Prairie HiveModern couples are getting more creative when wording their wedding invites. But regardless of the words you use or the wording format you choose, you still need to include a few basic elements, such as the proper order of the names. Whose name goes first on a wedding invitation, anyway?
By tradition, the name of the bride comes first before the name of the groom. It is recommended to refer to the bride in a formal invite using her first and middle names. Meanwhile, the full name of the groom should be used with the option to include his title.
Whose Name Comes First on Wedding Invites and Other Wedding Stuff?
Marriage is a sacred institution and thus, it is important to follow proper etiquette no matter what your specific cultural background is.
Considering all the different printed items you need to prepare for your wedding, it is imperative to know whose name will go first on weddings stuff. This is a crucial decision you need to make before you send off everything for bulk printing.
In Western cultures, it is generally required that the name of the bride goes first before that of the groom to conform to the age-old “ladies first” etiquette.
On the other end of the spectrum of cultures, Eastern cultures customarily indicate the name of the groom first.
However, through the years, more and more couples started to conform less to the traditional etiquettes due to practical issues.
Why Does the Name of the Bride Go First on a Wedding Invitation?
There are beliefs that the practice where the name of the bride goes first on wedding invitations is because of the mentality that ladies should always go first. As mentioned earlier, it is part of the Western etiquette for wedding invites that grooms and brides often follow diligently.
Another reason why the name of the bride comes first on wedding invitation is that tradition dictates that the parents of the bride serve as the event’s host. It is because there are some cultures where the family of the bride has a higher share of wedding expenses. This earns them the right for the name of the bride to precede the groom’s name.
Order of Names on Wedding Invitations
Here is the common order of names on wedding invitations:
Parents of the bride hosting the event/parents of the groom hosting the event/parents of both the bride and groom hosting the event/bride and groom hosting the event/all the parents hosting the event/honoring the deceased parents of the bride and groom
- Request line
- Bride and groom
- Wedding date and time
- Wedding location
- Wedding reception venue
- RSVP
For those who want to deviate from the traditions, you also have the choice to do things the modern way and follow the order below for name arrangement on the wedding invitations:
- Alphabetical order
- How the written names will look to make the invitation more visually appealing
- How the names will sound once spoken
Different Ways to Arrange Names on Wedding Invitations
The following are the different ways of arranging names on wedding invitations:
Alphabetical Order
If you want the arrangement of the names to have an instant structured order on your wedding invitation, your best choice is to do it in alphabetical order.
While it may not really sound anything significant aside from the obvious order, this is still one of the ways you can adapt since this is the simplest and easiest way of arranging names on wedding invitations.
Example: Samantha & Travis, Bob & Grace
Sound of the Order of the Names
This method of name arrangement places more emphasis on the way it sounds once spoken. The arrangement has more valid significance to it unlike arranging the names in alphabetical order.
If the names of the bride and groom rhyme well once arranged in a specific order, this is the best chance to have something that will instantly and easily stick in the minds of the guests.
It wouldn’t really matter anymore whose name will go first if you choose this route. In fact, all the etiquette rules you may know won’t apply here anymore. You can always choose the arrangement that sounds best and suits your taste.
Considerations of Visual Design
If you are someone who wants everything to look perfect on your wedding stuff, you would surely want to make sure that you cover all the essential design bases.
Deciding on the appearance of the arrangement of names is equally important as picking the design motif, colors, and others, especially on wedding printed items like your favor tags and invitation cards. You need to consider all of the design elements as a whole to ensure that the result will turn out well.
No matter what design motif you go for, whether it is minimalist, floral, cute, or geometrical shapes, this also plays an important role in the overall design.
In case you are not that confident with your eye for design, you can always for help from someone who got the knack for these things. Consider yourself lucky if you already have a designer because they can take care of everything for you. However, you might still want to check the work of the designer yourself.
One of the elements that have a significant contribution to the printed words’ design is the typography or also called typeface or font. But no matter what style you choose, make sure that everything is easier to read. The last thing you want is for your guests to end up straining their eyes trying to decipher what is written on your wedding invitation.
The Bottom Line
Whose name goes first on a wedding invitation, then? The name of the bride often goes first as dictated by tradition.
But if you want to do it differently, there are other modern ways to arrange names that you can follow to make your wedding invitation more unique and eye-catching that you and your guests will love and appreciate!
