wording and etiquette - general rules of etiquette

If the bride and groom issue their own invitations, the conventional form is:

The honour of your presence is requested
at the marriage of

Miss Jessica Renae Valentine
and
Mr. William Scott Smith
---OR---
Miss Jessica Renae Valentine
and
Mr. William Joshua Smith

request the honour of your presence
at their marriage
etc.

If the bride's father and mother are issuing the invitations, the conventional form is:

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Raymond Clark
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter

Jessica Renae
to
William Scott Smith

on Saturday, the eighth of September
two thousand and ten
at two o'clock in the afternoon
Fellowship Bible Church
Benton, Arkansas

If the bride's parents are divorced, the parent with whom she lives usually issues the invitations.
If the mother issues the invitations and she has not remarried, she uses a combination of her maiden name and her divorced husband's last name.

Mrs. Jones Clark

If the father issues the invitations, he uses the conventional form.

Mr. Matthew Raymond Clark

If the groom's family issues the invitations:

Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Howard Brown
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of
Miss Jessica Renae
to their son
William Scott Smith
etc.

If the bride's father or mother is deceased and the surviving parent issues the invitations:

Mrs. (Mr.) Joshua Howard Brown
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of her (his) daughter
etc.

If the bride's parents are deceased and the invitation is issued by an older, unmarried sister or brother:

Mr. Jason Ryan Clark
requests the honour of your presence
at the marriage of his sister
etc.

If the bride's parents are deceased and the invitation is issued by an older, married sister or brother:

Mr. and Mrs. Brian Gregory Jones
requests the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their sister
etc.

If the bride's father or mother is deceased and the surviving parent has remarried, the remarried mother would use her present husband's name, but the remarried father would use the conventional form:

Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Thorton
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of her daughter
...his daughter
...Mrs. Clark's daughter
...their daughter
etc.

If the bride's parents are deceased, other relatives such as grandparents, aunts or uncles may also issue the invitations. They would use the same format as on left with the proper relationship changes.

If the invitations are recalled because the wedding has been cancelled, the wording should fit the proper relationship changes.

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Raymond Clark
regret that due to illness in the family
the invitation to
their daughter's wedding
on Saturday, the eighth of September
two thousand and ten
must be cancelled
---OR---
Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Raymond Clark
are obliged to recall their invitations
to the marriage of their daughter
Miss Jessica Renae Valentine
to
Mr. William Joshua Smith
as the marriage will not take place