Ceremony-Only Invitations for a Live Stream Wedding

Can you invite somebody to just one part of a wedding? How do you tell someone they’re invited to the ceremony, but not to the reception?

The answer is very dependent on the situation. Of course, no one is stopping you from doing whatever you want!

Wedding guest lists are difficult enough as it is, but when splitting guests between ceremony-only, reception-only, virtual-only or in-person, things can get even more complicated.

In general, if someone is invited to the ceremony or any pre-wedding events, they should also be invited to the reception.

While it’s acceptable to have a small, intimate ceremony with a big reception, it’s typically not advisable to do it the opposite way.

The only exception is when ceremony guests are attending virtually. If you extend an invitation to your guests to help you celebrate via a wedding live stream, you are not required to also invite them to an in-person reception.

Photo by Angel Patricia Asirvatham

Wording Your Ceremony-Only Invitations

Finding the right words to invite loved ones to attend your wedding via the internet is certainly a new dilemma, but you’re in good company! We’ve helped hundreds of couples include their loved ones virtually, and the consensus is that a live stream wedding is a fun, engaging and fulfilling way to include all of your loved ones, even those who can’t be there in-person.

Whether you can’t invite guests to join in-person due to gathering limits, venue space or budget, you can still make them feel like an important part of your day.

We recommend being explicit in your wedding invitation that the request is for virtual presence, not physical. We love the example from one of our couples above.

Katherine and Ryan made it clear on their invite that it is a virtual wedding ceremony, both at the top of the invite and in their request for the recipient’s “online presence.” Doing this ensures that the guests know they are not expected to show up at the venue on wedding day.

Extend Your Ceremony Guest List

LoveStream makes it simple to extend the guest list for your wedding ceremony, so that no one has to miss out on your big day.

Ready to learn more? Grab some time with our team to chat about your wedding live stream options.