Wedding Invitation Terms Glossary: 55 Terms (Philippines)
Thursday, September 17, 2026
Quick answer
RSVP means please reply, regrets only means reply only if you cannot come, principal sponsors are the ninongs and ninangs, and the entourage is the named wedding party. This glossary explains 55 terms in the order they appear on a Philippine invitation, each with a link to the full guide.
A Philippine invitation carries more vocabulary than most guests expect: a host line, an entourage list, a dress code and a reply line. This glossary gives 55 terms in the order you meet them, with a plain definition and a link to the full guide. Definitions match our other guides, which set out where sources disagree.
Replies and guest counts
| Term | What it means | Full guide |
|---|---|---|
| RSVP | French répondez s'il vous plaît, "please respond". It asks for a yes or no by the reply-by date | What RSVP means |
| Reply-by date | The deadline for answering. Bliss & Bone says it is usually 3 to 4 weeks before the wedding | When to send invitations |
| Regrets only | Reply only if you cannot come. Bliss & Bone says silence is read as a yes, so ask if unsure | What RSVP means |
| Headcount | The confirmed number of guests the couple gives the caterer and venue by the final-count date | RSVP follow-up and final headcount |
| Plus-one | A companion an invited guest may bring, only when the invitation offers it | Plus-one policy |
| "and Guest" | Written after a guest's name when a plus-one is allowed but the companion is not known (Bliss & Bone) | Plus-one policy |
| Adults only | A line saying children are not invited | Adults-only wording |
| Invitation only | Only the people named on the invitation are expected: no extra guests, plus-ones or children | What "invitation only" means |
| Reception only | An invitation to the reception but not the ceremony (Zola) | What "invitation only" means |
| Personal link | On Imbitasyon Ko, one link per guest that carries their name and their own seat limit | What "invitation only" means |
| Max persons | The most people a guest can confirm on their personal link. The couple sets 1 to 10; a link with no name allows 4 | Plus-one policy |
Who's who: entourage and sponsors
The entourage is the named wedding party, listed under headings on the invitation. Terms in bold are the labels an Imbitasyon Ko invitation prints; the others are general terms.
| Term | What it means | Full guide |
|---|---|---|
| Entourage | Everyone with a named role: parents, sponsors, attendants, bearers and flower girls | Entourage roles |
| Parents of the Groom, Parents of the Bride | The couple's parents, listed first under "Our Beloved Parents" | Entourage layouts |
| Principal Sponsors | The ninongs and ninangs, usually asked to be the signing witnesses. The law needs at least two witnesses of legal age (Family Code, Art. 6) | Listing principal sponsors |
| Ninong and ninang | Filipino words for a male and a female sponsor, like godfather and godmother | How to ask a ninong or ninang |
| Secondary Sponsors | Pairs who handle the candle, veil and cord rites. They have no legal role | Secondary sponsors |
| Candle Sponsors | Light the candles at the altar, if your parish includes the rite | Secondary sponsors |
| Veil Sponsors | Lay the veil over the bride's head and the groom's shoulder | Secondary sponsors |
| Cord Sponsors | Place the figure-eight cord over the couple. The cord is also called lazo or yugal | Secondary sponsors |
| Best Man | The groom's closest attendant. Nuptials.ph says he keeps the real rings for safekeeping | Entourage duties |
| Maid of Honor | The bride's closest attendant. She is a matron of honor if married (Nuptials.ph) | Entourage duties |
| Groomsmen, Bridesmaids | The groom's and bride's attendants, who support them, usher guests and help with planning | Entourage duties |
| Ring Bearer | Usually a child who carries the rings on a pillow. Dummy rings are common | Bearers guide |
| Coin Bearer | Carries the arrhae, the coins used in the coin rite | Bearers guide |
| Bible Bearer | Carries the Bible used in the ceremony | Bearers guide |
| Flower Girls | Children who scatter petals down the aisle ahead of the bride | Entourage duties |
| Arrhae (arras) | Traditionally 13 coins. Most sources have the groom give them to the bride; Seiyaku says both give and receive | Bearers guide |
Host line and wording
| Term | What it means | Full guide |
|---|---|---|
| Host line | The opening line that says who is inviting: parents, both families or the couple | Wording examples |
| Request line | The verb that asks guests to come. "Honor of your presence" suits a place of worship, "pleasure of your company" a secular venue | Wording examples |
| Couple hosting | The couple invites guests in their own names instead of through their parents | Couple-hosted wording |
| Third person and first person | "Their marriage" versus "our marriage". Pick one and keep the whole invitation in it | Couple-hosted wording |
| "The late" | Goes only before the name of a parent who has died, as in "son of the late Mr. Juan Dela Cruz" | Deceased parent wording |
| Son of, daughter of | The line under each partner's name that names their parents | Names on an invitation |
| Also Inviting | The Imbitasyon Ko heading over the names of relatives who co-invite | Couple-hosted wording |
| Nuptial invitation | A wedding invitation. Merriam-Webster defines nuptial as relating to marriage or the marriage ceremony | Wording examples |
Dress code and motif
The dress codes run from most to least formal. Sources disagree at the edges, and the guides linked below show both sides.
| Term | What it means | Full guide |
|---|---|---|
| Motif | The color scheme, usually two or three colors plus a neutral. Guests are asked either to wear it or to avoid it (semi-formal guide) | Choosing wedding colors |
| Strictly formal or black tie | The top rung: for men a black tuxedo with bow tie, for women a floor-length gown | Dress code guide |
| Formal | A suit and tie or a barong for men, a long dress or gown for women | Dress code guide |
| Semi-formal | Middle of the scale, short of black tie. ZALORA lists a suit or barong for men and a cocktail or midi dress for women | Semi-formal attire |
| Cocktail | Knee-length to midi dresses. Nuptials.ph puts it a step above semi-formal; ZALORA lists it as semi-formal | Semi-formal attire |
| Casual, tropical or beach | Sundress or collared shirt for garden venues. For a beach: cotton, linen or chiffon and no flip-flops (Nuptials.ph) | Dress code guide |
| Filipiniana | A barong tagalog, a terno (a unified gown, per Wikipedia) or a modern Filipiniana piece. Ask if it is a code or only a theme | Barong and Filipiniana |
| Barong tagalog | The Philippine formal shirt for men, worn untucked over an undershirt | Barong and Filipiniana |
Parts of the invitation suite
Nuptials.ph names four main parts of a traditional Philippine invitation: the main invite, a list of the wedding party (the entourage card), a reply card and the envelope.
| Term | What it means | Full guide |
|---|---|---|
| Main invite | The card with the host line, names, date, time and the ceremony and reception venues | Wording examples |
| Reply card | A pre-addressed card guests send back with a yes or no (Wikipedia) | RSVP wording |
Events around the wedding
| Term | What it means | Full guide |
|---|---|---|
| Pamanhikan | The visit where the groom's family formally asks the bride's family for her hand | Pamanhikan guide |
| Engagement party | A celebration for guests, separate from pamanhikan | Engagement party wording |
| Despedida de soltera | A send-off celebration for the bride before the wedding (WedPlanner) | Despedida vs bridal shower |
Sending, gifts and the day itself
| Term | What it means | Full guide |
|---|---|---|
| Save the date | An early notice with both names, the date and the city, and a line saying the invitation will follow | Save the date wording |
| Digital invitation | A web page invitation guests open from a link, with a reply form on the page | Digital vs printed |
| QR code | A square code on a printed card that opens the invitation link. It can also be a ticket for check-in | QR code invitations |
| Unplugged ceremony | A request that guests keep phones and cameras away during the ceremony | Guest etiquette |
| Guests abroad | Relatives overseas need earlier notice, a link they can answer from a phone and, often, a livestream | Invitations for guests abroad, livestream guide |
| GCash digital envelope | A cash gift sent by GCash instead of a paper envelope. The transfer does not carry the giver's name unless they add it | GCash gift etiquette |
| Monetary gift wording | A soft line asking for cash gifts, placed on an insert or the gift section, not on the invitation itself | Gift wording |
| Gift registry | A list of gifts you would like. Nuptials.ph says to leave registry details off every part of the invitation | Gift registry guide |
Three pairs guests mix up
Principal and secondary sponsors. Principal sponsors are usually the signing witnesses, and the law needs at least two witnesses of legal age. Secondary sponsors do the candle, veil and cord rites and have no legal role.
Invitation only and reception only. The first says who is invited. The second says which part of the day. You can be invited to both, and one does not imply the other.
Regrets only and RSVP. Every invitation with an RSVP wants an answer. "Regrets only" is a special case where silence counts as a yes, which is risky when the couple needs a headcount.
Where the definitions come from
Each definition follows the guide it links to, and those guides name their sources. Where published sources disagree, as they do on whether cocktail attire is a step above semi-formal, the row says so. Product terms such as personal link, Max persons and Also Inviting describe how an Imbitasyon Ko invitation works, not a general convention.
How to use this page
Look up any term you do not know, then follow its link for the full guide. Guests will find the reply, seat and dress code terms most useful; couples will use the host line and entourage terms when they fill in the editor. If you are writing your own invitation, start with the wording examples and finish with the proofreading checklist. The free entourage list tool groups your names under the labels above.
Frequently asked questions
What does RSVP mean on a wedding invitation?
RSVP is the French phrase répondez s'il vous plaît, which means please respond. It asks you to say yes or no by the reply-by date, in the way the invitation names.
What does regrets only mean on a wedding invitation?
Regrets only means you reply only if you cannot attend, and silence is read as a yes, according to Bliss & Bone. Couples usually need a count for a wedding, so ask the host if you are unsure.
What is the difference between principal and secondary sponsors?
Principal sponsors are the ninongs and ninangs, usually asked to be the signing witnesses. Secondary sponsors handle the candle, veil and cord rites and have no legal role. The law requires only two witnesses of legal age.
What does semi-formal mean on a Philippine wedding invitation?
Semi-formal sits in the middle of the scale: more dressed up than casual, less elaborate than black tie. ZALORA lists a suit or a barong for men and a cocktail or midi dress for women. Nuptials.ph places cocktail one step above semi-formal.
What does "and Guest" mean on a wedding invitation?
It means you may bring one companion whose name the couple does not know. Bliss & Bone says to write it after the invited guest's name. If your invitation names only you, the couple has not offered a plus-one.
What does "the late" mean on a wedding invitation?
It goes before the name of a parent who has died, for example son of the late Mr. Juan Dela Cruz. It appears only before the parent who has passed and is not needed for a living parent.
What is a motif at a Filipino wedding?
In the Philippines a motif is the wedding's color scheme, usually two or three colors plus a neutral. The entourage wears it, the decor follows it and guests see it on the invitation. Read the note beside the swatches to see whether guests should match it or avoid it.