Who goes first on a wedding invite, man or woman?

Short answer

There is no legal rule about whose name goes first on a wedding invite. Traditionally the bride's name came first, but today many couples list names in the order they prefer, alphabetically, or by whoever is hosting. Choose what feels right for you.

The old convention in the UK was to put the bride's name first, because her family usually hosted the wedding and the invitation came from them. That tradition has loosened a lot. Many modern invites simply list the two names in the order the couple prefers, or alphabetically if they want to avoid any awkwardness.

If one partner is changing their surname, some couples put that name second so it reads naturally. If you are both keeping your names, the order is entirely your choice. Same-sex couples often list names alphabetically or by whoever is more involved in planning. There is no legal requirement either way.

What matters most is that the names are clear, correctly spelled, and feel balanced on the page. If you are stuck, write both names on a piece of paper and see which order looks better to you. You can also ask your parents or the hosts if they have a preference, but the final decision is yours. For religious ceremonies, some faiths have their own customs, so check with your place of worship if you want to follow tradition.