Christian wedding card wording, in English

How a Christian wedding card reads, top to bottom

1. A verse

   Optional. A short line from the Bible at the top, with where it comes from.

2. The invitation

   "Request the honour of your presence" for the church; "the pleasure of your company" for the reception.

3. The bride and groom

   Their names, with whose son and daughter they are — and grandchildren, if you wish.

4. The service

   Holy Matrimony or the Nuptial Mass, with the day, the date and the time.

5. The church

   Its full name, the parish and the town — with a map, if you send it digitally.

6. The reception

   Usually the same evening, with its own place and time.

7. The other ceremonies

   The engagement, the roce and the chuddo — or, for a Kerala family, the manasammatham.

8. The names at the foot

   The families inviting — or the couple themselves.

An opening line, if you wish

Many cards carry a short Bible verse above the invitation; others begin with the invitation itself. Every wording below works either way.

• Two are better than one

  Copy

  "Two are better than one." — Ecclesiastes 4:9

• A cord of three strands

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  "A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." — Ecclesiastes 4:12

• Love never fails

  Copy

  "Love never fails." — 1 Corinthians 13:8

• What God has joined

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  "What God has joined together, let no one separate." — Mark 10:9

Wordings to copy

Change the words in brackets to yours.

• From the bride's parents

  Copy

  Mr. [Peter] and Mrs. [Sylvia Fernandes] request the honour of your presence at the Holy Matrimony of their daughter [Rhea] with [Joel] son of Mr. [Anthony] and Mrs. [Lavina D'Souza] on [Saturday, 9 January 2027] at [4:00 pm] at [Our Lady of Hope Chapel, Saligao, Goa] and afterwards at the reception at [Casa Saligao], from [7:30 pm]

• From the groom's parents

  Copy

  By the grace of God, Mr. [Anthony] and Mrs. [Lavina D'Souza] request the honour of your presence at the Nuptial Mass of their son [Joel] with [Rhea] daughter of Mr. [Peter] and Mrs. [Sylvia Fernandes] on [Saturday, 9 January 2027] at [4:00 pm] — please be seated by [3:45 pm] at [Our Lady of Hope Chapel, Saligao, Goa] Reception to follow at [Casa Saligao].

• From both families

  Copy

  Mr. [Anthony] and Mrs. [Lavina D'Souza] and Mr. [Peter] and Mrs. [Sylvia Fernandes] joyfully invite you to the marriage of [Joel] and [Rhea] on [Saturday, 9 January 2027] at [4:00 pm] at [Our Lady of Hope Chapel, Saligao, Goa] The reception follows at [Casa Saligao].

• From the couple

  Copy

  Together with our families, [Joel] and [Rhea] invite you to celebrate our marriage on [Saturday, 9 January 2027] at [4:00 pm] at [Our Lady of Hope Chapel, Saligao, Goa] Dinner, the toast and dancing follow at [Casa Saligao].

• Short, for WhatsApp

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  Hi [Aunty Maria and family], We'd love you to join us for [Joel] and [Rhea]'s wedding on [Saturday, 9 January 2027] — the Nuptial Mass at [4:00 pm] at [Our Lady of Hope Chapel, Saligao], and the reception after. Every detail, with a map, is here: [link] [Lavina and Anthony D'Souza]

• For the reception

  Copy

  Mr. [Anthony] and Mrs. [Lavina D'Souza] request the pleasure of your company at the reception of [Joel] and [Rhea] on [Saturday, 9 January 2027], from [7:30 pm] at [Casa Saligao, Goa] The toast, dinner and dancing.

A line for each ceremony

For the foot of the card, or a page of its own.

• Engagement

  Copy

  Engagement · [Sunday, 6 December 2026] · [6 pm] · [the parish hall, Saligao]

• Roce

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  Roce · [Thursday, 7 January 2027] · [5 pm] · [the D'Souza home, Saligao] — wear something you don't mind getting wet

• Chuddo

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  Chuddo · [Friday, 8 January 2027] · [11 am] · [the Fernandes home, Aldona]

• Nuptial Mass

  Copy

  Nuptial Mass · [Saturday, 9 January 2027] · [4:00 pm] — please be seated by [3:45 pm] · [Our Lady of Hope Chapel, Saligao]

• Reception

  Copy

  Reception · [Saturday, 9 January 2027] · from [7:30 pm] · [Casa Saligao] — the toast, the cake and the first dance

Every word on the card, explained

Holy Matrimony

The marriage in church.

Nuptial Mass

A Catholic wedding held within a Mass.

The honour of your presence

The classic wording for a ceremony in church.

The pleasure of your company

The same, for the reception.

Together with our families

A modern way to begin when the couple invite.

The late

For a grandparent who has passed away: "grandson of the late Mr. [Francis D'Souza]".

Rev. Fr.

The priest. Some cards name the one who celebrates the Mass.

Roce

Goan and Mangalorean: the family pours coconut milk and turmeric over the bride or groom, the day before.

Chuddo

Goan: the bride is given green glass bangles, a sign of the marriage to come.

The toast

At the reception, a relative or friend raises a glass to the couple.

Manasammatham

Kerala: the betrothal, in church.

Minnu

Kerala: the small gold pendant the groom ties around the bride's neck.

Manthrakodi

Kerala: the sari the groom gives the bride, blessed at the wedding.

Before you print or send

1. Honour for the church, pleasure for the reception

   "Request the honour of your presence" for the service; "the pleasure of your company" for the reception.

2. Give a time to be seated

   The Mass begins on time: "4:00 pm — please be seated by 3:45 pm".

3. Name the church in full

   Many chapels share a name. Give the parish and the town, and a map.

4. Confirm the date with the parish first

   The banns are read and the church is booked before anything is printed — check the time with the parish priest.

5. Say what the reception holds

   The toast, dinner and dancing tell guests it will be a long, happy evening.