Invitation Wording · · 1 min read
Arrival Time vs Ceremony Time: What Should the Invite Say?
Guests need to know when to arrive, while hosts need a schedule they can coordinate with vendors. Label arrival and ceremony times separately instead of printing a deliberately misleading start time.
Confirm the real plan
Ask the host and venue when guests can enter, when seating begins and when the ceremony is intended to start. If access opens only shortly before the ceremony, do not invite guests much earlier without an agreed waiting area.
Write two clear lines
“Guest arrival and seating: [time]. Ceremony begins: [time].” For an informal gathering, “Join us from [time]” may fit better, but make any fixed programme moment explicit. Add the full date and venue on the same card so times are not separated from their context.
Keep the schedule honest
Coordinate shuttle arrival with the seating window and tell the welcome team which time guests have received. If the programme changes, update both times where necessary and notify affected guests. Review the video closing frame and PDF as well as the website. Consistent wording is more reliable than asking different relatives to tell different guests to arrive “a little early”.