Bridal Shower Invitation Wording: What to Write, With Examples by Shower Type

A bridal shower invitation needs six things, in this order: a line that invites guests to celebrate the bride, the bride's name, who is hosting, the day and time, the full address, and how and by when to reply. Registry details, dress, parking and any bring-along request go underneath or, better, on a small separate card.

Here is that order as a template you can copy:

Please join us for a bridal shower honoring [Bride's first and last name] [Day of the week], [month and date] at [start time] [Venue or "the home of ..."], [street address, city] Hosted by [host names] Kindly reply to [host] at [phone or email] by [reply date]

If you only need wording, that block is the answer. The rest of this guide gives sample wording for different kinds of shower, then the detail lines that guests most often come back to ask the host about.

What each line is for

• The invitation line. Sets the tone. "Please join us" reads classic; "Come celebrate" reads relaxed.
• The bride's name. Use the name her guests know. For a couples shower, name both partners.
• The hosts. Guests need to know who to reply to and who to thank. The Knot asks for the host's name and their email or phone number for replies alongside the date, time and full street address.
• Day, date and time. Put the weekday in. An end time is optional, but it helps guests plan the rest of their day.
• The full address. Many showers happen in a private home, so a venue name alone is not enough.
• Reply line. Name one person, one way to reach them, and a reply-by date.

Sample wording by shower type (names and details are invented)

Swap in your own names and details. Each one keeps the six lines above, so nothing important goes missing when you change the tone.

Classic, hosted by the bride's mother

Please join us for a bridal shower honoring Maya Ellis Saturday, the fifteenth of May, at one o'clock in the afternoon The home of Dana Ellis, 14 Orchard Lane, Westfield Kindly reply to Dana at [phone] by May 1

Hosted by the bridesmaids

Maya's crew is throwing her a shower! Come celebrate the bride-to-be on Saturday, May 15, from noon to three Hosted by Priya, Jordan and Leah at The Garden Room, 220 Main Street Text Priya at [phone] by May 1 to save your seat

Co-hosted by two families

The Ellis and Okafor families invite you to a bridal shower for Maya Ellis, bride-to-be of Daniel Okafor Sunday, May 16, at two o'clock [Address] Please reply to Dana Ellis at [phone] or Grace Okafor at [email] by May 2

Couples or co-ed shower

Two of our favorite people are getting married. Come shower Sam and Riley with love (and maybe a kitchen gadget or two). A couples shower on Saturday, June 5, from four to seven Hosted by Theo and Ana at [address] Everyone welcome. Reply to Ana at [email] by May 22

Brunch shower

Brunch, bubbles and the bride Join us for a late-morning shower honoring Maya Ellis Sunday, May 16, at eleven, at Juniper Kitchen, [address] Hosted by Jordan Reyes. Reply to Jordan at [phone] by May 2

Garden or tea party shower

Tea, flowers and a bride in bloom You are invited to an afternoon tea in honor of Maya Ellis Saturday, May 15, at three o'clock, in the garden at [address] Hosted by Dana Ellis. Kindly reply to Dana at [phone] by May 1. Flat shoes recommended for the lawn.

Surprise shower

Shh! It's a surprise bridal shower for Maya Saturday, May 15, at one o'clock sharp, please arrive by half past twelve [Address] Hosted by Leah and Priya. Reply to Leah at [phone] (not Maya!) by May 1

Recipe or stock-the-kitchen shower

Help Maya fill her first family cookbook A recipe shower on Sunday, May 16, at noon, at [address] Please bring a favorite recipe on the enclosed card, written in your own hand Hosted by Priya Shah. Reply to Priya at [email] by May 2

Virtual or hybrid shower

Wherever you are, come celebrate Maya A bridal shower on Saturday, May 15, at two o'clock Eastern, at Dana's home, [address], or by video call (the link comes with your reply) Hosted by Dana Ellis and the bridesmaids Reply to Dana at [email] by May 1 and tell her whether you will join in person or online

Lingerie shower (optional, adults only)

Keep the main invitation tame, since it gets photographed and passed around, and put sizes on a separate card or share them when guests reply.

A little something for the honeymoon Join Maya's closest friends for an evening shower, Friday, May 14, at seven [Address]. Sizes and registry on the enclosed card. Hosted by Jordan and Leah. Reply to Jordan at [phone] by April 30

Ten opening lines to start your invitation

Use any of these as the first line, then add the name, date, place and reply line.

1. "She found her person. Let's celebrate!"
2. "Please join us in showering the bride-to-be with love and good advice."
3. "Before she says 'I do,' let's say 'we love you.'"
4. "Pull up a chair: we're celebrating Maya before the big day."
5. "Love is brewing. Come for coffee, cake and the bride."
6. "With joy, we invite you to a bridal shower in honor of [name]."
7. "From Ms. to Mrs., or whatever she chooses: join the celebration."
8. "The bride's favorite people are gathering, and you're one of them."
9. "Let's fill her home with good things and her day with good company."
10. "Two hearts, one registry, and a very good party."

If the Ms.-to-Mrs. line does not fit the bride, skip it; not every bride changes her title or name.

The detail lines guests ask about

These lines answer the questions a host otherwise gets by text the week before. Put them under the main wording or on a separate details card.

Registry. Etiquette sources disagree here. The Emily Post Institute says registry information may go with, but not on, the shower invitation, while Wild Bloom Design Studio says a shower invitation can carry it. A separate card satisfies both views:

Maya and Daniel are registered at [store] and [website].

No gifts.

Your company is the only gift Maya wants. Please, no presents.

Recipe request.

Maya is collecting family recipes. Please fill in the enclosed recipe card and bring it along.

Reply.

Kindly reply to Priya at [phone] by [date]. Let her know about any food allergies.

Getting there and parking.

Street parking on Orchard Lane; the gate is on the left side of the house.

Attire.

Garden party dress. Flat shoes recommended for the lawn.

Children. Say it once, kindly, if the shower is adults only:

We love your little ones, but this celebration is for grown-ups.

How to word a request for money

Do not ask outright. The Knot generally counts an outright request for cash gifts as poor shower invitation etiquette and suggests giving the registry details as usual, so guests can choose a cash fund on it or pick something else. If the couple has a honeymoon or home fund on their registry, a soft line on the details card is enough:

Registry details, including Maya and Daniel's honeymoon fund, are at [website].

If the couple has no registry, let close family and the wedding party pass the word when guests ask.

Text and digital invitation wording

A texted invite needs the same facts in fewer words. Send the picture of the invitation first, then a short message:

Hi Aunt Rose! You're invited to Maya's bridal shower on Saturday, May 15, at one, at Dana's house, [address]. Please reply to me by May 1. Registry: [link]. Can't wait to see you!

For a group text, send each guest their own message so replies do not land in front of everyone.

Before you print or send

Once the wording is set, the next questions are timing and the reply date. Most guides we read put the send date 4 to 6 weeks before the shower, and Wild Bloom Design Studio suggests setting the reply date 2 weeks before the event so the host can confirm numbers. Our guide on when to send bridal shower invitations counts every date back from the shower. For the rest of the planning, use the bridal shower checklist, and when the gifts are opened, the thank-you card wording guide picks up where this one ends.

Read every line aloud once before you print. Check the bride's name spelling, the weekday against the date, and that the reply date comes before the shower.

A printable set with a details card

If you want the wording on paper, the Bridal Shower Invitation with Details Card and Recipe Card has a 5 × 7 in invitation with crop marks, two per sheet. Its 3.5 × 5 in details card holds reply, registry, getting there, attire and an optional recipe request, and the 5 × 3.5 in recipe card is for guests to fill in by hand. Its offline personaliser (personalise.html) lets you type the bride's name, date, time, place, address, hosts and reply details once to fill every card and save a 1080 × 1350 px phone image of the invitation for texting. It is print-at-home files only: nothing is printed or shipped to you.

Planning games too? The bridal shower games guide covers what to play once guests arrive.