Planning
Men's and ladies' wedding invitations
Published Updated 5 min read
Men's and ladies' wedding invitations are two cards for what many UAE families celebrate as two events: the men's reception and the ladies' evening, often on different nights or in different halls. That means two invitations, written in two voices and sent to two lists. Here is what changes between them — who sends each, the wording in Arabic and English, the rules each card carries, and how to keep the counts apart.
In this article
When you need men's and ladies' wedding invitations
| Your celebration | Cards to send |
|---|---|
| One mixed reception, one hall | One card for everyone |
| Men's dinner and ladies' evening, same night, two halls | Two cards with different halls (and often different times) |
| Men's reception and ladies' evening on different nights | Two cards, each with its own date |
| Ladies' evening only (men attend a separate majlis) | A ladies' card, plus a short message or card for the men |
Who sends each card
The men's card is usually the formal one, issued in the name of the groom's father. The ladies' card is often sent by a mother — the bride's or the groom's — either by her own name or as "حرم" (wife of) her husband. In Arabic it is addressed in the feminine plural: "بدعوتكن" rather than "بدعوتكم". That one letter is the detail guests notice.
When both families host, each usually sends its own cards to its own guests: the groom's father to his men, the bride's mother to her ladies. Agree on the design and the wording style first, so the cards look like one wedding.
The men's card
يتشرف سعيد بن أحمد المنصوري بدعوتكم لحضور حفل زفاف نجله خالد على كريمة عبدالله بن محمد الكعبي وذلك بمشيئة الله مساء يوم الخميس 17 ديسمبر 2026 بعد صلاة العشاء قاعة النخيل للأفراح، العين بحضوركم تكتمل فرحتنا
Saeed Ahmed Al Mansoori is honoured to invite you to the wedding of his son Khalid to the daughter of Abdullah Mohammed Al Kaabi Thursday evening, 17 December 2026, after Isha prayer Al Nakheel Wedding Hall, Al Ain
Men's cards tend to give a prayer time ("after Isha") rather than a clock time, and many say whether dinner is served. A short WhatsApp version for friends and colleagues might read:
Salam Ahmed, you're invited to the wedding dinner of my son Khalid on Thursday 17 December, after Isha, at Al Nakheel Hall, Al Ain. The card is attached — it would honour us to see you there.
The ladies' card
The ladies' card often starts later in the evening and carries the house rules for the night: ladies only, no photography, and whether children are welcome. Because only women guests see it, many families who name the bride through her father on the men's card write her own name here.
تتشرف حرم عبدالله بن محمد الكعبي بدعوتكن لحضور حفل زفاف ابنتها مريم وذلك مساء يوم الجمعة 18 ديسمبر 2026 الساعة التاسعة مساءً قاعة الياسمين، دبي الحفل للسيدات فقط · نرجو عدم التصوير · نعتذر عن اصطحاب الأطفال
Mrs. Abdullah Al Kaabi is delighted to invite you to the wedding of her daughter Mariam Friday, 18 December 2026, at 9:00 pm Al Yasmin Hall, Dubai Ladies only · Kindly no photography · We regret we cannot host children
Umm Khalid is delighted to invite you to celebrate the wedding of her son Khalid with the ladies of both families. Friday, 18 December 2026, 9:00 pm, Al Yasmin Hall, Dubai. Ladies only.
House rules: how to word them politely
Rules belong at the bottom of the card, in small type, in one line. Phrase them as a request, not an order:
- "Ladies only" — الحفل للسيدات فقط
- "Kindly no photography" — نرجو عدم التصوير
- "We regret we cannot host children" — نعتذر عن اصطحاب الأطفال
- "This invitation is personal" — الدعوة شخصية
More phrasings, including how to explain the rules to guests who ask, are in polite card rules: no kids, no phones.
Designing a matching pair
The two cards should look like one wedding. A common choice is the same frame for both, with softer colours and florals for the ladies and deeper navy, emerald or black-and-gold for the men. In the Invited studio the frames can be filtered For ladies and For gents, and a single setting adds the line "Ladies only" or "Gentlemen only" under the details, in English or Arabic.
Two guest lists, two counts
Each card goes only to its own list, and each hall needs its own number. With Invited's Send invitations, set up the men's and the ladies' receptions as two events: each has its own guest list, its own WhatsApp replies and its own count, so the ladies' hall is given the ladies' number.
- Split your master list into men and ladies before anything else; families often forget a few names that belong on both.
- Design the pair, then send each card only to its own list.
- Collect replies separately and give each hall its own final number — see how to collect RSVPs on WhatsApp.
Ready when you are
Questions people ask
Do we need two separate cards?
Only if the celebrations are separate. When men and women attend the same hall on the same night, one card is enough.
Should the ladies' card name the bride?
It often does. The ladies' card is seen only by women guests, so many families write the bride's name there even when the men's card names her through her father. Follow what both families are comfortable with.
Who sends the ladies' wedding invitation?
Usually the mother of the bride or of the groom, in her own name or as "wife of" her husband. Each mother typically invites her own guests.
Can the men's and ladies' cards use different designs?
They can, but guests should recognise them as one wedding. The simplest way is one frame in two colourways, softer for the ladies and deeper for the men.
What time should a ladies' wedding start?
Ladies' evenings in the UAE usually start later than the men's, often from 8 or 9 pm, with the bride's entrance later in the night. Write the time guests should arrive, not the time of the zaffa.
