A wedding announcement shares the news that a marriage has taken place. Make that clear with both names, a past-tense sentence and the wedding date. Add a place or short personal message if you wish, then send it through a channel that suits the recipients and the couple's privacy preferences.
Decide what the recipient needs to know
Start with the purpose before choosing stationery or calligraphy. A printed card, individual email or private message can all carry warm, clear news. Use an invitation when you want someone to attend an event, and include that event's practical details. Keeping the purpose explicit prevents a beautiful card from leaving someone unsure whether a response is expected.
| Purpose | Essential information | Reader's next step |
|---|---|---|
| Share news after the wedding | Names, marriage statement and wedding date; optional place | Enjoy the news; a warm reply is welcome |
| Invite guests to the wedding | Names, ceremony date, time, location and response instructions | Reply about attendance |
| Invite guests to a later celebration | State that you are already married, then give the celebration's own date, place and response details | Reply for that celebration |
For invitations, use the separate wedding invitation guide. An announcement can be simply about sharing news; leave out registry links and requests for purchases.
Four original wording examples
These fictional examples are written for this guide. Replace the names, dates and places, and retain only the details the couple wants to share. Names appear as the people use them; marriage does not tell a recipient whether either person's name has changed.
From the couple
With joy, we share that we were married on September 19, 2026, in Portland, Maine.
Alex Rivera and Morgan Chen
Thank you for being part of our lives.
A short personal email
Subject: Happy news from Alex and Morgan
We have some lovely news: we were married on September 19. We are delighted to share this new chapter with you and look forward to catching up soon.
With love, Alex and Morgan
Parents sharing the news with the couple's agreement
Elena and Daniel Rivera are delighted to share the news of the marriage of Alex Rivera and Morgan Chen on September 19, 2026, in Portland, Maine.
We send our warm wishes to the newly married couple.
A private ceremony and a later invitation
We were married in a private ceremony on September 19, 2026.
Please join us for a celebration on October 24, 2026, at 4 p.m. at [venue and complete address].
Please reply to [contact] by [response date].
Alex Rivera and Morgan Chen
Because this last version invites attendance, complete every event detail before sending. If a celebration is still undecided, send a simple announcement now and an invitation once plans are settled.
Choose recipients and a comfortable time
Emily Post's announcement guidance describes a traditional approach: send announcements after the marriage to people outside the wedding guest list, with no gift obligation attached. It allows a period of months after the wedding. Treat that as one etiquette tradition and adapt your communication to your community and relationships.
Agree the list together. Close relatives or friends may appreciate a personal call before a card or public post. A smaller ceremony needs no lengthy defense; a warm, direct message can share the joy without discussing how the guest list was decided. If news has already spread informally, a personal announcement can still be a thoughtful way to tell someone yourself.
For an email announcement, send individual messages or use recipients' hidden-address options so that private addresses stay private. Ask permission before including someone else's photograph or sharing identifiable details about children. Choose whether to publish the exact venue, a town only or neither; a home address belongs only where recipients have a reason to receive it.
Read it as someone receiving it for the first time
- Both people approve their names, the date, the photograph and the recipient list.
- The wording clearly says the marriage already happened.
- Any later party has its own complete date, location and reply instructions.
- All placeholders are replaced; a second reader checks spelling and factual details.
- A printed proof is readable at its actual size. A test email works on a phone and includes the news as text, even if a card image is attached.