30-minute arrival time.

In conclusion, wedding invitation wording should be clear, concise, and organized to ensure a smooth and enjoyable event. It is essential to pad the timing for the ceremony by at least ten to fifteen minutes to accommodate guests’ arrival times.

What is the etiquette for wedding arrival?

Wedding Etiquette for Guests: The ceremony. Be on time. Plan to arrive 15 to 30 minutes early for the ceremony. “It’s better to be early than late,” says Van Son. Don’t sneak in or walk down the aisle during the ceremony. “Don’t arrive during the processional or brides entrance,” says Gomes. If you arrive late, ask the ushers when you can enter. Don’t arrive too early. “If you arrive too early, it can cause problems for the vendors, like the florist, who might have to slow down or make concessions due to safety,” says Van Son. It’s also a slippery slope. If guests see someone seated early, they will probably also sit early, and the room will fill up too soon. We often use spaces like the ceremony location or dining room for bridal portraits or other photos. Don’t call the couple. If you’re running late, your flight got canceled, or you’re sick, tell someone—but not the couple. “Don’t contact the couple last minute if you’re running late or have an issue. It can add stress to an already stressful day,” says Meier. “Try reaching a wedding planner, bridesmaid, or groomsman instead.” The couple’s website should have directions, schedule, and dress code info, says Van Son.

How do I mention time in an invitation?

Invitations: Spell out the time. Don’t capitalize it. Use “o’clock” (lowercase and apostrophe) for the hour. Don’t use “o’clock” if it’s not on the hour. Hyphenate if it’s not on the hour.

1. Abbreviations. All words on invitations, accessory cards, and envelopes should be spelled out. EX: Rd. instead of Rd., Blvd. instead of Blvd., IN instead of IN.

Exceptions: Abbreviations are allowed for honorifics, “St.” or “Sts.” for “Saint,” and “a.m.” and “p.m.” for time. “Jr.” or “Sr.” are correct for “Junior” or “Senior.” They should always be separated from the last name by a comma. Time. Invitations need to be spelled out, but numbers can be used on accessory cards.

How should time be written on an invitation?

Invitations: Spell out the time. Don’t capitalize it. Use “o’clock” (lowercase and apostrophe) for the hour. Don’t use “o’clock” if it’s not on the hour. Hyphenate if it’s not on the hour.

1. Abbreviations. All words on invitations, accessory cards, and envelopes should be spelled out. EX: Rd. instead of Rd., Blvd. instead of Blvd., IN instead of IN.

Exceptions: Abbreviations are allowed for honorifics, “St.” or “Sts.” for “Saint,” and “a.m.” and “p.m.” for time. “Jr.” or “Sr.” are correct for “Junior” or “Senior.” They should always be separated from the last name by a comma. Time. Invitations need to be spelled out, but numbers can be used on accessory cards.

How do you write 12 noon on a wedding invitation?

You don’t have to write in the morning, afternoon, or evening unless the wedding is at 8, 9, or 10. If you want to include these phrases, know that anything after 5 p.m. is evening, and anything between noon and 4:30 p.m. is afternoon. If your wedding is at noon, just write noon. You can write the time on your wedding invitations in other ways, especially if it’s a casual event. If you’re writing the date informally (Saturday, June 21st, 2025), you can also write the time as 4 or 5:30. The date and time should match in formality. Don’t write out the date and use numerals for the time. You can also decide how your invitations look and sound. Working with a stationer can help you figure this out. Should we write out separate start times for the ceremony and reception? The main wedding invitation usually just says the date and time of the ceremony. If your reception is right after your wedding, you can just write “reception to follow” or “dinner and dancing to follow” on the bottom of the invitation. If the reception is at a different time or place, it’s best to include a separate card with all the details. Here’s an example of a reception card:

What time to invite guests to a wedding?

Save the date cards can be sent out a year before your wedding. Invitations should be sent to your guests six to eight weeks before your wedding. Invitations for destination weddings should be sent to your guests three months before your wedding. Designing your wedding invitations and sending them out is an exciting part of wedding planning. Use these tips and add your own style to create beautiful wedding invitations that will get your guests excited to celebrate your love story.

Need more wedding planning tips? Check out our TikTok for wedding planning tips and behind-the-scenes footage.

Do you put arrival time or ceremony time on a wedding invite?

6. When do you want your guests to arrive? Your main invitation should say when the ceremony starts. Guests should arrive and be seated a little before this. If you’ve arranged for drinks before the ceremony, let your guests know. Use a line like this: Please arrive at 12:30 pm to be seated for the ceremony at 1:00 pm.

7. When should they leave? “Carriages at midnight” sounds fancy, doesn’t it? It’s just a way of letting guests know when the celebrations will end. It’s helpful to know if they need to arrange transportation home after the reception. Include this on your wedding day and evening invitations.

Do you put actual time on a wedding invite?

9. When should you send your wedding invitations? It’s not a good idea to put an earlier time on your wedding invitations than the ceremony start time. Guests usually arrive early for a wedding ceremony. If you put a false start time on your wedding invitations, your loved ones might have to wait longer than they should for you and your future spouse to arrive. You don’t need to include start times for the cocktail hour and reception. If the events are all on the same day at the same place, just say reception to follow. If your reception is at a different venue, you can include the location on a separate card. If your wedding weekend is busy, it’s a good idea to have separate cards for each event, with the date, time, and location. You can send these with your wedding invitations or in wedding welcome bags.

10. Where do you put your wedding website info? You can share your wedding website in a few places without breaking etiquette rules. A simple TaylorandPayton.com on your save-the-dates lets guests know you have a wedding website. You can also put the URL on a card or use a QR code in your invitation. BTW, if you set up a wedding website on The Knot, we’ve got matching stationery designs—how cool is that?

What is the time format for wedding invitations?

The date and time should be written out in full. If your ceremony is on September 15, 2024, at 4:30 p.m., the wording should read, “Saturday, September 15, 2021, at 4:30 p.m.”; The day of the week and the month should be capitalized. The year should be lowercase. There is no “and” when spelling out the year. The time of day should be spelled out as “four o’clock” or “half after four o’clock.” “Half after” is the traditional way to indicate time. However, less formal invitations can use “half past four” or “four-thirty.” There is no need to add “in the afternoon” or “in the evening” unless the event takes place at times like 8, 9, or 10. Then say “in the morning” or “in the evening” for clarity. Some stationery designers add these phrases to fill out a line to improve the look of the invite. This is up to you and your designer. Evening starts at 5 pm, otherwise it is afternoon from noon until 4 pm. These formal date and time rules are often broken in modern invitations, where the date and time are listed using numerals. Using numerals is also preferred for informal weddings. Be consistent with the formality of your wedding.

• Four o’clock (traditional)
• four o’clock in the afternoon (also acceptable)
• 4:00 p.m. (informal)
• 4:00 p.m. (informal)

Half after four o’clock (traditional); half past four o’clock (also acceptable); four-thirty in the afternoon (also acceptable); 4:30 p.m. (informal); 4:30 p.m. in the afternoon (informal).

How do you write 4pm on a wedding invitation?

Four o’clock (traditional) Four o’clock in the afternoon (also acceptable) 4:00 p.m. (informal) 4:00 p.m. in the afternoon (informal) Monogram: Symbolizes the union and uses the initials of the couple’s first names. Hostline: Mentions the host of the celebration.Bride’s name before groom’s. Avoid confusion by spelling out dates. Reception sets the tone. Wedding invitations can be tricky due to etiquette rules and sticky situations. The wording should reflect the vibe of your wedding day. We’ve put together some wedding invitation wording examples, tips, and etiquette to help you. A wedding invitation starts with a host line. This is where you say who is paying for the wedding. The bride’s parents usually pay for the wedding, so listing their names on the host line is a way of acknowledging their generosity.

What is the rule for wedding invitations?

Wedding invitations should include the couple’s names, the hosts’ names (if different), and the place and time of the ceremony. These Epoch Designs invites do just that. Don’t include phrases like “no children” or “adults only” on the invitation. The names on the envelope will show who is invited. Don’t include registry information. Family and wedding party members can share it when asked or provide it on your website.

Write street, PO box, and apartment in full, as seen in these lovely invites by Isidore Augustine. The same is true for city and state names and house numbers under 20. Mr. and Mrs. are usually abbreviated.

Write your guests’ names on the outer envelopes, as seen on these invitations by Brown Fox Creative. Address married couples as Mr. and Mrs. followed by the husband’s name. You can also list both names. If a woman keeps her maiden name, her names are written in alphabetical order. Ms. Susan Jones and Mr. John Smith. Write the names of an unmarried couple who live together on two lines.