There is no right or wrong way to write out your date, time and location, although the most formal invitations spell everything out, including all of the numerals. As long as your style is consistent, you can choose how you want to write these facts. Just make sure your invitation contains the key components (listed below). Generally, invitations are like poetry, so you leave out periods and most of the punctuation.

Your text is the formal declaration of your intent to spend the rest of your life with your love. It also should be designed to give your guests the important details so they are able to prepare for your celebration. It is polite to let guests know if there will be dinner, if an event is for adults (not kids), if a ceremony will be outside, and if the attire will be very formal or very casual (such as a beach wedding where guests are invited to wear Hawaiian shirts). If you feel your invitation has gotten wordy, because there are a lot of addresses, consider taking out some of this information and putting it on a second reception or wedding details and information card.

Here is the basic structure of a wedding invitation’s text:

Mr. and Mrs. David Smith

(the hosts)

request the honor of your presence

(the request)

at the marriage of their daughter

(event description, explains relationship of hosts)

Jane Elizabeth (bride’s name)

and

Mr. John Johnson

(groom’s name, and sometimes his parents are included below his name)

on Saturday, the tenth of May

(date)

two thousand and fifteen

(year)

at six o’clock in the afternoon

(time)

First Methodist Church

(location)

1234 Some Street City, State

(address)