Wedding invitations

My daughter got married 8 years ago..wording changed slightly but mostly same.

When I married, after having lived on my own for years, my finacé and I bought printed cards that had a blank space where you wrote the names of the couple inviting guests and a similar blank space for the name or names of the guests, and for the place and date.
They looked a bit like this:
-- and- request the company of-------
at their wedding on -- 19--- at ----- church at - a.m. and to the reception afterwards which will be held at
-----
R.S.V.P on or before ----

Our cards had wedding bells on them, but you could choose other decorations, such as champagne bottles and glasses, as obviously no-one used wedding bells if it was to be a registry office wedding, or taking place in a mosque or synagogue.

This cards could be bought at any stationer´s at the time, and you could buy similar ones for christenings, confirmations , dinner parties, etc.

Save the date cards as a previous GN said are very popular. I have one on the fridge for May 2027. First GD to get married. First GGC on the horizon? No pressure!

Etsy has companies that have standard invitations that can be personalised and modified. We used one for invitations to our Golden Wedding lunch, obviously the product page is just an example
www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1738341652/golden-wedding-anniversary-party

My invitations were worded as suggested by the OP. My mum was widowed when I married and we lived 200 miles away so we organised everything. She gave us £2000 towards it and if we spent more we had to pay the rest. In the end my In-Laws offered to pay for the wine and champagne so we came in under budget and I gave my mum the change! I made my own wedding dress as I knew the exact style I wanted. I only found one example in the style and it was a really cheap nylon thing. The one I made cost less and, though I say it myself, was much superior! The accessories probably cost more than the dress!
My son and DiL's wedding invitations were home designed and printed, from the couple, and were accompanied by a simple card headed RSVP. There were tick boxes for whether guests were attending or not and a space to write dietary requirements. The reverse was addressed to my son so could simply be posted back once filled in. I clearly replied verbally as I found the blank card in amongst my wedding memorabilia from the occasion.
The invitations were on the same card as the service sheets which I know they printed themselves as I was involved in folding them and tying string through as they weren't stapled. Everything was DIY and I was definitely very involved in all the preparations of the last week, staying in the house they were to move into along with her parents. The happy couple remained in their separate accomodations and on the night before the wedding my DiL moved in with her parents while I went to a hotel. A couple of days before the wedding, myself, the bride to be and her mother were to be found equipped with secateurs and buckets, picking michaelmas daisies on a large grass verge near a Dunelm store in Leeds, for the bouquets and buttonholes which we then made the next day! I remember that preparation week with great affection as I got to know my DiL's parents quite well along with anyone else who turned up to help. We worked hard preparing everything but it made it all the more special.

In recent years we have received a printed invitation for one wedding, being invited by the Bride's Mum as Dad had died a year or so before. The other one was beautifully handmade by the bride and groom, being invited to the wedding by the Bride's parents, even though Bride and Groom were paying for the wedding. Tradition and modern together. I have kept the invitations.
We asked our 4 guests personally when we got married but I also gave them a homemade invitation with the time and location.
There are so many lovely crafts nowadays that homemade invitations are on the up.

One of my daughters married, twelve years and two children since they bought their first house together.
The save the date involved the couple, children and their dog. It was great fun.
Wedding invitations arrived by email along with information about the quirky venue.
The wedding was both traditional and modern and a great party.

Back in 1964, Fiance and myself said we did not want an elaborate, synagogue wedding. Dad was quite happy and told us that he had a special account which was there for this and he would give this money towards a deposit on a house. Great.
My Darling Mum, just looked at me and said 'I must do what is best for me BUT, ever since my birth she had so looked forward to seeing me in a wedding dress etc.etc.........

We had a big wedding!!!

My Fiancee's Mum was a widow, so my Dad paid for everything and also included her in the wording on the silver embossed invitations. When these were sent out (by post), each also had an addressed, stamped card for people to return saying if they were accepting the invite or not.

Back then, in English, Jewish working class circles it was more normal for just cash to be given as wedding pressies, we did get the toasters, etc at our engagement party.

I must say I absolutely loved my wedding day, so pleased that we did go with it. Started in the morning at home with neighbours etc being invited in , buffet food and drink laid out - me sitting on white sheet covered settee. Then off to Synagogue and from there to hall. Line up of parents/grandparents/bride and groom to welcome each guest as they arrived. A sit down five course meal (still have the menu in my wedding album). Back then it was normal amongst caterers to ask guests for 'tips' at end of such meals, and my Dad insisted on NOT having this and paid an extra charge to prevent it.

In the evening part, more guests would be invited for the dance, and also quite lavish sit-down tea that was served.

First thing hubbie and I did when we arrived at our overnight honeymoon hotel was to open all the envelopes he had been given and count up the money. Following day we had out in Central London and then returned to the house we were going to make our home for the next seven years.

Great times.

Franbern that sounds so lovely.
I remembered the 'show of presents'. All the presents had to be viewed by all and sundry over two evenings and an afternoon. My chief bridesmaid and I were in charge of greeting each lady who arrived, showing them the gifts and telling who had given each gift. Woe beside if you missed anyone out! Then serve them tea and cake and listen yo chatter. We had to take small groups at a time. It all sounds utterly bizarre nowadays

Yes but happy memories grandmabatty

When my sons got married the invitation had both parents name on the top of the card. Then the invited persons names. Then our son name and their daughters name. Then venue details ect.

Grandmabatty

Franbern that sounds so lovely.
I remembered the 'show of presents'. All the presents had to be viewed by all and sundry over two evenings and an afternoon. My chief bridesmaid and I were in charge of greeting each lady who arrived, showing them the gifts and telling who had given each gift. Woe beside if you missed anyone out! Then serve them tea and cake and listen yo chatter. We had to take small groups at a time. It all sounds utterly bizarre nowadays

I remember a friend having this display of presents. They were Scottish and I assumed this was a Scottish tradition.

The thing I remember about this wedding was it was the most expensive and elaborate wedding I have ever attended. Full choral wedding, 6 adult bridesmaids, umpteen coursed wedding breakfast for 150 in the best hotel in town and a singer hired to sing during the meal. It was lovely.

But after the wedding, the happy couple went off to their tiny little house they had bought in an inaccessible part of Kent, because it was all they could afford, they could not afford a honeymoon and when the honeymoon period was over the husband was faced with a 2 hour journey to work each day from a staton 5 miles away.

The cost of the wedding could almost have bought the house outright and I did think that if the wedding had been scaled down a bit. It wouldn't have changed its glory, but the money ssaved would have enabled the young couple to buy a slightly bigger house in a much more convenient location.