How to write a Nikah invitation: wording, examples and etiquette

What a Nikah invitation should include

• Who is inviting: the parents, the couple, or both families.
• The names of the bride and groom, written the way your families say them.
• The occasion: Nikah, Mehndi, Baraat or Valima.
• The date, and the Hijri date too if your family likes to include it.
• The time, and when you would like guests to arrive.
• The venue with its full address and a map link.
• How and by when to RSVP.
• Practical notes: dress, parking, children, seating arrangements.

Choosing an opening

Many families begin with Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim, "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful". Others open with Assalamu alaikum, or with a short dua for the couple. Some add a verse, and a common choice is Quran 30:21, which speaks of spouses finding tranquility in one another, with affection and mercy placed between them.

Use only words you are sure of. If you include Arabic, copy it from a trusted source and ask someone who reads Arabic to check it before it goes to a single guest. A wrong letter is easy to miss and hard to take back once the invitation has been shared.

Who is inviting?

There is no single correct choice. Follow whatever your families are comfortable with. The three common styles are below.

• Parent-led and formal: "Mr. and Mrs. (parents' names) request the pleasure of your company at the Nikah of their daughter...". This suits larger family weddings.
• Couple-led: "Together with their families, (bride) and (groom) invite you...". This feels warmer and more modern.
• Both families: name the parents of the bride and the parents of the groom, then the couple. This is a good choice when the two families are hosting together.

Three examples for the Nikah

Formal, parent-led

Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim. Mr. and Mrs. [Name] request the pleasure of your company at the Nikah of their daughter [Name] with [Name], son of Mr. and Mrs. [Name], on [day, date] at [time], at [venue, address]. Dinner will follow. Kindly reply by [date].

Warm, couple-led

Assalamu alaikum. With the blessings of Allah and our families, we, [Name] and [Name], invite you to witness our Nikah on [day, date] at [time] at [venue]. Your presence and your duas would mean the world to us.

Short, for a message

Assalamu alaikum [Name], we would love you to join us for our Nikah on [date] at [venue]. Doors open at [time]. Please let us know by [date] if you can come.

Wording for the Mehndi and the Valima

Each event deserves its own wording. The Mehndi is playful, so the invitation can be too. The Valima is the reception hosted by the groom's family after the wedding, so it is traditionally worded from the groom's side.

Mehndi

Join us for an evening of henna, music and family as we celebrate [Name]'s Mehndi on [day, date] at [venue]. Come dressed in colour. Dinner at [time].

Valima

Mr. and Mrs. [Name] request the pleasure of your company at the Valima of their son [Name] and [Name], on [day, date] at [time], at [venue, address]. Kindly reply by [date].

The details guests always ask about

• Timing: write the time the ceremony will really begin and, separately, the time you would like guests to arrive. They are rarely the same.
• Seating: if your venue has separate arrangements for men and women, say so kindly and clearly so nobody is surprised at the door.
• Dress: a single line is enough, such as "Traditional attire" or "Formal, with something modest for the Nikah".
• Children: say plainly whether children are welcome. A gentle line avoids awkward questions.
• Gifts and salami: if you prefer not to receive gifts, say it gently. If guests ask how to give, make the details easy to find.
• Parking and travel: add the nearest landmark and where to park, especially for out-of-town guests.

Putting it on a digital invitation

A digital invitation lets each event keep its own wording, date, venue and map without crowding one card. On Daawat's Muslim designs, the Mehndi, Baraat, Nikah and Valima each get their own card with a map and an add-to-calendar button, and there is a place for a dua with Arabic text, transliteration and translation. Guests open their own personal link on any phone, with no app and no account.

Couples planning in Pakistan, the UK or the USA often have relatives in all three, and a single link means everyone sees the same details at the same time. You can build and preview yours for free.

A last check before you send

1. Read every name, date and time aloud once, then ask someone else to read it too.
2. Have a person who reads Arabic check any Arabic text.
3. Open the map link yourself and make sure it takes you to the right gate.
4. Check the RSVP date leaves you enough time to give a final number to the caterer.
5. Send it to one close relative first and ask what is unclear.