Wedding Invitation Wording by Host: Parents, Couple, Both Families, and Divorced Parents

The first line of a wedding invitation, the host line, is the one couples argue about most. It tells guests who is inviting them, and it can quietly say a lot about who is paying, who is being honoured and how the families fit together. This guide gives you wording for the most common situations, including the tricky ones.

What the host line actually does

Traditionally, the host line names whoever is hosting the wedding, which usually meant whoever was paying. Today it is more flexible. Many couples use the host line to honour the people who matter to them, whether or not those people paid for anything.

There is no single correct answer. The goal is a line that is accurate, kind and comfortable for everyone named on it. If you want the full structure of an invitation first, read how to write a wedding invitation message.

The couple is hosting

If you are paying for the wedding yourselves, or simply prefer not to name parents, put your own names first.

[Name] and [Name] request the pleasure of your company at their wedding [Day, date] at [time] [Venue and address]

A softer version for a casual wedding:

[Name] and [Name] are getting married, and we would love you to celebrate with us.

Both families are hosting

When you want everyone included without listing who paid what, "together with their families" works well.

Together with their families [Name] and [Name] invite you to celebrate their marriage [Day, date] at [time] [Venue and address]

If you want to name the parents, list both sets:

Mr. and Mrs. [Name] and Mr. and Mrs. [Name] request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their children [Name] and [Name]

One set of parents is hosting

The traditional format names the hosting parents and "their daughter" or "their son". Today you can use whichever fits.

Mr. and Mrs. [Name] request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter [Name] to [Name], son of Mr. and Mrs. [Name]

Parents and couple hosting together

Together with their parents [Name] and [Name] request the pleasure of your company at their wedding

Divorced parents

This is the situation that causes the most anxiety, but the rules are simple.

One divorced parent is hosting alone. List that parent only.

Ms. [Name] requests the pleasure of your company at the marriage of her daughter [Name]

Both divorced parents are hosting. Give each parent their own line instead of grouping them under "Mr. and Mrs.". Many couples add "and" between them if they are on good terms. Without it works just as well.

[Mother's name] and [Father's name] request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter [Name]

One or both have remarried. List each parent with their current spouse, on separate lines:

Mr. and Mrs. [Father and stepmother] and Mr. and Mrs. [Mother and stepfather] request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of [Name]

A few notes that avoid awkwardness:

• Use "Ms." for a mother who has gone back to her maiden name, and write her name the way she uses it now.
• Mother first, father first or alphabetical are all acceptable. Pick one and keep it consistent.
• If you cannot make the host line work, skip it. The couple-hosting format above avoids the problem entirely.

A parent has passed away

The host line names the people who are hosting, so a deceased parent is not usually listed there. There are gentler ways to include them:

• Add "daughter of Mrs. [Name] and the late Mr. [Name]" after the couple's names.
• Add an "in loving memory" note to the ceremony program or the details section of your invitation page.
• Mention the person in a short line on your wedding website.

If a remaining parent is hosting alone, use the single-parent format above.

Friends, siblings or other relatives hosting

If someone other than a parent is hosting, name them and describe the relationship, or use "together with" and name the couple.

[Host name] requests the pleasure of your company at the marriage of [Name] and [Name]

Decide the host line when you decide the budget

The host line is easiest to settle once you know who is contributing. A quick conversation about who is paying for what saves a lot of awkward edits after the proofs arrive. The free party budget calculator is a handy way to start it. It splits one total across seven categories, keeps the percentages at 100, shows the cost per guest and warns if your contingency is too thin. Once everyone can see the same numbers, the wording usually becomes obvious.

You do not have to mirror contributions on the invitation, though. Some families prefer to be named regardless of who paid. The line should reflect what everyone is comfortable with.

Before you print or send

• Show the draft to every person named on it
• Check the spelling of names and titles
• Confirm the order of names
• Read it aloud as a guest would
• Decide whether the line is formal enough for your dress code and venue (see dress code wording for invitations)

If you are printing envelopes, our guide to addressing wedding invitation envelopes covers the other half of the etiquette.

Frequently asked questions

Does the host line have to name whoever paid? No. It is a tradition, not a rule. Many couples name the people they want to honour.

Which name goes first? Traditionally the bride's side, but alphabetical order or either partner first is fine. Be consistent.

Do we need "request the honour of your presence" or "request the pleasure of your company"? "Honour" has traditionally been used for religious ceremonies and "pleasure" for civil or secular ones, but many couples use whichever sounds more natural.

Can we change the host line on a digital invitation after sending? You can update an invitation page, but guests who already saw it will have seen the old version. It is much easier to get the wording right before you share the link.