If you don’t know how to reply to a wedding invitation, here are examples of giving a formal or a personal response. We will also discuss choosing between the two, depending on your closeness to the couple who invited you to their wedding.
Furthermore, you will learn the etiquette of replying to wedding invites and avoid common mistakes. And speaking of the proper response to a wedding invitation, please check how to fill out wedding RSVP and notify a couple of who and how many will come from your household.
How Do You Respond To A Wedding Invitation?
There are two ways or tones when responding to a wedding invitation. You can either give a formal or a more generic reply, but you can also be more personal with your response.
Formal wedding invitation reply
Assess your closeness to the couple and decide between giving a formal or personal reply to their wedding invitation. If you’re not a close friend or immediate relative, a standard response should suffice to let the couple know if you’re coming or not.
However, a formal response is also sometimes chosen by a wedding guest who can’t attend but doesn’t want to explain why. That being said, here is a wording example you can use to write a letter or type an email to respond to a wedding invitation:
- Mr/Ms/Mrs. “your first name and last name” accepts your invitation for “wedding date noted on the invitation” with pleasure.
- Mr. and Mrs. “first name and last name of the husband” accept with pleasure your invitation for “wedding day.”
- Mr/Ms/Mrs. “your first name and last name” declines your invitation for “wedding date noted on the invitation” with regret.
- Mr. and Mrs. “first name and last name of the husband” unfortunately can’t make it on “wedding date noted on the invitation.”
For more tips regarding sorry messages for not attending the wedding, here is a separate etiquette guide on how to decline a wedding invitation.
Personal response to wedding invitations
You may want to express your excitement and support to the couple after receiving the invitation. This calls for a more personal response, especially when you’re a close friend or relative.
If you also want to explain why you can’t come to their wedding, you must write a short but direct wedding invitation reply. Consider and modify these wedding invitation reply templates accordingly:
- Dear “couple’s first names”, “I/your partner’s first name and yours” am/are very excited to attend your wedding on “wedding date noted on the invitation”! “I/we” have no words to express the delight “I/we” had upon seeing your invite in the mail. “I/we” are thankful for letting “me/us” join you on this special day and “I/we” can’t wait to see you. Yours sincerely, “your first name/ you and your partner’s first names”
- Dear “couple’s first names/first name of the person you’re closer to”, “I/your partner’s first name and yours” am/are very sorry that “I/we” can’t join you on “wedding date noted on the invitation”. Unfortunately, “I/we” already have “straightforward reason/a prior commitment” during this date. Know that you two will be on “my/our” thoughts on your special day. “I/we” love you, “your first name/ you and your partner’s first names”
How Do You Reply To An Invitation?
There are two mediums for replying to a wedding invitation. You can write the response as a letter and mail it back or reply via email, depending on the chosen method of the couple.
So if you received the wedding invite physically or in the mail, you must also reply the same way. Otherwise, you can just write back on the email or social media message if it’s how the couple invited you to their wedding.
Mailed
The wedding invitation typically has a reply card that you will mail back to the couple. You only need to check if you can or cannot attend, and there might be some space if you want to write a short message to the couple.
You might also include a handwritten letter or type a short paragraph if you need to express your message more. Just keep in mind that the couple doesn’t need an essay.
Online
Some couples send their invites via email or even as a social media message. It can also be formal or personal as long as your message is easy to understand. There’s no need to type something long as well.
How Soon Should You Respond To A Wedding Invitation?
You should respond to the wedding invitation as soon as possible, but only if you’re sure whether you can or cannot attend. Avoid being inconsistent with your decision, as this might mess up the couple’s guest list.
Is It Rude Not To Reply To A Wedding Invite?
It is rude not to reply to a wedding invitation because the couple might take time to reach out to you for the headcount on their wedding. However, it’s also distasteful not to answer quickly, so send your invite response 3 to 4 weeks before the wedding.
Conclusion
And that’s it! You just learned how to reply to a wedding invitation using our samples and templates for a formal or personal response.
You must also decide between writing or emailing your response accordingly. And of course, send your reply as soon as possible.