Reception-only wedding invitations should invite guests to a reception celebrating your marriage, then give the reception date, arrival time, venue, and RSVP instructions. If your ceremony is private or already happened, say so briefly. Keep ceremony logistics off reception-only cards, and make sure the printed invitation and wedding website describe the same event.
Start with the event your guest is actually attending
A small ceremony and a larger celebration can require more careful wording than a single wedding invitation. The main question is simple: after reading the card, will this guest know whether they are coming for vows, dinner, or an evening party?
Use the word “reception” near the top of the invitation. “A celebration of our marriage” is a warm supporting line, but “wedding celebration” by itself can leave room for interpretation. The Knot’s reception-only invitation guide similarly emphasizes making the event and ceremony status clear.
You do not need to explain your ceremony budget, venue capacity, or every guest-list decision on the card. A short factual line gives context without turning the invitation into an apology. For broader host-line and name-order choices, see our wedding invitation wording guide.
Choose the right wording for your ceremony timeline
- The ceremony will happen before the reception: “We will be married in a private ceremony. Please join us for our wedding reception.” This works when invitations are sent before the vows.
- You are already married when invitations go out: “We were married in a private ceremony and would love to celebrate with you.” Follow it with a clearly labeled reception date.
- You married away from home: “Following our wedding in [location], please join us for a reception celebrating our marriage.” Include the wedding location only if you want to share it.
- Some guests will also attend the ceremony: Send those guests separate ceremony information. Their reception details should match the reception-only version.
Read the verb tense from the guest’s perspective on the day the invitation will arrive. “We eloped!” is confusing if you have not yet married. “Will be married” is unnecessary if the wedding happened months ago. If your mailing window spans the ceremony, the neutral line “Please join us for a reception celebrating our marriage” avoids a tense problem; add a short, accurate explanation on your website.
Six reception-only invitation wording examples
These original examples are adaptable templates. Replace every bracketed field, confirm the actual event schedule, and use the names and family descriptions that fit you.
1. Private ceremony, reception on the same day
[Partner One] and [Partner Two]
will be married in a private ceremony.
We invite you to our wedding reception
for dinner, conversation, and dancing.
[Day of week, Month Day, Year]
Reception begins at [time] PM
[Reception venue]
[City, State]
Kindly reply by [RSVP date] at [website].
The time printed here is the reception arrival time. Leave the earlier ceremony time and address off this version, even if both events share a venue.
2. Already married, hosting a later reception
We’re married, and we’d love to celebrate with you.
[Partner One] and [Partner Two]
invite you to a reception in honor of their marriage.
[Reception date] at [time] PM
[Venue]
[City, State]
Dinner and dancing
RSVP by [date] at [website].
The reception date should be the most prominent date. If you include your wedding date too, label each one so nobody saves the wrong day.
3. Formal reception hosted by parents or family
[Host names]
request the pleasure of your company
at a reception celebrating the marriage of
[Partner One]
and
[Partner Two]
[Reception date]
at [time]
[Venue]
[City, State]
[Attire, if needed]
“Together with their families” can replace the named hosts. This format lets the reception feel formal without suggesting that guests are being invited to witness a ceremony.
4. At-home celebration after a destination wedding
Our wedding took us to [location].
Now we look forward to celebrating at home with you.
Please join [Partner One] and [Partner Two]
for a wedding reception
[Reception date] from [start time] to [end time]
[Venue or host’s home]
[Street address, City, State]
[Dinner, brunch, or other accurate description]
Reply by [date] to [RSVP method].
Use this after the wedding has happened. If you are still preparing for it, change the opening to “Following our upcoming wedding in [location]…”
5. Casual reception with appetizers and dessert
A small ceremony, then a celebration with you.
[Partner One] and [Partner Two]
invite you to their wedding reception.
[Date], [start time]–[end time]
[Venue, City, State]
Join us for appetizers, dessert, and dancing.
RSVP by [date] at [website].
Describe the food you will serve. A cocktail reception describes the event format; add a separate attire line if needed. A specific food line is especially helpful when no seated dinner is planned.
6. Short wording for a minimal invitation
[Partner One] & [Partner Two]
Wedding Reception
Celebrate our marriage with us
[Date] · [time] PM
[Venue, City, State]
Details and RSVP: [website]
Reply by [date]
This compact version leaves room for larger type. Put the private-ceremony explanation and full address on the accompanying details card or website.
What to print on the main card, insert, and RSVP
Main invitation: Names, a clear reception invitation, reception date, arrival time, venue, and city and state. A full street address is useful when the location is unfamiliar or easily confused with another venue.
Details card: Parking, entrance instructions, hotel information, attire, an end time when helpful, and the wedding website. A same-venue reception may need a line such as “Please enter through [entrance] from [time].” Confirm that plan with the venue first. Our details-card wording examples can help keep these directions concise.
RSVP: Ask for a response to the reception. For example: “Please reply for our wedding reception by [date]. [Guest names] / Will attend / Unable to attend.” Add meal selections only when your caterer needs them. Choose the deadline by working backward from the venue or caterer’s final headcount date, with time for follow-up.
If you use an online response form, test it as a reception-only guest. The event name, time, allowed guest names, and meal questions should all match the printed card. Check that a public homepage or schedule does not unintentionally show ceremony instructions to everyone.
One design or two versions? Plan your order by household
There are two practical approaches when a smaller group attends the ceremony:
- One reception invitation plus a ceremony insert. Everyone receives the same reception card. Only ceremony guests receive the additional invitation with its date, time, and location.
- Two main-card versions. Ceremony-and-reception guests receive a card covering both events. Reception-only guests receive a separate version that begins with the reception.
The first approach can simplify the main-card wording; the second gives each group a complete card to keep. Ask the stationer which option the chosen design supports and confirm any extra insert or separate-version cost before ordering. Do not assume multiple wording versions are included in a displayed set price.
Count mailed households, then label each as “ceremony and reception” or “reception only.” In a hypothetical order of 80 household invitations, if 25 households attend both events and 55 attend only the reception, the insert approach needs 80 reception cards and 25 ceremony inserts, before your chosen extras. Two main-card versions would instead need 25 and 55 cards respectively. These are planning counts, not LunaInvites package quantities.
Keep each version in a separate assembly stack. Check the envelope name against the guest-list category before sealing it. A correct digital proof cannot prevent the wrong insert from being placed in an envelope.
Choose a design that leaves the reception details readable
Start with your final wording, including long names and the real venue name, before choosing how many lines the design needs. If the text feels crowded, move travel details to an insert instead of making the arrival time tiny.
For a classic paper option, LunaInvites’ Cream Gold Border Wedding Invitations with Matching Envelope supports personalized wording and font and layout adjustments. Its listed physical set contains a paper invitation card and a cream envelope; a separate ceremony or details insert is not listed as part of that set. Confirm any additional pieces before ordering.
If you prefer a transparent design, compare the acrylic invitation collection and check the specific model’s contents and available print options. The material does not change the need for a clear reception label or an accurate guest arrival time.
Check these details before approving printing
- Does each version name the event that its recipient is invited to?
- Is the ceremony wording accurate when the card will be received?
- Are the reception date, weekday, AM or PM, venue, and address correct?
- Are any ceremony details limited to the appropriate version or insert?
- Does the RSVP form show the correct event and invited household members?
- Have all placeholders been replaced, including the reply deadline and website?
- Have you confirmed the quantities, included pieces, and any additional-version charges?
LunaInvites sends a digital design proof before printing, and production begins after final approval. Review every wording version, not just the first card. The current shipping policy lists free US shipping and estimated total delivery of approximately 7–8 days after final design proof approval, including 2 days of production. This estimate is not guaranteed and does not include your time reviewing proofs or mailing invitations onward to guests.
Questions couples ask about reception-only invitations
Should the card say “reception only”?
It can, but the heading “Wedding Reception,” paired with a brief private-ceremony or already-married line, is usually clear and welcoming. Avoid wording that asks guests to “witness our vows” unless that is actually part of their invitation.
Can we write “reception to follow”?
Use it on a ceremony invitation when those guests are also attending the reception. On a reception-only card, give the reception’s actual start time; otherwise guests have no clear event or time for it to follow.
What if we already sent a save-the-date for the whole wedding?
Explain the change directly before sending a more limited invitation. A revised card should not be the first clue that an event a guest expected to attend is now private. Update the website and help guests understand any effect on their travel plans.
Make the invitation match the celebration
Choose your timeline wording, confirm the guest groups, and decide whether one card plus an insert or two versions will be easier to manage. Then explore LunaInvites wedding invitation card sets with your finished text in hand, so the design and proof can be built around the reception you are inviting guests to share.