English wedding card matter for an Indian wedding usually follows the same order as a Hindi or Gujarati card: an opening blessing, the hosts, the invitation line, the couple with their parents, the date, time and venue, the functions, and a closing line. The phrasing has its own Indian English tradition, with lines such as “solicit your gracious presence” and “with best compliments from”, which sound formal and warm at the same time. Below are lines for each part and a complete sample to adapt.
About the samples
Names, dates and places in the samples are examples.
Opening lines
The top of the card sets the tone. Some families keep the Sanskrit invocation even on an English card; others translate the blessing.
Shri Ganeshay Namah
With the blessings of the Almighty
With the blessings of our elders
With the divine grace of Lord Ganesha
With joy in our hearts and the blessings of our families
The invitation line
This is where the tone is most visible. A few common phrasings, from the most formal to the warmest:
| Phrase | Tone | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| request the honour of your presence | Formal and traditional | The religious ceremony |
| solicit your gracious presence | Formal, distinctly Indian | Parent-hosted cards with a classic feel |
| request the pleasure of your company | Formal but social | Receptions and evening functions |
| cordially invite you | Polite and simple | Any function |
| would love you to join us | Warm and personal | Couple-hosted or modern cards |
“Honour of your presence” is traditionally kept for the ceremony and “pleasure of your company” for the party, but on Indian cards either is understood for both.
The couple and their parents
Mrs. Meera and Mr. Rajesh Mehta
solicit your gracious presence
on the auspicious occasion of the marriage of their daughter
Ananya
with
Kunal
son of Mrs. Lata and Mr. Suresh Iyer
Together with their families
Ananya, daughter of Mrs. Meera and Mr. Rajesh Mehta,
and Kunal, son of Mrs. Lata and Mr. Suresh Iyer,
invite you to celebrate their wedding
Writing dates and times
Formal cards sometimes spell everything out; most Indian cards today use a clearer mix. Pick one style and keep it on every page.
| Style | Example | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Fully formal | on Saturday, the twelfth of December, two thousand and twenty-six, at seven o'clock in the evening | A very traditional printed card |
| Clear and modern | Saturday, 12 December 2026, 7 pm | Almost always, especially digital |
| With the muhurat | Saturday, 12 December 2026, 7 pm onwards; muhurat 9:40 pm | When the ceremony time differs from the arrival time |
Weekday and date together
Always write the weekday with the date. It lets guests catch a typo, because a wrong weekday is easier to spot than a wrong number.
Functions
Programme
Haldi: Friday, 11 December, 10:30 am, at the residence
Mehndi and Sangeet: Friday, 11 December, 7 pm, Hotel Rajmahal
Wedding: Saturday, 12 December, 7 pm onwards, The Grand Lawn
Reception: Sunday, 13 December, 7:30 pm, Hall 1, Hotel Rajmahal
Closing lines
With best compliments from
The Mehta and Iyer families
Awaiting your gracious presence,
All the relatives and friends
Your presence is our blessing.
Indian English cards often end with a line from the children of the family, the English cousin of the Hindi bal manuhar: “Do come to my chacha's wedding” or “Please come, or Didi will be very upset with you.” It's informal, and it's often the line guests remember.
A complete sample
Shri Ganeshay Namah
With the blessings of our elders
Mrs. Meera and Mr. Rajesh Mehta
solicit your gracious presence
on the auspicious occasion of the marriage of their daughter
Ananya
with
Kunal
son of Mrs. Lata and Mr. Suresh Iyer, Chennai
on Saturday, 12 December 2026, at 7 pm onwards
at The Grand Lawn, Vesu, Surat
Dinner to follow
With best compliments from
the Mehta family
RSVP: Rahul Mehta, 98XXX XXXXX
Common slips in English card matter
- “Honour” and “colour” in British spelling are standard on Indian cards; just be consistent.
- Mr. and Mrs. with full names. “Mrs. Meera and Mr. Rajesh Mehta” reads better today than “Mr. and Mrs. Rajesh Mehta”, which leaves the mother unnamed.
- “Marriage of their daughter … with Kunal” is the Indian convention; “to Kunal” is equally correct.
- AM and PM, or morning and evening, on every time.
- No mixing of formality: a fully spelt-out date beside a casual “see you there, folks” reads oddly.
For the Hindi side of the same card, see Hindi wedding card matter. The parents' wording guide and the couple's wording guide cover who hosts, and more samples are in the wording guides.
Questions people ask
What is the most formal invitation line on an Indian wedding card?
“Request the honour of your presence” and “solicit your gracious presence” are the most formal. “Cordially invite you” is polite and simpler.
How should the date be written on an English wedding card?
Most cards today use “Saturday, 12 December 2026, 7 pm”. A fully spelt-out date suits a very traditional printed card. Keep one style throughout.
What does ‘with best compliments from’ mean on a card?
It's a traditional Indian English closing that introduces the family members sending their regards, often followed by a list of names.
Should the mother's name be written on the card?
Yes. “Mrs. Meera and Mr. Rajesh Mehta” names both parents and is now the common, respectful form.
Filed under Wording guides
Written by ShubhLink Editorial Team
The team behind ShubhLink's invitation templates and ShubhLink AI. We write down what families ask us most, and check each guide before it goes live.