Honor or Honour

[sunnygirl]

Hi Ladies!

So we are going to invitation shop today and I would love to get them ordered since we are getting way behind. Anyway, we are hosting the wedding and are either going to do:

The honor of your presence
is requested at the marriage of
Blah blah
to
Blah blah

or
The pleasure of your company
is requested at the marriage of
Blah Blah
to
Blah Blah.

Anways, a lot of the invitation wording guides say "honour" and some say "honor". Which is appropriate? Also, we are having a church wedding so do we have to do the first? I haven''t decided which I like better but wouldn''t mind if the decision is made for me by the etiquette books! Does anyone have any thoughts? Ahem ahem Haven?

 

[LegacyGirl]

If you''re going formal I''ve always heard to use the Brittish "honour" if not just use honor. It''s really up to you.

 

[zoebartlett]

I''m not sure there''s a right or wrong word to use. "Honour" looks more formal but if you''re from the US, "honor" is appropriate, since that''s how we spell it. I don''t think you could go wrong either way. It just depends on which one you prefer. Have you posted pics of the invitations you''d like to order? I don''t remember.

 

[sunnygirl]

Thanks for the replies!
I kind of like using the formal language because our wedding is starting in the afternoon (we have two ceremonies and music has to be off in reception hall by 10 pm) but I still want people to dress nicely and not think it is a casual afternoon thing.

I have two more questions:

1) Is it weird to do "The honour of your presence is requested" instead of starting with our names then putting "request the honour of your presence"? There is something about having the names at the very top of the invitation in script that bothers me...

2) If we do the whole "honour of your presence thing" then do we have to do "the favour of a reply is requested by" on the rsvp or can we do "kindly reply by"

Thanks for the help!

Here is the invite - I love it! Ours will be all in one color *the berry color) because we can''t afford two color letterpress...

 

[sunnygirl]

oops here it is:
We will have different fonts...

 

[sunnygirl]

and here is the response card:

 

[Haven]

Hey dress twin!

"Honour" is the proper spelling for formal invitations, even in the US. Also, it is ONLY proper to use "the honour of your presence" if you are marrying in a church or other religious venue (synagogue, mosque, etc). If you are not marrying in a religious venue (even if you are having a religious ceremony in non-religious venue) it is proper to use "the pleasure of your company". (I can't remember where you are having your wedding, so I just thought I'd throw it in.) I have seen people use "honour of your presence" for ceremonies held in secular venues, but it is absolutely improper to do so.

If you use "honour of your presence" in the invite I don't think you're beholden to use "the favour of a reply is requested". "Kindly reply by" sounds lovely to me.

I LOVE your invitations! You have wonderful taste.

 

[sunnygirl]

Thanks Haven/dress twin! You have wonderful taste too!

We are getting married in a church so "honour of your presence" should be okay.

By the way, my dress should be here any day now. I ordered it in December! I am so excited (but also nervous because I am going on an all-inclusive vacay in May and plan on eating and drinking up a storm!)

 

[SarahLovesJS]

I can answer number 2. I think if you do the "honour of your presence" then you definitely need to do the "favor of a reply." Kindly reply is much more informal to me personally, but I could be wrong.

ETA: Beautiful invitation!

 

[Pandora II]

''Honour/honor of your presence'' is only used in the US.

In the UK we use

''the pleasure of your company''

and there are no differences for church or civil service.

According to the US section of Debrett''s Correct Form, the correct spelling is ''honour''.

(whinges in a British way about abuse of English Language - colour, flavour, favour, honour, mutter, mutter

)

 

[Harriet]

Date: 4/26/2008 9:02:51 PM
Author: Pandora II
''Honour/honor of your presence'' is only used in the US.

In the UK we use

''the pleasure of your company''

and there are no differences for church or civil service.

According to the US section of Debrett''s Correct Form, the correct spelling is ''honour''.

(whinges in a British way about abuse of English Language - colour, flavour, favour, honour, mutter, mutter

)

 

[noelwr]

if you use "honoUr of presence" then you should also use "favoUr of reply" ...

otherwise you''re mixing American and British spelling and that doesn''t make sense to me...

 

[sunnygirl]

Thanks everyone for the advice!

Noel - I will definitely keep the spelling consistent (with or without a u) - I was just wondering if I had to use the more formal "favour of a reply" line vs the "kindly reply" line. Based on all your suggestions, I think I will...


Does anyone think it is weird to say "The honour of your presence is requested by Sunnygirl and SunnyMan" vs "Sunnygirl and Sunnyman request the honour of your presence"?