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kids painting at a wedding

How to Word a Party Invitation (with Party Invite Message Examples)

You’re throwing a party! Whatever the occasion is – whether you’re throwing a kid’s birthday party, an anniversary bash, a graduation do or something else – it’s time to celebrate, and you’re planning on sending out party invitations.

Even if your party is casual, sending out paper party invitations is one of the best ways to let people know about the upcoming celebration. A party invite will convey all the important information about when and where to go, as well as what you are celebrating in the first place.

There are various different details that you need to include in your party invitation, and it’s important to word it correctly. This guide will talk you through what you need to include on your party invitation, and give you some wording examples that you can adapt to your own needs.

What Do You Put on a Party Invitation?

Before you start thinking about how to word your party invites, you’ll need to familiarise yourself with the important information that you need to get across.

Who’s Invited?

First and foremost, you need to make it abundantly clear who’s invited to the party. This goes for any party, whether it’s a kid’s birthday party or a grand wedding. The last thing you want is to cater for 20 guests, only for 40 people to turn up because everyone’s brought their partner, or has assumed their child’s siblings are also invited.
The best way to do this is to specifically mention the invitee(s) by name on the envelope. For example:

1) “Mr John Smith and Ms Sarah Ellacombe”
2) “Master William Brooks”
3) “Sarah and Nancy McIntyre”
4) “Miss Jade Hewett plus Guest”
That way, there can be no confusion.

Why Are You Having a Party?

It’s important that your guests know why you are having the party in the first place. The wording has to be particular when you are trying to communicate a message to your guests.
For example, if it’s for a birthday party, make sure that you include the name of the birthday person, and how old they’re going to be (especially if it’s a milestone birthday, or a child’s party). Or for a graduation invitations, include who is graduating and which educational milestone they’ve achieved.
For example: “Please join us for Susan’s 8th birthday party!”
Or: “You are cordially invited to celebrate Ashleigh’s graduation from Warwick University”.

Who’s Hosting the Party?

Not only is it important to tell your invitees who the party is for, but you should also let them know who’s hosting the party, and at least one way of getting in touch with them. That way, they’ll know who to contact if they have any questions about the party, and they’ll also know who to ask if they need gift recommendations or anything else.

If you don’t mention who’s hosting the party on the invitation, your invitees will contact whoever the party is for (e.g. the person whose birthday it is). This wouldn’t be ideal if it’s supposed to be a surprise party!
For example: “If you have any questions, please contact the party host Sharon Mitchell on [phone number]”.

When Will the Party Start and End?

Your guests will need to know what day and time the party will be held. Make sure to be extremely clear, and give an approximate end time as well as a start time (especially for kid’s parties, so that parents will know when to come and pick up their children). You can typically expect guests to turn up between 5 and 10 minutes earlier than the start time you list on your invitation, so keep this in mind.
For example, you might write “3:00pm – 5:00pm on Sunday, 28th November 2021”. If there’s no specific end time, you can simply write something like “8pm ‘til late”.

Where Will the Party Be Held?

One of the most important things to include in your party invitation is the location. Whether your party will be held at:

1) The host’s house
2) The birthday person’s house
3) Outside in the local park
4) A booked party hall, such as a town hall
5) A soft play centre, cinema or other venue

It’s vital that you include the full name and address of the venue. Don’t just assume that everyone knows where “Paul’s house” is!
For example: “The party will be held at 123 Blackbird Lane, Newtown, NW1 1TN.”
If the venue is difficult to find, you can also include directions to guide attendees from the nearest motorway or main road, or even a mini map.

What Will Happen at the Party?

Make sure to tell your recipients what kind of party this is, and what is going to be involved. That way, they’ll know what to wear, whether to eat beforehand, and whether they should drive or get a taxi (if alcohol is going to be served).

You could list the theme, any activities you have planned, and what sorts of refreshments you’ll provide. For example: “Join us for a princess-themed celebration involving a royal buffet, face painting and manicures!”

How to Write a Party Invitation: 6 Top Tips

Now that you know what to include on your invitation and how to word it, it is time to put it all together. Here are our 6 top tips for writing and designing the perfect party invite, whatever the occasion may be.

1. Choose a Themed Invitation

One of the most fun things you can do when you are preparing for a party is picking the theme. Having a theme throughout the entire celebration – dress code, food, gifts, entertainment, decorations – will help the party have a cohesive aesthetic that will make for great photos, and which your guests are sure to remember for years to come.

A great way to tie the party theme together and to help spread the word to guests is to choose a party invitation that also features the same theme. For example, if you’re hosting a child’s birthday party with a clown or circus theme, this Party Clown invitation would be perfect. For a more grown-up girly-themed party with manicures and cocktails, this Fun ‘n Fancy design fits the bill.

2. Use the Right Tone

The tone of voice you use on your party invite will affect how guests are going to view the invitation, and their first impressions of the party itself. That’s why it’s important to use the correct tone when you’re writing the party invitation’s wording.

For example, if your party is going to be a super-formal black tie graduation event or wedding, you’ll want to write the invite in the third person, and avoid using any abbreviations or slang. For example, “Mr and Mrs John Smith invite you to celebrate their sixtieth wedding anniversary.”

For a casual party such as a child’s birthday or a house party, you can use the first person and can use a more informal style of writing that’s closer to normal speech. For example: “Come and join us for little Tom’s 3rd birthday! We hope to see you there!”

3. Address Your Recipients Correctly

When you send out the invitations, it is important to address your guests properly. The envelope should include their titles, along with their first and last names. For example, you can use Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms. You should ensure you spell their first and last names correctly, as well as mentioning if they’re permitted to bring a guest of their own, or bring their child’s siblings along to the party too.

4. Include the 5 Ws

Remember what we discussed previously: who, what, when, where, and why. Don’t forget to include the 5 Ws when you’re writing your invitation! These details are important because they are how your guests are going to know exactly what is going on, what to do, where to go and at what time.

And if there is a certain dress code, if the party is catered, or if your guests need to bring anything extra – let them know. It’s important to keep that line of communication clear for your guests.

There’s nothing worse than forgetting to put vital information on your custom party invitations. Whether it’s a name, date or number, leaving out even a single piece of information can cause invitees to get confused (and then you’ll be inundated with phone calls).

5. Don’t Forget RSVP Instructions

Lastly, remind your invitees that they are going to need to RSVP to your invitation. RSVP stands for “répondez s’il vous plait”, which is French for “please reply” – in other words, “Let me know whether or not you’re coming”. If your guests don’t RSVP, you aren’t going to know who’s coming and who isn’t – and this can have an impact on certain elements of party planning, such as how many guests you need to provide food for.

So, at the end of your invitations you should include either a phone number or an e-mail address that your guests can use to RSVP. Alternatively, you can include a reply card in the envelope with the party invitation. This is a paper slip that invitees can fill out and send back to you to indicate whether or not they’re attending.
And don’t forget to include an RSVP deadline! For example: “RSVP by Monday 29th November”.

6. Order More Invitations than You Need

One of the mistakes people make when ordering party invitations is accidentally ordering too few of them. Chances are, you’ve planned out the guest list in advance, and so you’ll know how many people you’re inviting. But it’s always a mistake to order exactly 13 invitations if you’re inviting 13 guests.

Here’s why:
1) If you’ve accidentally forgotten somebody on your guest list, you won’t have a spare invitation to give to them
2) You may lose or misplace one or more invites, or they may get lost in the post, and you won’t have any spares as backups
3) You might make a mistake while addressing an envelope, spill something on an invitation or damage it in some other way

A good rule of thumb is to order 10% more invitations than you think you’ll need, or round up to the nearest 10 (whichever number is more). So if you think you need 16 invitations, round it up to 20, to give you at least a few spares.

Where Can I Order Personalised Party Invitations in the UK?

It’s important to show your guests that you know what you are doing and give them the right information so that everyone has a fun time. If you follow this guide while writing and designing your party invitations, you have no need to worry. You will have included everything that they need to know, and given them contact details just in case they have any more questions.

As to where you can order your party invitations, we suggest a professional stationer such as 123Print. On our website, you can browse through a collection of over 300 party invitation templates – far more than you’d find in any ordinary party shop! You’re bound to find a design that works for your party theme.

Within minutes you can edit your chosen theme online, add all of your party details, and place your order. Your invites will be printed and dispatched within 48 working hours. All that’s left is to address the envelopes! Start your party planning

Hen Party Invitation Wording (with 5 Creative Examples)

It doesn’t matter if your best friend is getting married by the beach, in a garden or a traditional church: you need to throw her an epic hen party!

The hen party, also called the hen do or the hen night, is a long-established British tradition designed to celebrate the bride’s transition from the single life to marriage. Traditionally, hen parties are attended solely by female guests (e.g. the bride’s sisters and girlfriends) – however, there’s nothing stopping you from inviting other genders in this day and age!

A hen do can be as big or as small as you’d like, and involve every kind of activity – from pub crawls to archery to pampering spa days. So when it comes to planning such an event, it’s an absolute must to send out hen party invitations to let guests know what’s going to happen and when.

But the question is: what exactly should you write on a hen party invitation, and how should you word it? Let’s find out.

What Information Do You Include on a Hen Party Invitation?

There are certain things that the hen party guests will need to know about the celebration. So, it’s important to take note of these details that should always be included in your hen party invitation. Double check you’ve included everything in this list to avoid being bombarded with phone calls from confused invitees!

The Date and Time

A hen party could be just a simple cocktail event or it could be an all-day event with different activities involved. This is why it’s very important to let guests know the exact date and time of the event and include a proper timeline if you’re doing multiple activities within it.

This will not only help guests navigate their way throughout the event, but also allow those who can’t make it in the beginning to know exactly where and when they can join in on the celebration.
You should also include an approximate end time. That way, people who need to book childcare or transport home will have a rough idea of when the party will finish.

The Name of the Bride and the Host

Obviously, everyone who’s invited to the party will need to know who the bride is, so make sure this information is prominent on the invitation!
Most hen parties are planned by the maid of honour, or someone else close to the bride. It’s vital to also mention the host’s name and contact details (such as a phone number or e-mail address), so that everyone knows who to contact if they have any questions. You don’t want them contacting the bride, because it may be a secret!

What’s Going to Happen

People will need to know what to expect at the party. Will it be held outdoors? Then you’d better mention it, so people know to bring appropriate footwear and wet-weather gear, just in case.

Will the party be held somewhere there’s a pool? People will need to know to bring their swimming costume. Are you going to be serving food? This will help everyone decide whether or not to eat beforehand. You get the idea!

The Location

Of course, it’s very important for you to let the guests know where you’re going to hold the hen party. Be specific about the exact location of the event (with the full address and post code), and give directions if possible, especially if it’s a remote or new location for most of your guests.

You should also include the travel time from the city to the location to give your guests an idea of how early they need to go to make it one time. Include information about parking and public transport if relevant.

The Dress Code

Most hen parties don’t usually require formal attire, but it’s still important to be specific about what you’d like guests to wear. This usually depends on the theme or vibe that you’re going for.

For instance, if you’re holding a hen party on the beach in the summer, you’ll want to let guests know to wear beach-appropriate clothes and footwear that won’t sink in the sand. They’ll also need to know to bring a bathing costume if they want to go in the water. This will help make choosing outfits easier for your guests.

Is It a Secret?

Most of the time, a hen party is a surprise for the bride – she won’t know exactly what’s happening or where the party will be held until she gets there. If this is the case you need to let the guests know on the invitation that it’s a secret, and not to tell the bride. Otherwise, they may casually mention it in conversation with the bride and this will spoil the surprise.

How to Word a Hen Party Invitation

Now that you know the most important details that you need to include on your hen party invitation, you can draw inspiration from these creative wording examples:

Our beautiful girl Anna Brown is tying the knot
Let’s celebrate her upcoming wedding with a night of fun!
On 21 March 2022
8:00PM ‘til Late
Forever Night Club
Brentwood, Essex
Dress Code: Cocktail
Any questions? Please contact the host Andrea Green on [number]

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Let’s join our dear friend Amanda as she says goodbye to the single life!
A surprise party will take place on 15 December 2021, 06:00PM in her honour and we want you to be there.
Join us for dinner and drinks at Joe’s Italian Restaurant
London, United Kingdom
Dress Code: Semi-formal
Hosted by Madison Rogers
Please don’t tell the bride!

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Let’s party!
Michelle is getting married soon! Let’s join together to honour her last few days of being a single woman, as we surprise her with an epic hen party on 11 September 2021, 07:00PM.
Ramsay Steak House
Savoy Hotel, London, United Kingdom
Dress code: Formal
Hosted by: Rachel and Jessie

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Bon voyage! Lizzie is saying goodbye to singlehood!
Join us for a weekend filled with sun, sand and sea as we celebrate Lizzie’s upcoming wedding. A day of manicures and mimosas await you at the amazing Ibiza Beach Club on 07 June 2021.
Dress Code: Beach/Summer
Don’t forget to bring your swimwear!
Please book your hotel room ahead of time
Contact Jessie Richards with any questions on [number]

===

Here’s to one final drink to single life!
A hen party honouring Jane Smith, who’s about to become a wife!
21 April 2021
The fun begins at 06:00PM with welcome drinks
Dress code: Cocktail
Hosted by: Nicole and Christina

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Feel free to play with different catchy phrases to make your hen’s party invitation more fun and exciting.
You can try lines like “Let’s put the party in bridal party,” “It’s almost time to kiss the miss goodbye,” “A hen weekend in honour of the bride” or “Let’s have one last fling before the ring.”

The Best Theme for a Hen Party

Now, if you’re still stuck with choosing the right theme for a hen’s party, here are some ideas to help spark your imagination:
1) Bubbly and brunch
2) Manis and mimosas
3) Slumber party
4) Glamping weekend
5) The 70’s
6) Flings and films
7) A relaxing spa day
8) Disney princesses
9) Glamour
10) Vintage afternoon tea party

To help you decide on the best theme to choose for the hen party, try to think about the bride’s personality or interests and plan the theme around that.
This party will be all about the bride, after all, so it’s very important to relate the theme to her own interests. You should also choose a themed hen night invitation that expresses the vibe of the party

Where Can I Order Hen Party Invitations in the UK?

A hen party may be just for fun, but it’s an important way of honouring the woman who will soon become a wife, especially if she’s waited a long time to be married to the partner of her dreams.

When it comes to writing the perfect hen’s party invitation, you need to keep things simple but concise. Make sure that you have all the most important details done right, and be as creative as you want to be with the wording.
Feel free to draw inspiration from our examples and have fun planning the most epic hen party for the bride-to-be. And when you’re ready to start designing your hen party invitations, head to 123Print to browse our range of templates.

We have hundreds of different designs to suit any hen night theme or colour scheme imaginable. Simply choose the design that speaks to you and click on it to begin the personalisation process. You can add photos or images, alter the wording and add details of the party quickly and easily from your device.
Always order more invitations than you think you’ll need, just in case! When you’ve approved the preview and placed your order, we’ll have it printed and dispatched within 48 working hours. What are you waiting for?