Whatever your reason for throwing a party, you’re getting into the mood to celebrate. Now all that’s left is finishing the party planning and sending out the invites. Sending party invitations is the best way to communicate to your guest what it is that you are celebrating and what the event is all about. When creating your party invitations, there are a few things to think about with the party invitation wording. That’s why we’re here. We’ll help you figure out how to write a party invitation before you pop them into the mail. Whether you’re throwing a birthday party or incorporating these invites into this season’s Christmas cards, we’ve got plenty of ideas below.
Jump to:
- Guidelines on Invitation Wording For Parties
- Steps for How to Write a Party Invitation
- Party Invitation Wording Examples and Templates
Guidelines on Invitation Wording For Parties
The following guidelines are the basic questions you need to answer in your party invitation. This information can be summarized as the who, what, when, where, and why of the party. The five W’s of party invitation wording are described as the following:
- Why: Use the wording and design of your party invitation to tell the guest exactly why you are throwing the party. If it’s for a birthday party make sure to include who it’s for and age they are celebrating. Same goes for graduation, list which education milestone they completed and who it is that is graduating.
- Who: Provide the name of the host for the party. If it’s a child’s birthday party, make sure to also list the parents’ names and contact information.
- What: Tell the recipients what the event is all about and what to expect. This is the description of your theme, activities, and any requests of the guests.
- When: Make sure to be clear about the date and time of your party. Always include the day of the week as well. For instance, Sunday May 22nd from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
- Where: Be clear on the location. If the party is held off-site, meaning not at your home, give not only the physical address but also the name of the business and phone number for directions.
Steps for How to Write a Party Invitation
Besides making sure your invitations are clear and legible, you should also follow these steps to ensure your guests have all the details and information they need.
- Make a Guest List: Making a guest list ahead of time will help you make sure you don’t leave anyone out of the party. It will also give you a clear estimate of how many people to expect and plan for.
- Establish a Theme: Picking a party theme is important to help give your party a cohesive look and feel. This theme will be used in everything from the invitations to the decorations.
- Find a Location and Date: Once you settle on a location for your party, you’ll want to choose a date that not only works with most of your guest’s schedules but that also works with seasonality and expected weather. This is the most important information to include on your invitations.
- Pick an Invitation Design: This invitation design should not only follow your chosen theme, but it should appear clear and legible to your guests.
- Address the Recipient by their Proper Name: On the envelope you should address your guest by their titles such as “Mr.,” “Mrs.,” “Ms.” or “Miss.”
- Include the five W’s in the Invitation: Making sure the who, what, when, where, and why is covered within the invitation ensures that your guests get all the information they need.
- RSVP And Other Details: Provide the guests with a phone number or email address to contact you. The invitation should also let your recipients know if they are allowed to bring a guest.
- Additional Instructions: If guests need to dress a certain way or bring anything to the party make sure you communicate that clearly on the invitation and provide this information as a reminder during the RSVP call.
Party Invitation Wording Examples and Templates
Looking for more specific examples of party invitation wording? Whether you’re writing for a cocktail party or incorporating a Christmas party invite into this year’s holiday card, we’ve provided templates below for party invitations of any occasion.
Cocktail Party Invitation Wording
Sip! Sip! Hooray!
Join us for a cocktail party
Saturday, July 12th, from 5-7pm
The Tulley Residence
3242 Blackwood Road, Kentwood
No RSVP Needed
Hope to See You There!
Birthday Party Invitation Wording
We hope you’ll join us for
Jamie’s 5th birthday party!
A barnyard bonanza
1359 Cromwell Way, Montecito
RSVP to Grace at 245-385-3704 by June 10th
Graduation Party Invitation Wording
Mr. and Mrs. Black
Are pleased to announce
The graduation of our daughter
Sarah Black
From Washington University
Please join us to celebrate this success
June 12th at 5 PM
1231 Herring Way, Seattle
Dinner will be served
Please RSVP by May 15th
Michelle at 232-534-7444
Halloween Party Invite Wording
Trick or Treat!
Join us For a Halloween Celebration
At the Mullville Family’s House
October 31st at 6:00 pm
4005 Willison Street, Minneapolis
No RSVP Needed
Holiday Party Invitation Wording
Happy Holidays!
Join Us For a Festive Celebration
At the Green Residence
December 17th at 7 PM
Torrey St, Vaccaville
RSVP to Jane at 237-645-9348
Retirement Party Invitation Wording
He’s (finally) made it official!
Come help us celebrate Steven’s retirement
Saturday, October 5th, at 5pm
At Steven’s new office (his home)
2359 Ferry Way,
Monterrey, CA
We hope to see you there!
Bachelorette Party Invitation Wording
Before she says “I Do”
Let’s have a drink or two
Join us for a bachelorette party honoring
Fay Connor
Friday, September 28th at 6 PM
The Olive Martini Bar
342 West 10th Avenue, Los Angeles
Hosted by Janice Gram
RSVP to Janice at 408.244.1430
Engagement Party Invitation Wording
Please join us for an
Engagement party for
Jason and Maddie!
Saturday, October 10th
6:00pm – 9:00pm
The Aoki Residence
324 Herring Way, Dallas
RSVP by September 1st – 555.627.9375
Resources Related to Party Invitation Wording
Always read over party invitation wording to see how it sounds before sending them out. If you are ordering them online, we suggest writing all the information down beforehand to make sure you have everything clear. And if you’re looking for additional related resources before your party, make sure to check out the following guides:
