Pedida de Mano Invitations: Wording for the Family Engagement Visit

A pedida de mano invitation goes to a small circle: parents, grandparents, siblings and sometimes the padrinos. It says whose families are meeting, where (usually the bride's family home), the date and time, and that a dinner or toast follows. The tone is warm and respectful, and it is often written in Spanish, English or both. Ready to pick a design? Browse our engagement party invitation templates.

A pedida is not an engagement party. It's the family moment when one family formally asks the other for their blessing; the bigger celebration with friends usually comes later. For that party, see our engagement party invitation ideas and wording guide.

Featured TwistInvite DesignsEngagement Video InvitationsPick a romantic video design in the app, add your family details and a video message, and share one link relatives RSVP to in their browser.

What Happens at a Pedida de Mano

Traditions vary by region and by family, but most pedidas follow the same shape:

• The groom's family visits the bride's family, usually at her parents' home. Today many couples hold it at a restaurant, and some families do it the other way round or ask for both partners' hands.
• The request. The groom, or his father or a respected relative, speaks to the bride's parents and asks for their blessing.
• The ring and a toast. If the ring hasn't been given yet, it often is now. Families toast the couple.
• Dinner. The hosting family usually serves a meal. Some families include a priest's blessing or a short prayer.
• Talking about the wedding. Families often discuss the date, the church and who the padrinos will be.

What to Include on the Invitation

• Who is inviting: the bride's parents, the groom's parents, both families or the couple.
• The two families' names, so guests understand who is meeting.
• Date, time and place, including the full address if it's a family home.
• What happens: "the formal request for the hand of our daughter, followed by dinner".
• Who is invited. A pedida is intimate; name the guests or say "our immediate family".
• Dress: usually "semi-formal" or nothing at all for a family home.
• Reply-by date, so the hosts know how many to cook for.

From the Bride's Parents (Hosting)

Pair it with: Ivory Dream Fountain. A bright ivory hall with arches, flowers and a tiered fountain, with no lettering in the artwork, so any wording in English or Spanish fits it.

From the Groom's Parents

When the groom's family organizes the visit (for example at a restaurant), they often send the message to their own relatives who will come along:

From the Couple, for a Modern Pedida

Pair it with: Love in Little Lines. Hand-drawn lines on cream paper: "You're invited", a sketch of two champagne glasses titled "A Celebration of Love", "Save the moment" and "Come celebrate with us", with small bows and hearts. Light and modern, good for a couple-led pedida.

Formal, With a Blessing

With the blessing of God and of our families,
the Martínez and Hernández families
invite you to the pedida de mano of
Daniela Martínez and Luis Hernández
Saturday, February 13, at six o'clock in the evening
A blessing by Father Tomás will be followed by dinner

Pair it with: Garden of Devotion. A rose-covered arch over a garden fountain frames "A Celebration of Love", with pink and blue flowers along the bottom. Good for a pedida in a garden or with a blessing.

Bilingual Versions

Pair it with: Starlit Rose Affair. Blush drapes, hanging roses and candlelight around "A Starlit Affair" in gold script. Best for an evening pedida at a restaurant or event hall. For more bilingual family wording, our quinceañera invitation wording guide has a similar section.

Short Versions for a Text

• Pedida de mano for Daniela and Luis, Sat Feb 13, 6 p.m., our house. Dinner after. Reply here: [link]
• Abuela, Luis's family is coming on the 13th to ask for Daniela's hand. We want you there. [link]
• Families only, Feb 13 at 6. Please RSVP by the 6th: [link]

Say It in a 15-Second Video Message

"Hi familia, it's Daniela and Luis. On February 13 our families are meeting for our pedida, and it wouldn't feel right without you. Come for the toast and stay for dinner. ¡Los esperamos!"

In the TwistInvite App you can hold to record it, upload photos of the two of you or of your parents when they got engaged, and import a song that means something to both families.

Etiquette Notes

• Keep it small. Parents, grandparents, siblings and the closest godparents. Friends come to the engagement party or the wedding.
• Call the elders first. Grandparents should hear it from you before the link arrives.
• Who pays: the hosting family usually serves the meal; if it's at a restaurant, families often agree beforehand.
• Gifts aren't expected from guests. The groom's family often brings flowers, wine or a dessert.
• Send it two to four weeks ahead. Family members coming from another city or from Mexico may need more notice.

How to Send It

1. Pick a template in the TwistInvite App, where invitations are created and edited.
2. Add your event details, photos, video or audio, and a hold-to-record message.
3. Share the link by text message or in the family chat, with one of the messages above.
4. Relatives open it in their browser and answer Going, Can't make it or Maybe without an app or account. You see the replies in the App.

The free plan includes 3 events a month, free templates, RSVP tracking and 15-second video messages. Premium is $2.99 a week, $8.99 a month or $39.99 a year (USD; the App Store sets local prices). Open the TwistInvite App to send your pedida invitation. Planning the next steps? See wedding guest list tips.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a pedida de mano?

It's a Mexican and Latin American engagement tradition in which the groom's family visits the bride's family, usually at her parents' home, to formally ask for their blessing, often followed by a toast and dinner.

Who hosts the pedida de mano?

Traditionally the bride's family hosts at their home. Today it is also common to meet at a restaurant, with the families agreeing beforehand who pays.

Who should be invited to a pedida de mano?

Usually only close family: parents, grandparents, siblings and the closest godparents. Friends are typically invited to the engagement party or the wedding.

Is a pedida de mano the same as an engagement party?

No. The pedida is a small family ceremony; the engagement party is a larger celebration with friends that may come afterward.

How far in advance should I send a pedida invitation?

Two to four weeks is usual. Give more notice to relatives traveling from another city or country.

Do relatives need an app to reply?

No. They open the link in any browser and answer Going, Can't make it or Maybe without downloading anything or creating an account.