Wedding invitation wording can sometimes be a little daunting, especially these days when there are so many blended families.  But never fear.  We shall tackle the wedding invitation wording with courage and a little help from Emily Post and a book by Modern Bride .

Let us begin learning the wording of the wedding invitation with the formal style invitation.  Modern Bride Wedding Celebrations, The Complete Wedding Planner for Today's Bride has this to say:

Formal Style
 
 "The formal invitation follows certain conventions in wording and order of   presentation of information.  Obviously, the more formal your wedding, the  more you'll want to observe these conventions.  Here they are:

• Names are always written in full using first, middle, and possibly last; never nicknames, never initials.
• Family order is written out, "Junior," or indicated by Roman numerals, "III."
  The word "and" is always written out.
• The words "honour" (honour of your presence) and "favour" (the favour of a reply) take the English spelling.
• "The honour of your presence" is used to invite one to the ceremony; "the pleasure of your company" is used to invite one to the reception; the latter may also be used for a civil ceremony. 
• Days, dates, and times are always written out.
• Only "Mr." and "Mrs." and "Dr." are abbreviated, and punctuation is used only after such abbreviations; a comma appears after the day of the week and the city.
• The address of the ceremony location is not included when everyone knows it; the name of the state may be omitted when the city is well known, as in New York City.
• The year is not necessary on the invitations, only on announcements; when it is included, it is spelled out.
• A wedding invitation may include the reception information in the corner: Reception immediately following/location/R.S.V.P., or that may be printed on a separate enclosure card."

The samples of wedding invitation wording below are also from the Modern Bride book referenced above.  Take note of the wording and order of the standard, formal wedding invitation:

Mr. and Mrs. John David Gale
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Anne Marie
to
Mr. Robert Anthony Cole
on Saturday, the fifth of June
at half after six o'clock in the evening
Saint Joseph's Roman Catholic Church
112 West Palm Street
Clearwater, Florida

If everyone is to be invited to the reception, the following might be added:

and afterwards at the reception
Clearview Country Club
31 Water Road

R.S.V.P.

The following are some adaptations of the traditional wedding invitation wording for modern situations, also from Modern Bride.

The Hosts
Wedding invitation wording if the bride's parents are:

Married:   

Mr. and Mrs. John David Gale

Divorced but hosting together:

 Mrs. Mary Ann Gale
and
Mr. John David Gale

Divorced mother alone:

Mrs. Mary Ann Gale

Widowed mother alone:

Mrs. John David Gale

Divorced or widowed father alone:

Mr. John David Gale

Remarried mother and stepfather hosting:

Mr. and Mrs. Marc Roy Hammer
at the marriage of her daughter
Anne Marie Gale

Remarried mother and natural father hosting:

Mrs. Marc Roy Hammer
and
Mr. John David Gale
at the marriage of their daughter
Anne Marie Gale

Both remarried, all hosting:

Mr. and Mrs. Marc Roy Hammer
and
Mr. and Mrs. John David Gale
(omit "their"; say "at the marriage of")
Anne Marie Gale

 Divorced, one remarried, all hosting:

Mrs. Mary Ann Gale
and
Mr. and Mrs. John David Gale
(as above, omit "their" daughter)
or
Mr. and Mrs. Marc Roy Hammer
and
Mr. John David Gale

Wedding invitation wording if the groom's parents are hosting:

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Jay Cook
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of
Miss Anne Marie Gale
to their son
Michael Andrew Cook

Wedding invitation wording if the bride's and groom's parents are co-hosting:

Mr. and Mrs. John David Gale
and
Mr. And Mrs. Robert Jay Cook
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of
Anne Marie Gale
and Michael Andrew Cook

Wedding invitation wording to include the groom's parents:

Mr. and Mrs. John David Gale
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Anne Marie
to
Michael Andrew Cook
son of
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Jay Cook

Wedding invitation wording when the couple, themselves, host:

The honour of your presence
is requested
at the marriage of
Anne Marie Gale
to
Michael Andrew Cook

Wedding Invitation Wording for Military Titles

Emily Post has this to say about wording wedding invitations for military persons.

"When the groom is a member of the armed services or is on active duty in the reserve forces, he uses his military title.

Officers whose rank is captain or higher in the Army or lieutenant, senior grade, or higher in the Navy should have the title appear on the same line as the name:

Colonel Graham O'Gorman
United States Army

Wedding invitation wording for those with lower ranks:

John McMahon
Ensign, United States Navy

Wedding invitation wording for reserve officers on active duty:

In the case of reserve officers on active duty, the second line would read "Army of the United States" or "United States Naval Reserve."

First and second lieutenants in the Army both use "Lieutenant" without the numeral.

A noncommissioned officer or enlisted man may, if he wishes, include his rank and his branch of the service below his name.

Henry Delucia
Corporal, Signal Corps, United States Army

High-ranking officers of the regular armed forces should continue to use their titles, followed by their branch of service, even after retirement, with "retired" following the branch of service:

General George Harmon
United States Army, retired

When the father of the bride is a member of the armed forces, either on active duty, a high-ranking retired officer, or one who retired after many years of service, he uses his title in the regular way:

Colonel and Mrs. James Booth
request the honour of your presence
(etc.)

The wording of the wedding invitation for a bride on active duty:

marriage of their daughter
Joanne
Lieutenant, United States Navy

Wedding Invitation Wording for Other Titles:

According to Emily Post, "Medical doctors, dentists, veterinarians, clergymen, judges, and all others customarily called by their titles should have those titles included on their own wedding invitations and on the invitations to their daughters' or sons' weddings.

Women use their titles only when the invitations are issued by themselves and their grooms:

The honour of your presence
is requested
at the marriage of
Doctor Laurie Neu
and
Mr. Norbert Rudell
(etc.)

Otherwise, she is "their daughter, Laurie.""