Wedding reception invitation wording depends on who is reading it. Guests coming to both the ceremony and the reception need one reception line or a reception card. Guests invited only to the reception need an invitation that treats the party as the main event. And a reception held after a private ceremony or an elopement needs wording that shares the news and invites people to celebrate.
Below is copy-ready wording for each of those, plus casual lines, logistics lines and the short message that carries a reception invitation. The same wording works on a printed card or in digital wedding invitations. The examples use a wedding on Saturday, June 12, 2027, for Nina Alvarez and Owen Hart. Swap in your own names and details.
Which reception wording do you need?
Find your situation in the left column. The request line is the phrase that follows the hosts' names; the key line is the one that carries the reception itself.
| Your situation | Who gets it | Request line | Key line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reception at the ceremony venue | Every guest | Part of the main invitation | "Reception to follow" |
| Reception at a different venue | Every guest | Part of the main invitation | A reception card with the venue and address |
| A gap of a few hours between the two | Every guest | Part of the main invitation | "Reception at seven o'clock" on the card |
| Some guests at the reception only | Reception guests | "the pleasure of your company" | "at a reception in honor of" the couple |
| Reception after a private ceremony or elopement | Every reception guest | "the pleasure of your company" or "join us" | "in celebration of their marriage" |
| Belated reception, months later | Every reception guest | "join us" | "to celebrate their marriage," with the wedding date if you like |
| Parents hosting a hometown reception | Hometown friends and family | "the pleasure of your company" | "in honor of" the couple, naming where they married |
For formal invitations, "the honor of your presence" is the traditional request for a ceremony in a house of worship, and "the pleasure of your company" is the traditional request for a reception or any other venue. That is why the reception-only examples below use "pleasure."
Reception card and reception line wording
When every guest is invited to both, the reception goes on one line of the main invitation or on a small separate card. A card is useful when the reception is at a different venue and you need room for the address.
Reception to follow
Dinner and dancing to follow
Reception immediately following the ceremony The Linden Room 220 Harbor Street, Annapolis, Maryland
Reception seven o'clock in the evening Greystone Barn, 18 Mill Road, Annapolis
Please join us for cocktails, dinner and dancing immediately after the ceremony at Greystone Barn
Ceremony at Saint Anne's at two o'clock. Reception at Greystone Barn at five o'clock. Shuttles leave the church at four.
Reception-only invitation wording
When some guests are invited to the reception and not the ceremony, give them an invitation of their own that names the reception as the event. Leave the ceremony out of it, and don't apologize for it.
Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Alvarez request the pleasure of your company at a reception in honor of Nina Alvarez and Owen Hart Saturday, the twelfth of June two thousand twenty-seven at seven o'clock in the evening Greystone Barn, Annapolis, Maryland
Together with their families Nina Alvarez and Owen Hart invite you to celebrate their marriage at an evening reception Saturday, June 12, 2027, at 7:00 p.m. Greystone Barn, Annapolis
Join us for an evening of dinner, dancing and toasts as we celebrate Nina and Owen Saturday, June 12, from 7:00 p.m.
The ceremony will be small, but the party won't be. Please join Nina and Owen for their wedding reception on June 12.
Come raise a glass with the newlyweds. Evening reception, Saturday, June 12, Greystone Barn.
A reception after a private ceremony, elopement or courthouse wedding
Here the couple is already married, so the wording does two jobs: it shares the news, and it invites people to the party. Name the marriage once, warmly, and keep the focus on the celebration.
Nina Alvarez and Owen Hart were married in a private ceremony on May 2, 2027. Please join us for a reception in their honor Saturday, October 9, 2027, at six o'clock Greystone Barn, Annapolis
We eloped! Now we'd like to celebrate with the people we love. Join us for dinner and dancing on Saturday, October 9.
We said "I do" at the courthouse. Now let's do the party properly. Saturday, October 9, 6:00 p.m., Greystone Barn.
Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Alvarez request the pleasure of your company at a reception celebrating the marriage of their daughter Nina and Owen Hart Saturday, the ninth of October at six o'clock in the evening
Married in Lisbon, celebrating in Annapolis. Please join Nina and Owen for a reception on October 9.
Just married, with a party still to throw. Come celebrate Nina and Owen on Saturday, October 9.
A belated or delayed reception
If the reception happens months after the wedding, you can mention the wedding date or leave it out. Both are fine; including it simply answers the question guests will ask.
Nina and Owen were married on June 12, 2027. Better late than never: join us for the reception Saturday, April 15, 2028, at 6:00 p.m.
We married quietly last summer and have been waiting for the right moment to celebrate. This is it. Please join us on Saturday, April 15.
One year married, and finally throwing the party. Come celebrate Nina and Owen on Saturday, April 15, 2028.
The wedding was small. The reception is for everyone. Join us at Greystone Barn on Saturday, April 15.
When parents host a hometown reception
Parents sometimes host a second reception where the family lives, after a wedding held somewhere else. Their names lead, and the line about the wedding tells guests why the party is happening.
Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Alvarez request the pleasure of your company at a reception in honor of their daughter and son-in-law Nina and Owen Hart who were married in Lisbon, Portugal
Linda and Carlos Alvarez invite you to celebrate Nina and Owen's marriage at home in Annapolis Saturday, October 9, at 6:00 p.m.
Nina and Owen married abroad, and we'd love to throw them a party at home. Join us on Saturday, October 9.
Casual reception party wording
Eat, drink and celebrate Nina and Owen. Saturday, June 12, from 7:00 p.m.
Tacos, toasts and a very full dance floor. Join us for Nina and Owen's reception.
No speeches longer than three minutes. That's a promise. Come celebrate Nina and Owen.
Backyard reception for the newlyweds. Wear comfortable shoes.
The vows are done. The dancing is not. Join us on June 12.
Logistics lines for a reception
Cocktails at six o'clock, dinner at seven
Dress code: cocktail attire
Parking is available behind the barn. A shuttle runs from the Harbor Inn from 5:30 p.m.
The reception runs until midnight, so plan your ride home
Please reply by May 12 so we can confirm numbers with the caterer
The message that carries a reception invitation
If you're sending the invitation by text, WhatsApp or email, a short message is enough. Name the reception so guests know which event they are invited to.
Hi Grace, we'd love you at our wedding reception on Saturday, June 12. Your invitation is here: [Link]
Hello Uncle Ray, we married quietly in May, and now we're throwing the party. Your invitation to the reception: [Link]
Hi Tom! Nina and Owen's reception is on June 12 at Greystone Barn. Details and RSVP: [Link]
Hi Aunt Carmen, we're celebrating Nina and Owen at home on October 9. Here is your invitation: [Link]
Hi everyone at the office, Owen and I got married! Join us for the reception on October 9: [Link]
One invitation for the ceremony guests and the reception guests
The awkward part of a reception-only list is usually logistics, not wording: printing two versions, tracking who received which, and counting replies for two events. In Link Invitation, the ceremony and reception sit in one invitation with their own times and maps, and you assign each guest to the events they are invited to. Ceremony guests see both events. Reception guests see only the reception. Each guest gets one personal link, with their name on it, that covers every event they are invited to, and the live RSVP dashboard shows replies per event. If your wedding runs across more days, our guide to several events in one invitation walks through the setup.
Essential is US$29 and you build it yourself, free to build and preview before you pay. Excellence is US$99 and is designed for you. Both are a one-time payment per invitation, with unlimited guests and no subscription. See plans and pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Is it rude to invite some guests to the reception only?
No, as long as the invitation treats the reception as the celebration rather than a consolation. Small ceremonies happen for many reasons: a chapel with limited seats, a family-only religious service, or a budget. Give reception guests their own invitation, avoid the words "reception only," and make sure they receive it at the same time as everyone else.
How long after the wedding can you hold a reception?
There is no fixed limit. Receptions held weeks or months after a private ceremony are a recognized format, and some couples wait until a first anniversary. The longer the gap, the more useful it is to mention the wedding date on the invitation, so guests understand what they are celebrating and don't wonder whether they missed something.
Should a post-wedding reception invitation say that we're already married?
Yes, in one line. Guests will want to know, and saying it up front avoids confusion about whether there is a ceremony to attend. "Nina and Owen were married in a private ceremony on May 2" or "We eloped!" both work. Then move straight to the party details, so the invitation reads as an invitation rather than an announcement.
Do guests bring gifts to a reception after an elopement?
Some will, because they are celebrating a marriage. Leave gift details off the invitation itself. If you have a registry or would rather guests didn't bring anything, say so on your wedding website or let close family pass it on when asked. A line such as "Your company is the only gift we need" works if you want no gifts.