Religious Wedding Invitation Wording (Christian, Catholic, Jewish & More)

By Mustafa Bilgic · Last updated 20 June 2026

A religious ceremony deserves wording that honours the setting. Here is exactly how to word a Christian, Catholic, Jewish or interfaith wedding invitation — including the small phrase that tells guests the wedding is in a house of worship, and how to add a scripture or blessing without crowding the card.

The short answer: For any ceremony held in a church, synagogue, temple or mosque, use "request the honour of your presence" (British spelling) rather than "the pleasure of your company." Name God or the ceremony where your tradition calls for it — a Catholic invitation can mention the Nuptial Mass, a Jewish invitation traditionally lists both sets of parents — and add a short scripture or blessing line if it fits your faith. See more wording patterns in our main wording guide.

The phrase that signals a house of worship

The single most important wording choice on a religious invitation is the request line. Etiquette has used two phrasings for more than a century, and they are not interchangeable:

"request the honour of your presence" — used when the ceremony is in a place of worship. The British "honour" spelling is the traditional marker.
"request the pleasure of your company" — used when the ceremony is somewhere secular, such as a hotel, garden, vineyard or banquet hall.

Guests rarely articulate it, but they read this cue: "honour of your presence" tells them to expect a reverent setting and perhaps to dress accordingly. If your ceremony is in a church but your reception is at a country club, the invitation still uses "honour of your presence" because it refers to the ceremony.

A quick note on spelling

"Honour" and "favour" with the British u are the formal convention on wedding invitations, even in the United States — they belong to the same tradition as spelling out the date and time. If a fully traditional look isn't your aim, the American "honor" is perfectly acceptable. Just be consistent across the whole card.

Christian & Protestant wedding invitation wording

A general Christian or Protestant invitation keeps the classic structure and may open or close with a reference to God or scripture. The parents of the bride traditionally host, though the modern "together with their families" line is equally welcome.

Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Carter
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Olivia Grace
to
Mr. James Bennett
as they are united in Christian marriage
Saturday, the twelfth of September
two thousand twenty-six
at half past four in the afternoon
Grace Community Church · Charleston, South Carolina

The line "as they are united in Christian marriage" is optional. If you'd like something warmer, "and to join in celebrating their covenant of marriage before God" carries the same meaning. For a non-religious venue with a Christian officiant, swap in "the pleasure of your company."

Catholic Nuptial Mass wedding invitation wording

A Catholic wedding can be either a ceremony with a full Nuptial Mass (around an hour, including Communion) or a ceremony without Mass (about 30 minutes). It is courteous to tell guests which one they are attending, because it affects how long they'll be in the church and whether Communion is offered.

Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Carter
request the honour of your presence
at the Nuptial Mass uniting their daughter
Olivia Grace Carter
and
James Michael Bennett
in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony
Saturday, the twelfth of September, two thousand twenty-six
at half past two o'clock in the afternoon
Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist
Charleston, South Carolina

Phrases such as "the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony" and "the Nuptial Mass" are distinctly Catholic and signal a full Mass. For a Catholic ceremony without Mass, drop "Nuptial Mass" and use the standard "at the marriage of."

Jewish wedding invitation wording

Jewish tradition is family-centred, and the invitation reflects that in two ways. First, both sets of parents are named as hosts — the groom's parents are honoured alongside the bride's, rather than the bride's parents standing alone. Second, many couples include the Hebrew date in addition to the civil date, often near the top of the card.

Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Carter
and Mr. and Mrs. David Bennett
invite you to share in their joy
as their children
Olivia Grace
and
James Michael
are united in marriage
Saturday, the twelfth of September, two thousand twenty-six
the twenty-second of Elul, 5786
Temple Beth Shalom · Charleston, South Carolina

The Hebrew date ("the twenty-second of Elul, 5786" in this example) is optional but meaningful for many families; your synagogue can confirm the exact Hebrew date for your wedding day. A traditional opening line such as "invite you to share in their joy" sets the celebratory tone; some couples also add a line like "B'ezrat Hashem" (with God's help) at the very top.

Interfaith wedding invitation wording

When two faiths come together, the kindest wording is neutral, warm and inclusive — let the ceremony itself, with its readings and its officiants, carry both traditions. The "together with their families" host line is ideal because it sidesteps the question of which household's customs lead.

Together with their families
Olivia Grace Carter
and
James Michael Bennett
invite you to witness their marriage
and the joining of two families and two traditions
Saturday, the twelfth of September, two thousand twenty-six
at half past four in the afternoon
The Riverside Pavilion · Charleston, South Carolina

Notice that this invitation avoids naming a single rite. If clergy from each tradition are co-officiating, "invite you to witness their marriage" keeps the wording balanced. For more on listing two families gracefully, see our guide to wording when both sets of parents host.

Comparison: phrasing by tradition

Tradition	Request line	Distinctive phrase	Hosts named
Christian / Protestant	request the honour of your presence	"united in Christian marriage"	Bride's parents, or "together with their families"
Catholic (with Mass)	request the honour of your presence	"at the Nuptial Mass" · "Sacrament of Holy Matrimony"	Bride's parents, traditionally
Catholic (no Mass)	request the honour of your presence	"at the marriage of"	Bride's parents, traditionally
Jewish	invite you to share in their joy	Hebrew date · both sets of parents	Both sets of parents
Interfaith	invite you to witness their marriage	"joining of two families and two traditions"	"Together with their families"

Adding a scripture or blessing line

A brief verse or blessing is a beautiful way to frame a religious invitation. Keep it to one or two lines and place it either at the very top (as an epigraph) or at the bottom (as a closing blessing). A few that couples reach for:

Christian: "Love is patient, love is kind." — 1 Corinthians 13:4
Christian: "Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate." — Mark 10:9
Jewish: "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine." — Song of Songs 6:3
General blessing: "May the Lord bless you and keep you all the days of your lives."

Don't let the verse crowd the essentials

A scripture line should never push out the practical details. Guests still need the names, the date, the time and the place at a glance. Set the verse smaller, in italics, and give it space — it frames the card; it isn't the headline.

What stays the same across every faith

No matter the tradition, a few rules of good invitation-writing hold true. Spell out the date and time on a formal card. Keep the reception line short ("Reception to follow" if it's the same venue). Send a separate enclosure card if logistics are involved. And use the envelope — not the invitation face — to communicate who exactly is invited. If your wording leans formal, our formal wedding invitation wording guide covers titles, spelling and layout in full.

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Frequently asked questions

Why do religious wedding invitations say "request the honour of your presence"?

By long-standing convention, "request the honour of your presence" (with the British spelling "honour") signals that the ceremony takes place in a house of worship — a church, synagogue, temple or mosque. "Request the pleasure of your company" is reserved for secular venues such as a hotel, garden or banquet hall. The wording quietly tells guests what kind of setting to expect.

Should a Catholic wedding invitation mention the Mass?

For a full Catholic wedding that includes a Nuptial Mass, the traditional wording "at the Nuptial Mass uniting" tells guests the ceremony will be a complete Mass and roughly an hour long, with Communion. If your wedding is a Catholic ceremony without Mass, simply use "at the marriage of" instead.

Who traditionally hosts a Jewish wedding invitation?

In Jewish tradition, both sets of parents are named as hosts, with the groom's parents listed alongside the bride's. Many couples also include the Hebrew date in addition to the civil date. A line such as "invite you to share in their joy as their children are united in marriage" reflects the celebratory, family-centred tone.

How do I word an interfaith wedding invitation?

Keep the host and request lines neutral and inclusive — "together with their families" works well — and let the ceremony itself hold both traditions. Avoid favouring one faith's phrasing. If clergy from each tradition are officiating, "united in marriage" or "witness their marriage" keeps the wording balanced.

Can I put a Bible verse or blessing on a wedding invitation?

Yes. A short scripture or blessing line at the top or bottom is a graceful way to set a faithful tone. Keep it to one or two lines and cite it lightly (for example, "1 Corinthians 13:4"). It should frame the invitation, not crowd out the essential details of who, when and where.