Destination Wedding Invitation Wording Etiquette and Examples

Finding the perfect wording for your destination wedding invitations is one of those things that sounds simple until you actually sit down to do it!
Essentially, invitation wording was designed for traditional weddings, for example, “Mr & Mrs Jones request the honor of your presence as their daughter Judy Jones joins Thomas Smith in marriage…”. And while there is nothing wrong with the classic approach, a destination wedding comes with a lot more to communicate. You are not just inviting people to a ceremony; you are asking them to join you on a trip, so your invitation needs to reflect that. And if you throw in a post-wedding reception back home, it can start to get confusing!
The good news is that destination wedding invitations give you so much more creative freedom than a standard wedding invitation. The wording you choose should excite your guests, give them everything they need to know, and set the tone for the kind of celebration you are planning, whether that’s a relaxed beach wedding in Mexico or a black-tie extravaganza in an Italian villa!
In this post, we are sharing our favorite wording examples and tips to help you do exactly that!

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Destination Wedding Invitation Wording Tips

When you first start writing your destination wedding invitation wording, you’ll quickly realize there’s a lot to communicate. Not only do you need to let your guests know the time and venue, but also when, where, and how to book their trip! Plus, you have any pre-wedding events to cover, and possibly even a post-destination wedding hometown reception! So here’s a few tips to get you started:

First & Foremost: Keep it simple

The last thing you want is to overwhelm your guests with a wall of text crammed onto a single card. For destination weddings, a multi-card invitation suite or a booklet-style invitation is the way to go! This way you can spread the information out naturally so nothing feels rushed or cluttered. Keep it short, keep it warm, and keep it skimmable. We live in a busy world, and people want to read it quickly, get the key information, and know exactly what to do next.

Give all the key details

Give guests the essential details, and make them genuinely excited to be there! A few well-chosen words that capture the romance of the location (e.g., the ocean, the sunsets, the adventure of it all), combined with a heartfelt line about how much their presence means to you, is really all you need.

Provide a Clear Call to Action

Beautifully worded invitations mean nothing if your guests are left wondering what to do next. So, always tell them clearly via a call to action, like ‘RSVP via our destination wedding website for the next steps’, or ‘contact our wedding travel agent to book’.

Destination Wedding Invitation Wording for RSVP Card

RSVP cards for traditional weddings can be pretty bland.  But like everything else, you can get really creative and have some fun with your destination wedding invitation RSVP wording.  Here are just some examples to get your creative juices flowing:

EXAMPLES:

“We are looking forward to celebrating with you. The courtesy of a reply is requested by May 25, 2027.”

• “Yes, I am packed and ready to celebrate in person!”
• “No, I will be there in spirit and will forever regret this decision.”

“Kindly RSVP by the First of June, 2027.”

• “Yes! Save us ___ beach chairs.“
• “Sorry! We will be toasting from a distance.“

Wording for Pre and Post Destination Wedding Events

Are you planning pre or post-destination wedding events at your destination?  If you don’t have enough room to include details in your invitation, just direct guests to your wedding website URL for more info.  For my own destination wedding, I planned a welcome cocktail reception and rehearsal dinner. I included those details in my destination wedding invitation wording.  Boarding Pass invitations and Passport invitations are perfect for this.  

All Photos by: Victoria Amrose Photography & Film.

Destination Wedding Invitation Wording Etiquette

How to Address the Issue of “No Kids” or “Adults-only” in Your Destination Wedding Wording

It’s common for destination weddings to take place at adults-only all-inclusive resorts. So how do you tell parents that their little bundle of joy isn’t invited to your wedding? This is never easy and can be a really sensitive topic. And you have to approach it as such.

Most etiquette experts will tell you that simply addressing the invitation envelope to “Mr & Mrs Johnson” should imply that little Johnny Jr. is not invited. But what if that’s too subtle for some people?  You can always drop another hint using the wording to communicate the resort’s name.

For example: “We’ve secured a discounted group rate at the all-Inclusive adults-only resort, Sandals.”  

Then make sure you enlist the help of parents and the bridal party to spread the word verbally.

Destination wedding invitation wording to indicate you want no gifts

I hear this question over & over again: “Our guests are already spending so much money on our destination wedding…or we’ve been living together for so long that we don’t need pots and pans. What’s the best invitation wording to let them know that we’re not expecting gifts?”

It’s a common sentiment.  I went through this exact dilemma when I was tying the knot.   So, what’s a gal/guy to do?

Avoid printing “no gifts” on the invitation.  Instead, you can carefully word the invitation with a gracious sentence such as: “Your presence is the only gift we wish to receive.”  Sounds nice, huh? Not only do you get the message across that you don’t want gifts without having to say it outright, but you also flatter them in the process.  After all, who doesn’t want to feel like their mere presence is a gift?

But what if you just know that some of your guests will insist on bringing you a gift?  Come up with a fun poem asking them to contribute to a honeymoon fund, which you can include on a separate card. Here is an example.

Destination Wedding Invitation Wording:  Inviting guests to a Hometown reception after the DW

Are you having a hometown reception after your destination wedding?  You’ll need to send an invitation for your hometown reception that doubles as an announcement for your destination wedding.   I cover this in more depth in this blog post about post destination wedding invitations.

Example of a Hometown Invitation Sent After the Destination Wedding

Michelle & Luis
were married on July 13, 2026 in Aruba.

We would love for you to join us in celebrating their marriage
at a hometown reception on
Saturday, October 15, 2025 at 5:30 PM
[Venue Name]
[City, State]

Destination Wedding Invitation Wording: Sending Invitations to a Hometown reception before the DW

Maybe you want to send out an invitation to the hometown reception before you even have your destination wedding.  You have to be careful not to confuse your guests into thinking they’re also invited to the destination wedding. Here’s an example of wording you can use.  This example is for a cruise wedding, but the wording can apply to any destination wedding.

Invitations Sent Before the Destination Wedding

Lisa Smith & John Jacobs
will be married on November 18, 2027
aboard a Royal Caribbean Cruise.
Please join us for a reception to celebrate their marriage
on Saturday, November 30, 2027 at 6:00 PM
Jacobs Estate
111 East Hamilton Road
Austin, Texas 78739

Please join us for a reception to celebrate their marriage
on Saturday, November 30, 2024 at 6:00 PM
Jacobs Estate
111 East Hamilton Road
Austin, Texas 78739

Destination Wedding Invitation Wording Examples

Here are just a few more examples of destination wedding invitation wording to help inspire you.

Destination Wedding Invitation Wording Example 1

Pack your bags!
Together with their families
Melissa Jones
and
Max Richardson
Request the Honor of Your Presence
January 2, 2027
at Five O’clock in the evening
at Palm Cove in Maui, Hawaii

Destination Wedding Invitation Wording Example 2

Together with their parents
Danielle Brown & Danny Cramer
Invite you to bury your feet in the sand
soak up the sun and raise a glass
in celebration of their marriage
Friday, March 19, 2027
Moon Palace Resort
Cancun, Mexico
Contact our travel agent to book
800-000-0000
RSVP at wedsite.com/DaniandDannytietheknot

Destination Wedding Invitation Wording Example 3

Love is a Journey
Please join us in celebrating
the beginning of a beautiful adventure
at the marriage ceremony of
Lisa Smith and Jonathan Jones
June 15, 2027
At three o’clock in the afternoon
Starfish Restaurant
Punta Cana, DR
Visit wedsite.com/smithjones to RSVP

Destination Wedding Invitation Wording Example 4

Our Quest to Find True Love Ends
Our Journey to Cherish True Love Begins
Danielle Brown & Danny Cramer
Look forward to sharing with you
The sun, the sea, and the memories
of their wedding ceremony Negril, Jamaica
Sunday, the fifth of May Two Thousand Twenty Seven Negril, Jamaica
at five o’clock in the evening
Moon Palace Beach Resort
For accommodations, travel, and other details, visit our wedding website
Wedsite.com/brownandcramermarry

Destination Wedding Invitation Wording Example 5

You are cordially invited
to
a wedding weekend getaway
starring
Daring adventures, delicious meals,
Dancing & laughter all night with

Annie Williams
and
Drake Fulbright

From September 4th to 7th 2027

Beginning in Cancun, Mexico
with a 7PM Sunset Welcome Dinner in

Tucker’s Point Bermuda
Travel Details Enclosed

Destination Wedding Invitation Wording Example 6
You are invited to celebrate the marriage of
Catherine Michaels & Paul Johnson
as they exchange vows in
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
on October 5, 2026

Destination Wedding Invitation Wording Example 7

Our wedding will take place on

25th November 2026
In the sun’s warm embrace
at our special place of
Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
we
Trisha Hudson
and
Brad May
Would love you to join us

Destination Wedding Invitation Wording Example 8

Because you have shared in our lives
Angela Pinero and Jose Ruiz
invite you to share in a celebration of love
As we exchange our vows
On August 23, 2026
In Cancun, Mexico

See More Invitation Wording Samples

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Related Articles

• Destination Wedding Invitation Ideas
• Unique Destination Wedding Save the Dates
• Should you send invitations to guests who told you they can’t attend

Photography & Film: All photos featured in this article were captured by Victoria Amrose Photography & Films.

Victoria Amrose Photography & Films is an English-speaking destination wedding photography and videography team, capturing celebrations across the world. Specializing in destination weddings, the team creates beautiful, natural imagery and films that tell the story of your celebration in an authentic, timeless style. Planning a destination wedding? Check availability here.