Are Bilingual Wedding Invitations Necessary?



Although one language is traditional for wedding invitations, in today's diverse climate, especially when one or both sides of the family might speak a different language, couples are opting to print the wedding invitations in two languages so everyone can enjoy reading the invitation wording.

Bilingual wedding invitations aren't a necessity, but they can function as a welcoming gesture if many of the guests speak a different language. Bilingual wording can also act as a respectful nod towards a couple's heritage. If you choose to print bilingual invitations, inform your stationer before you select an invitation style, since typically one language is printed on the front, with the other language on the reverse side.

When to Choose Bilingual Wedding Invitations

The most popular reason to use bilingual wedding invitations is if either the bride or groom (or both) have a different cultural background. For example, if the groom and his family are from Sweden and the bride is American, they might choose to recognize his heritage by printing the invitation in both English and Swedish. This allows both families to be involved and feel included in the ceremony.

Again, if either the bride or groom wants to incorporate certain traditional elements from one or both backgrounds, then bilingual invitations might be used to prepare guests for these elements. For instance, if the bride has an Indian background and chooses to dress in a traditional wedding dress and color, then she might have the invitation printed in both English and Hindi or her native language.

However, having a biological cultural background is not a necessity for bilingual wedding invitations. Some couples have experienced a different culture so completely that they want to incorporate it into their ceremony. Although neither the bride nor the groom has this cultural background, they could choose to print the invitations in both languages and simply explain the significance to guests.

The final reason is simply a hospitable gesture to guests. If a couple has many friends that speak another language, they might choose to incorporate this into their wedding invitations to make these friends more comfortable attending the wedding.

Tips on Translating

Ideally, you can either translate the wedding invitation wording yourself or enlist the help of a close friend or relative who not only speaks the language, but has excellent spelling and grammar. Sometimes a person is conversationally fluent from growing up speaking the language, but never learned to properly read and write it because English was taught and spoken at school. If that is the case, consider hiring a translating service. Since wedding invitation wording is a small job, it shouldn't cost too much.

Using bilingual wedding invitations is a personal decision that can honor a cultural background, welcome a large group of foreign guests, or even highlight an interest outside the couple's own culture. If translated correctly, this gesture will help make your wedding more special and uniquely yours by incorporating a treasured culture into your special day.