Easy Guidelines for Writing Graduation Invitations with Sample Announcements to View

Quick Take

You already know that writing graduation invitations can be a very tedious process that no one wants to mess up! Cut down on the amount of time writing them with these easy guidelines.

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Initial Steps

Allow your family and friends to celebrate with you by sending out graduation announcements. If some people cannot attend (most likely due to distance) they may send money to compensate which helps the grad achieve a foundation when job hunting or pursuing graduate school.

First things first: is the reception formal or informal? Commencements are normally fairly formal and announcements should correspond. Will you be throwing a party afterword? Be sure to include information on the party and whether it is formal or casual.

Basic Lines to Follow

Line 1 Invite the reader to come. For example, “I cordially invite you to the graduating ceremony of…” You can add sayings or poetic lines here. This line, whether formal or informal, should attract the reader’s attention to come to the event.

Line 2 Address the recipient. For example, if the parents or guardians are sending the invitation, they write “Mr. and Mrs. John Doe are pleased to announce the graduation of…” This line is written in the third person. Likewise, although rare, if a college student decides to send their own graduation announcements, they refer to themselves in the first-person. For example, “I, Jane Doe, am pleased to announce my college graduation.”

Line 3 Write the full name of the graduate (if it has not been revealed already).

Line 4 Write the date of the occasion. If it is formal, write out the dates fully, for example: Friday, the twenty-first of May, two thousand and seven at seven o’clock in the morning. If it is informal, it is OK to write Friday, May 21, 2007 at 7pm.

Line 5 The last line is the location of the event. Include the street address as well as the building. Take it a step further and mention the room number or floor number for guests who are unfamiliar with the location.

Extra Lines Add more lines to describe the event or reception. For example, the last line may be to dress to impress or to dress comfortably (based on the venue).

These are the basic guidelines; however, remember that the announcements can vary dramatically. Be creative in your wording, but include all of the vital information.

Formal Announcements

Next, we have two formal sample announcements to show you an example of what they look like. They each have the same amount of information; however, each convey the message differently.

On another note, indent the lines to make them line up with one another. It is also relevant to mention that there are no periods throughout the entire message.

First Example:

With great pride and joy, we, the parents of John O. Doe

are proud to announce his graduation from

The University of Jane Doe

Please see the Commencement Exercises on

Wednesday, the twenty-first of May

two thousand and eleven at eight in the morning

University Building

Second Example:

It is with our greatest pleasure to announce our daughter

Jane Doe

is graduating from the University of John Doe

Please join us for the Commencement Events on

Wednesday, the twenty-first of May

two thousand and eleven at eight o’clock in the morning

University Building

Informal Announcements

Now we have two examples of informal announcements.

First Example:

Tomorrow is a vision of hope,

A dream of success,

And of fortune and livelihood

As John Doe graduates from The University of Jane Doe

On May 21, 2011 at 7pm in the evening

At the John Doe University

Second Example:

Please join us for the reception of Jane Doe

Who has graduated from the University of John Doe

When: Saturday, May 21st 2011

Time: 7pm Location: 211 Random Street

Dress Comfortably

Conclusion

Remember, you can take some creative liberty on the invitation. Make it professional and inviting; however, feel free to add your own flair. If you are the parent, make the invitations reflect the celebration (whether formal or informal). Last, have fun because the announcements reflect your college graduate’s success and perhaps influence the amount of gifts he or she receives.