Indian wedding invitation wording for every event
How to word an invitation for a multi-day Indian wedding: who invites, how to list the mehndi, sangeet, wedding and reception, with traditional and modern examples.
The short version
- Traditionally the parents, sometimes with grandparents' blessings, invite guests to their children's wedding.
- List each event separately with its date, time, venue and dress code, and invite each guest only to the events they are coming to.
- Many families open with a blessing or invocation suited to their faith; follow your family's custom.
- Ask for replies per event, because numbers differ a lot between a mehndi and a reception.
An Indian wedding invitation usually invites guests on behalf of the parents, to a series of events: often a mehndi, a sangeet, a haldi, the wedding ceremony and a reception. The wording names the hosts and the couple, then lists each event with its own date, time, venue and dress code. Because not every guest is invited to every event, the most practical invitations are tailored per guest.
Customs vary between regions, communities and faiths (Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Christian, Jain and others), and between families. The examples below are common shapes, not rules. Follow your family's tradition, and ask an elder when in doubt.
Who invites the guests?
Traditionally the parents of the bride or the groom, and sometimes both families together. Many invitations mention the blessings of grandparents. Modern couples, especially those living abroad, often invite in their own names "together with our families".
How do you open the invitation?
Many families open with a blessing or invocation appropriate to their faith, for instance an invocation of Lord Ganesha on many Hindu invitations, or a line from scripture. If you are unsure which to use, or whether to use one at all, ask your parents or the priest or leader who will conduct the ceremony.
How do you list the events?
- One line per event: the name, the date, the time, the venue and the dress code
- A short explanation for guests unfamiliar with the event ("Mehndi: an afternoon of henna, music and food")
- The reception last, with its own start time, since many guests come only to that
- An RSVP for each event, or at least for each group of events
Traditional wording example
With the blessings of our grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Rajesh Sharma request the pleasure of your company at the wedding of their daughter Priya with Arjun, son of Mr. and Mrs. Vikram Mehta. Wedding: Saturday, December 11, 2027, at 10 AM, The Grand Pavilion. Reception: Saturday, December 11, 2027, at 7 PM, The Grand Pavilion.
Modern wording example
Together with our families, Priya and Arjun invite you to celebrate our wedding. Mehndi: Thursday, December 9, 4 PM, at home. Sangeet: Friday, December 10, 7 PM, The Garden Room (dress: festive and colorful). Wedding: Saturday, December 11, 10 AM, The Grand Pavilion. Reception: Saturday, December 11, 7 PM, The Grand Pavilion.
How do you invite guests to only some events?
Send each guest an invitation that shows only their events, rather than one invitation with everything and a note saying "some events are for family". With a digital invitation, the main invitation can carry the wedding and reception for everyone, and the smaller events (a mehndi at home, a family dinner) can go out as separate invitations to just the guests who are invited.
What about guests abroad?
For families spread across countries, send the save the date eight to twelve months ahead, write dates with the month in words, state the time zone if guests will join any part online, and mention if guests will need a visa or an invitation letter to travel.
An Indian wedding is several celebrations. The kindest invitation tells each guest exactly which ones are theirs.
Common questions
Who sends the invitation for an Indian wedding?
Traditionally the parents of the bride or the groom, often mentioning the blessings of grandparents. Modern couples sometimes invite in their own names together with their families.
How do you list multiple events on an Indian wedding invitation?
Give each event its own line with the name, date, time, venue and dress code, add a short explanation for guests unfamiliar with it, and ask for replies per event.
Should every guest be invited to every event?
Not usually. Smaller events like the mehndi are often for family and close friends. Send each guest an invitation that shows only the events they are invited to.
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