Wedding Reception Invitation Wording for Reception-Only Guests and Later Parties

Reception-only invitation wording invites guests to the party without mentioning the ceremony time. Open with "please join us for a reception celebrating the marriage of…", give the reception date, time and venue, and add a dress code and RSVP date. If the couple is already married, say so; if the ceremony is the same day, simply leave it off.

These examples cover four situations: a private ceremony followed by a bigger reception, a party after an elopement or courthouse wedding, a hometown reception after a destination wedding, and a reception hosted by parents. For general wedding invitation wording, see our wedding invitation wording examples.

Featured TwistInvite DesignsWedding Reception InvitationsGilded banquet halls, chandeliers and champagne towers. Choose a design in the TwistInvite app and share it by text or link.

When You Need a Reception-Only Invitation

• The ceremony space is small, such as a chapel, a family home or a courthouse, but the reception venue holds everyone.
• You eloped or married at city hall and want a party afterward.
• You married abroad and are hosting a celebration at home for people who couldn't travel.
• Parents want to host a reception in their hometown for friends and extended family.

In the first case, you'll send two versions: the full invitation to ceremony guests and the reception-only version to everyone else. In the others, there's only one invitation, the reception.

What to Include

• Who's hosting and whose marriage you're celebrating.
• Whether the couple is already married, if the reception comes later.
• Date, start time and end time of the reception.
• Venue name and address.
• What to expect: dinner, cocktails and dancing, or dessert and drinks. Guests plan meals around this.
• Dress code.
• RSVP date and, if relevant, the wedding website for registry details.

Where to use the wording: print the full version if you're mailing cards, or post it on your wedding site. When you share a video invitation, put a one-line version in the text with the link and say a spoken version in your 15-second video message.

Same-Day Reception Wording (Private Ceremony)

Don't mention the ceremony at all. Guests who aren't invited to it don't need to know the time, and a line like "after our private ceremony" is optional.

Formal

• Mr. and Mrs. [Parent Names]
  request the pleasure of your company
  at the wedding reception of their daughter
  [Name]
  and
  [Name]
  Saturday, the fifth of June, at seven o'clock
  [Venue], [City]
• [Name] and [Name]
  invite you to celebrate their marriage
  at a dinner reception
  Saturday, June 5, 2027 · 6:30 p.m.
  [Venue] · Black tie optional

Warm

• We're saying our vows with family in the morning,
  and we'd love you to celebrate with us that night.
  Reception · Saturday, June 5 · 7 p.m. · [Venue]

Casual

• Dinner, drinks and dancing for the newlyweds.
  Join [Name] & [Name] at [Venue]
  June 5 · 7 p.m. until late

Pair it with: Gilded Palace Banquet. Long banquet tables under chandeliers in a gilded hall. Best for a formal dinner reception.

Wording for a Reception After an Elopement or Courthouse Wedding

Warm

• We got married!
  Now we'd love to celebrate with you.
  Please join [Name] and [Name] for a reception
  Saturday, September 18 · 6 p.m. · [Venue]
• Married in May, partying in September.
  [Name] & [Name] · [Venue] · September 18, 6 p.m.
  Dinner, cake and a dance floor

Formal

• [Name] and [Name]
  were married on the seventh of May
  and request the pleasure of your company
  at a reception in their honor
  Saturday, the eighteenth of September · six o'clock
  [Venue], [City]

Funny

• We skipped the big wedding. We didn't skip the party.
  [Venue] · September 18 · 6 p.m.
  Gifts not required. Dancing is.

For the ceremony invitation itself, see courthouse wedding invitations. If the party is more of a late-night dance than a dinner, our after-party invitations guide fits better.

Pair it with: Champagne Lumiere. Champagne pours over a coupe tower in a mirrored hall filled with white flowers. Best for a celebration where the toast is the centerpiece.

Say it in your 15-second video message: "Surprise! We got married this spring, just the two of us. Now we want to celebrate with everyone, so come to [Venue] on September 18 for dinner and dancing."

Wording for a Home Reception After a Destination Wedding

• We said "I do" in [Place].
  Now we're bringing the celebration home.
  Please join [Name] and [Name] for a reception
  Saturday, July 24 · 5 p.m. · [Venue], [Hometown]
• For everyone who couldn't make it to [Place]:
  a party in our honor, right here at home.
  [Date] · [Time] · [Venue]

If the destination guests are also invited, add a line so they don't think they need to come twice: "If you joined us in [Place], you're welcome but never expected." Our destination wedding invitations guide covers the trip itself.

Wording When Parents Host the Reception

• Mr. and Mrs. [Parent Names]
  invite you to a reception in honor of
  [Name] and [Name]
  who were married on [Date] in [Place]
  Saturday, August 7 · 6 p.m. · [Venue]
• Join us in celebrating our son [Name] and his wife [Name]
  at a hometown reception
  [Date] · [Time] · [Venue]

Pair it with: Crystal Chandelier Floral Hall. A marble ballroom with chandeliers and pink and lilac flowers along tall windows. Best for an elegant, family-hosted party.

Sending Two Versions Without Hurt Feelings

• Make the reception invite complete on its own. It shouldn't look like the ceremony line was cut off.
• Keep the guest lists separate. With digital invitations, create two events: one for the ceremony and one for the reception.
• Don't post the ceremony details publicly if not everyone is invited.
• Tell close friends personally if they're reception-only. A quick call goes a long way.

Short Versions to Send by Text

• "We'd love you at our wedding reception on June 5! Details and RSVP here:"
• "We eloped 😅 Now we're throwing the party. September 18, you in?"
• "Couldn't make it to [Place]? We're celebrating at home on July 24."
• "Not sure yet? Pick Maybe in the link and let us know by May 15."

When to Send

Sending It as a Video Invitation

1. Create the reception as its own event in the TwistInvite app and pick a template.
2. Add the reception details: date, time, venue and RSVP date, plus your own photos, a ceremony clip or a song if you like.
3. Hold to record a short message, up to 15 seconds on the free plan.
4. Share the link by text. Guests open it in their browser and answer Going, Can't make it or Maybe with no account, and replies are tracked separately from the ceremony guest list.

Get the TwistInvite app to set up both events.

Mistakes to Avoid

• Writing "reception to follow" on an invitation that doesn't include the ceremony.
• Being vague about food. "Celebration" could mean cake or a full dinner.
• Using one guest list for both events, so reception-only guests see ceremony details.
• Forgetting to say you're already married when the party is months later.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you word an invitation to the reception only?

Invite guests to the reception and leave the ceremony out: "Please join us for a reception celebrating the marriage of [Name] and [Name]," followed by the date, time, venue and RSVP date.

Is it rude to invite some guests to the reception only?

No, it's common when the ceremony space is small. Make the reception invitation complete on its own and tell close friends personally.

How long after an elopement can you have a reception?

Anytime that suits you, from a few weeks to a year later. Say on the invitation that you are already married so guests understand.

Should reception-only guests bring a gift?

Guests often do, but the invitation shouldn't ask. Put registry details on your wedding website instead.

What's the difference between a reception and an after-party?

A reception usually includes dinner, toasts and the first dance. An after-party is a later, more casual gathering, often with drinks and dancing only.

Can reception guests RSVP without an app?

Yes. With TwistInvite, the couple or hosts create the invitation in the app, and guests open the link in a browser and reply Going, Can't make it or Maybe without an account.