Invitation Wording Question

HilaryH1231

If my wedding starts at 6:30pm, would I write "half past six o'clock in the evening" or "half after six o'clock in the evening"? Is it like tomato, tomahto?

Also, for the city and state on the invitation, should they both be spelled out? (New York, New York) or should the state be abbreviated (New York, NY). And wow, talk about obsessing over minute details. I think I"ve gone off the deep end...

Edit: Also, when did you have your RSVP date? Is two weeks before the wedding cutting it too close? The wedding is on 9/24...would Sept. 1st be better?

kkchisholm

I personally would say ... Six Thirty. But I am a clear and simple kind of gal.

tiffersnc

I'm getting married at 5:30 and our currently we're planning to say "half past five in the evening" on ours. But I think it just depends on your preference. I'd never think a thing about the difference in "past" and "after" on an invitation.

And yes, technically you should spell out the city and state. New York, New York would be correct (I'm pretty sure).

HTH!

danieliza1127

The proper way is half after six.  Half past is supposed to be for funerals.

HilaryH1231

@tiffers: thanks! Yeah, I definitely think I"m the oooonly one who will notice the wording. The invitation designer person currently has "half past" on the proof, so I guess I'll leave it as that.

HilaryH1231

@danieliza: darn it! Okay, definitely don't want to have people thinking of a funeral, lol. I wonder why that is, that "half past" is for funerals.

danieliza1127

Past, as in passed away.  I doubt many people know that though, other than us brides on wedding message boards.

As far as the RSVP date, find out when your venue needs the final headcount and then make your RSVP date one week before that.  That way you have time to contact people who don't respond.

strawberrycrz

I didn't know about the "half past, half after" rule.  I have never picked up on that. 

About the rsvp date.  My venue requires a final head count 3 weeks before.  So I'm making my rsvp date 3.5 weeks before the wedding.

SummerBoston10

I am also getting married at 6:30 and our invitations say "at six thirty in the evening."  I didn't like "half after" because it sounds more awkward and people don't talk like that.  BUT, if you are having really formal, traditional invitations, I would stick with half after six. 

HilaryH1231

Just another quick question: would it be "half after six in the evening" or "half after six o'clock in the evening"?

danieliza1127

Generally you don't have to say "in the evening" because it's a given that's not 6:30 in the morning.  So you can just say "half after six o'clock".