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Reception Invitation Wording Suggestions?

GuebaraGirlGuebaraGirl
10 Comments
in Wedding Invitations & Paper
We are getting married in a private ceremony with only our immediate families on a Thursday and are throwing a cocktail "reception" (celebration) the following Saturday (so two days later). We've been verbally sharing this information for several months but now that it's time to order invitations, I'm a little stumped on how to word them. I'd like to include a small section announcing that we will be married in a private ceremony on (date) in (location) (or something to that affect) and then word the invitation for the party to come and celebrate with us. It will be a cocktail / hors d'oeurve party so I know that I need to clearly say that so people don't expect dinner. Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions for how to word the invitation, it would be greatly appreciated!
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Re: Reception Invitation Wording Suggestions?

  • shanding4787shanding4787
    100 Comments
    Good luck getting an answer. I asked a similar question and the bitches on here are brutal.
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  • kaos16kaos16 member
    Knottie Warrior 500 Love Its 1000 Comments First Answer
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_reception-invitation-wording-suggestions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:27cfa63f-7400-4bd8-9f9e-754a8f3b4d67Post:4e997741-5276-4dea-b2e0-e8003b4d7f65">Re: Reception Invitation Wording Suggestions?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Good luck getting an answer. I asked a similar question and the bitches on here are brutal.
    Posted by shanding4787[/QUOTE]

    I could be wrong, but I believe that the difference between what you were asking for help wording and what this bride is trying to do is that this bride is having a truly private ceremony. . . . ie: Immediate family only, where your question involved inviting half the people you wanted at your reception to the ceremony, and inviting the other half to only the ceremony.

    Apples and Oranges.
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  • TurtlesAllTheWayDownTurtlesAllTheWayDown member
    10000 Comments Sixth Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Ditto LovetheBeach. You invite them to the "reception" rather than the wedding or the ceremony or the marriage ceremony.

    In fact, I would say "a cocktail reception celebrating the marriage of."

    I wouldn't put something like "The bride and groom were married in a private ceremony on May twenty-fifth," because when you send out the invitations, you won't be married yet.
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  • aragx6aragx6 member
    2500 Comments 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited May 2012
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_reception-invitation-wording-suggestions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:27cfa63f-7400-4bd8-9f9e-754a8f3b4d67Post:4e997741-5276-4dea-b2e0-e8003b4d7f65">Re: Reception Invitation Wording Suggestions?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Good luck getting an answer. I asked a similar question and the bitches on here are brutal.
    Posted by shanding4787[/QUOTE]

    Big difference.

    edit: And I agree that "Invite you to join them for a reception to celebrate their marriage" or something like that would be perfect.
    Lizzie
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  • littleluckypennylittleluckypenny member
    Fifth Anniversary 500 Comments
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_reception-invitation-wording-suggestions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:27cfa63f-7400-4bd8-9f9e-754a8f3b4d67Post:4e997741-5276-4dea-b2e0-e8003b4d7f65">Re: Reception Invitation Wording Suggestions?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Good luck getting an answer. I asked a similar question and the bitches on here are brutal.
    Posted by shanding4787[/QUOTE]

    Not getting validated for your mess of an idea doesn't mean we were brutal.  Your options were laid out for you so can save face with your family/friends.  I suggest looking at the recommendations again.
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  • littleluckypennylittleluckypenny member
    Fifth Anniversary 500 Comments

    OP, what time is your celebration?  If it is during a meal time, you might have to serve dinner or heavy apps. 

    Can it be something like:

    Bride and Groom invite you to celebrate their marriage
    that took place on XX date

    or

    Bride and groom were married on XX date
    come help them celebrate their marriage

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  • QueerFemmeQueerFemme member
    5000 Comments Fifth Anniversary 500 Love Its 5 Answers
    A private, family only ceremony, with a reception a different day is VERY different than inviting half of your guests to the ceremony and making the rest of them show up at the reception on the same day. I'm not sure why Shanding doesn't "get" that, but I digress. 

    Sample wording for OP's situation could be:

    Jane and John Smith
    request the honour of your presence
    at a celebration of their marriage
    Saturday, the ninth of January
    at seven o' clock in the evening

    ABC Venue
    Anytown, Anystate

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    Websites/blogs where our wedding has been featured:

    http://www.dapperq.com/2013/11/a-very-dapper-wedding/

    http://www.onabicyclebuiltfortwo.com/2013/10/wedding-christina-g.html

    http://4realequalityweddings.com/2014/05/16/g-christina/

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  • aragx6aragx6 member
    2500 Comments 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_reception-invitation-wording-suggestions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:27cfa63f-7400-4bd8-9f9e-754a8f3b4d67Post:0b6698dc-c7a9-4bb6-943e-b6fb0c1fc62b">Re: Reception Invitation Wording Suggestions?</a>:
    [QUOTE]A p rivate,   family only ceremony , with a reception a different day is VERY different than inviting half of your guests to the ceremony and making the rest of them show up at the reception on the same day. I'm not sure why Shanding doesn't "get" that, but I digress.  Sample wording for OP's situation could be: Jane and John Smith request the <strong>honour of your presence</strong> at a celebration of their marriage Saturday, the ninth of January at seven o' clock in the evening ABC Venue Anytown, Anystate
    Posted by cmgilpin[/QUOTE]

    This should only be used for a church wedding. I'd go with "pleasure of your company" if you want to write it that way.
    Lizzie
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  • QueerFemmeQueerFemme member
    5000 Comments Fifth Anniversary 500 Love Its 5 Answers

    You are right aragx.  I neglected to change the "honor" to "presence" when revising!

    image

    Websites/blogs where our wedding has been featured:

    http://www.dapperq.com/2013/11/a-very-dapper-wedding/

    http://www.onabicyclebuiltfortwo.com/2013/10/wedding-christina-g.html

    http://4realequalityweddings.com/2014/05/16/g-christina/

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  • devilishangel61401devilishangel61401
    10 Comments
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_reception-invitation-wording-suggestions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:27cfa63f-7400-4bd8-9f9e-754a8f3b4d67Post:9a154b6e-4408-41a2-aba8-cb6e0ae24b72">Re: Reception Invitation Wording Suggestions?</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Reception Invitation Wording Suggestions? : I'd watch the name calling. You can be banned for that. And the difference between your question and the OP's is that you are NOT having an intimate ceremony. You are making the choice to get married in a church that holds X number of people but inviting Y number. If you're not interested in hearing what the proper thing to do is, I suggest wedding wire or wedding bee. The are the queens of validation of bad ideas. OP - You could use: Bride and Groom request the pleasure of your company at the reception to celebrate their marriage Saturday, the date of month two thousand and twelve at time Venue Name Address City, State It's not necessary but you could include a small insert that says "bride and groom were married in a private ceremony on Date" Also, just make sure if you're not serving a full meal that your reception isn't at a meal time. :)
    Posted by lovethebeach16[/QUOTE]


    Ditto what she said.  To the lady calling us names you did not ask this question. You asked "I want to have half of my guests to the ceremony and half to the reception" that is a totally diffrent ball of wax my dear.  The OP for this post is asking how to have a truly private wedding with family only then invite guests to the reception.

    I think putting the wording "please join us for h'oer derves ( not sure how to spell it) or "join us for cake and punch" clues ppl in youre not serving a full meal congrats and good luck<img src="http://cdn.cl9.vanillaforums.com/downloaded/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-laughing.gif" border="0" alt="Laughing" title="Laughing" />
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  • GuebaraGirlGuebaraGirl
    10 Comments
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_reception-invitation-wording-suggestions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:27cfa63f-7400-4bd8-9f9e-754a8f3b4d67Post:a5552694-c649-46ad-822d-af481e22de81">Re: Reception Invitation Wording Suggestions?</a>:
    [QUOTE]OP, what time is your celebration?  If it is during a meal time, you might have to serve dinner or heavy apps.  Can it be something like: Bride and Groom invite you to celebrate their marriage that took place on XX date or Bride and groom were married on XX date come help them celebrate their marriage
    Posted by littleluckypenny[/QUOTE]

    The party will start at 7:00. We're planning appetizers and desserts (I think about 8-10 appetizers and 4-6 desserts if we stick with the choices we've already made). And I've done the math for a count on how many of each so I feel pretty confident in the amount of food we'll have for it. We've also been spreading the word through friends that it will be a cocktail party and not a formal dinner.
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  • GuebaraGirlGuebaraGirl
    10 Comments
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_reception-invitation-wording-suggestions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:27cfa63f-7400-4bd8-9f9e-754a8f3b4d67Post:9cd128b6-68d8-497a-8ce5-e7d795bb85af">Re: Reception Invitation Wording Suggestions?</a>:
    [QUOTE]7 is still considered a meal time. It sounds like you have enough variety of apps though and I think you're supposed to estimate that each guest will eat 3-6 of each app to make it a meal. As long as you're guests aren't going hungry, its fine.
    Posted by lovethebeach16[/QUOTE]

    Trust me, I've never thrown a party where people went hungry. If anything, I over-feed you everytime :)
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  • MyNameIsNotMyNameIsNot member
    Knottie Warrior 10000 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers
    I would "celebrate their recent marriage" or something.  

    If you are just doing apps at 7:00, please try to do some hearty apps.  If you just do a veggie tray and some stuffed mushrooms, you're going to end up with a lot of empty stomachs, which either means they'll leave or get drunk.  
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  • MyNameIsNotMyNameIsNot member
    Knottie Warrior 10000 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers
    edited May 2012
    I would "celebrate their recent marriage" or something.  

    If you are just doing apps at 7:00, please try to do some hearty apps.  If you just do a veggie tray and some stuffed mushrooms, you're going to end up with a lot of empty stomachs, which either means they'll leave or get drunk.  
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