Formal Invitation Guidelines
Developing a Formal Invitation
1. Place Samford's seal or logo at the top. (Seal use must be approved by President's Office.)
2. List the name(s) of the host(s), using the host's full name. Omit honorifics such as Dr., Mr., Mrs. and Ms. unless the person holds an official rank. The host's title goes on a line beneath the host's name. When there are multiple hosts, the most senior person's name is listed first. The exception to this rule is for the president and spouse (i.e., "President and Mrs. Andrew Westmoreland," no title beneath).
3. Extend the invitation.
very formal: "request(s) the pleasure of your company at"
less formal: "cordially invite(s) you to"
4. List the event, such as "dinner," a reception" or "lunch."
5. Give the purpose of the event (i.e., "in honor of...").
6. Give the date.
very formal: "Friday, the twelfth of February"
less formal: "Friday, February 12"
7. Write out the time (i.e., "at seven o'clock"). Add "in the morning," "in the afternoon" or "in the evening" if the event title doesn't give an indication. It would be unnecessary to list "in the evening" if the event is a dinner, for example.
8. Give the location, including street address. For campus buildings, state the room within the building and the building name. For an off-campus property, state the full name, street address and city.
9. List any special instructions, such as "map enclosed."
10. List R.S.V.P. information. If you are issuing an invitation without a separate response card, print the address and telephone number of the person handling replies. If you are supplying response cards, state "Response card enclosed." Do not list a cutoff date for a reply.
Formal Invitation Sample
J. Bradley Creed
Provost and Executive Vice President
requests the pleasure of your company
at dinner
in honor of Walter Isaacson
Friday, the twelfth of February
at seven o'clock
in the Grand Ballroom
The Club
One Robert Smith Drive
Homewood
map enclosed
R.S.V.P. Office of University Relations
(205) 726-2807
Semiformal Invitation Sample
President and Mrs. Andrew Westmoreland
cordially invite you
to dinner
to welcome the university's new provost
Friday, February 12
at 7 p.m.
in the Flag Colonnade
Ralph Waldo Beeson University Center
Response card enclosed