Birthday Party Invitation Wording: 55+ Examples That Work

Birthday party invitations fail for one of two reasons: they read like a formal summons, or they leave out the detail everyone actually needs. Here are 55+ wording examples for milestone parties, casual drinks, surprise parties and children’s parties.

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Casual birthday party wording

1. Birthday drinks at mine! Saturday 8th from 7pm. Come when you can, leave when you like.
2. It is my birthday and I would love to see you. The Crown, Friday from 8pm.
3. Having a few people over for my birthday. Saturday, 7pm onwards, at ours.
4. Birthday celebrations! Saturday 15th, 6pm till late. Food, drinks, bad music.
5. Come and help me celebrate. Friday 3rd, from 7.30pm, 22 Grove Road.
6. Turning another year older and making an evening of it. Saturday from 8pm at The Anchor.
7. Birthday do at ours, Saturday 11th, 7pm. Nothing fancy — just come.
8. It is my birthday! Drinks from 6pm on Friday. First round is on me.
9. Low-key birthday gathering, Sunday 2pm at mine. Tea, cake, and sitting down.
10. Come for birthday drinks on the 19th, from 8pm. No presents, just people.

Milestone birthday wording

1. I am turning 40 and refusing to do it quietly. Saturday 12th, 7pm till late, at the village hall. Food provided.
2. Please join us to celebrate Sarah’s 50th. Saturday 20th, 12pm to 5pm, Riverside Hotel. Lunch and drinks.
3. It is a big one. Party at ours, Saturday 3rd, 7pm onwards. RSVP by the 25th.
4. Come and celebrate my 30th! Saturday 6th, 8pm, The Old Bank. Dress: whatever makes you happy.
5. Mum is 60! Join us for lunch on Sunday 14th, 1pm, at The Mill. Please let us know by the 5th.
6. Celebrating 21 years. Saturday 9th, 8pm till late, 14 Beech Avenue.
7. Dad turns 70 this month and we are marking it properly. Sunday 22nd, 12pm, at the golf club.
8. Half a century! Drinks and dinner, Saturday 18th, 7pm, The Grange. RSVP by the 1st.
9. Please join us to celebrate Grandad’s 80th. Sunday 7th, 2pm to 5pm, at the church hall.
10. Turning 18 and having a party. Saturday 4th, 7pm to midnight, at ours. Parents collecting at 12.

Surprise party wording

1. Shhh! Surprise party for Tom’s 40th. Saturday 12th, 7pm — please arrive by 6.45pm. He thinks we are going out for a quiet dinner.
2. It is a surprise! Please be seated by 7.15pm on Saturday. Do not mention it to Anna under any circumstances.
3. Surprise 60th for Dad. Sunday 14th, arrive 12.30pm for a 1pm surprise. Park around the corner.
4. We are surprising Ellie for her 30th. Saturday 6th, in place by 7.30pm sharp. Phones on silent.
5. Top secret: surprise party for Mum. Saturday 20th, guests from 6pm, she arrives at 7pm.
6. Surprise! Join us to celebrate James turning 50. Arrive by 7pm, Saturday 3rd. He has been told nothing.
7. Please keep this quiet — surprise birthday drinks for Kate on Friday. In the back room from 7.30pm.
8. Sneaky 65th celebration for Dad. Sunday 11th, arrive 1.30pm, he lands at 2pm.

Children’s birthday party wording

1. Ella is turning 6! Party on Saturday 8th, 2pm to 4pm, Riverside Soft Play. RSVP to Mum on 07700 900123.
2. It is my birthday and I would love you to come! Sunday 12th, 11am to 1pm, 22 Oak Street. Party food provided.
3. Come and celebrate Jack turning 5! Saturday, 1pm to 3pm, the church hall. Please tell us about any allergies.
4. Superhero party! Saturday 25th, 3pm to 5pm. Costumes very welcome, capes optional.
5. Sophie is 7! Swimming then cake. Sunday 19th, 2pm to 4pm at the leisure centre.
6. Birthday party for Amy, Saturday 16th, 12pm to 2pm at ours. Parents welcome to stay for coffee.
7. It is party time! Saturday 2nd, 1pm to 3pm, 9 Elm Close. RSVP by Wednesday please.
8. Join us at the park for Max’s 4th! Saturday 10th, 10am to 12pm. Wrap up warm.
9. Football party for Leo turning 8. Sunday 23rd, 10am to 12pm, Brookside pitches. Boots needed.
10. Tea party for Grace turning 3! Saturday 5th, 2pm to 4pm at home. Siblings welcome.

Adding the practical details

1. Food will be provided — come hungry.
2. Nibbles only, so eat beforehand.
3. Bring a bottle if you are drinking.
4. No presents please — your company is the whole point.
5. Adults only, I am afraid. We love your children, but this one is for grown-ups.
6. Children very welcome. There will be a room set aside for them.
7. Street parking is tricky — the car park on Mill Lane is free after 6pm.
8. Dress code: none whatsoever. Come as you are.
9. Please let us know about any dietary requirements when you reply.
10. Taxis get scarce after 11pm, so book ahead if you need one.

Short invitation lines

1. Birthday drinks. Ours. Saturday. 8pm.
2. It is my birthday — come!
3. Party at mine, details inside.
4. Save the date!
5. Turning 40. Bring yourself.
6. Cake, drinks, you. Saturday.
7. Celebrating — join us?
8. Would not be the same without you.

How to word it well

1. Put the end time in. Guests need it to book lifts and childcare, and it is the detail most often missing.
2. Say whether there is food. “Nibbles” and “dinner” mean completely different evenings.
3. Give an RSVP name, method and date. All three, or you will spend a fortnight chasing.
4. For a surprise, put the arrival time in bold. The whole thing collapses if guests drift in late.
5. Match the tone to the party. Formal wording on a pub gathering reads as sarcasm.

Send it — and pair it with a gift

A free invitation ecard is easy to resend if details change. See also what to write in an invitation and what to write in a birthday card:

FAQ

What do you write on a birthday party invitation?

Whose birthday it is, the date, start and end time, the address, whether there is food, and an RSVP with a deadline. Keep the tone matched to the party.

How do you word a surprise party invitation?

Make the secrecy and the arrival time the most prominent details, and say what the birthday person has been told instead.

How do you say no presents?

Plainly and warmly: “No presents please — your company is the whole point.” Guests appreciate being told.

How do you word adults only?

Say it directly: “Adults only, I am afraid.” Hinting causes far more awkwardness than a clear sentence.

How far in advance should birthday invitations go out?

Two to three weeks for a casual party, six weeks or more for a milestone where people may need to travel.

What do you put on a child’s party invitation?

Add an allergy question, a collection time, and whether parents are expected to stay — those three save every host a dozen messages.