Should you send wedding invitations to companies or businesses?

Weddings are intimate gatherings for the people who matter most in your lives. Sending an invitation to a company or business is not standard practice and can put the recipient in an awkward position. Most businesses will not attend, and some may feel pressured to send a gift or a representative.

There are a few exceptions, but they are rare. If a colleague has been like family to you, invite them as an individual, not as the company. If you run a business with close friends, treat them as people first. Do not send invitations to your employer as an organisation, to clients, or to suppliers.

A few things to consider:

• Who will actually attend if the business is invited?
• Will the recipient feel obliged to give a gift?
• Could this create an uncomfortable expectation at work?

If you are unsure, it is always safer to leave the business off the list. You can still thank your work friends separately, but the guest list should be made up of people you want to celebrate with, not organisations.