e notepaper than a correspondence card and it is not necessary to
give a reason for being unable to be present--although one may be given.
It is impolite to accept or regret only a day or two before the
function--the letter should be written as soon as possible after the
receipt of the invitation. The letter may be indented as is the engraved
invitation, but this is not at all necessary. The forms are:

_Accepting_

Mr. and Mrs. Frothingham Smith
accept with pleasure
Mr. and Mrs. Evans's
kind invitation to be present
at the marriage of their daughter
Dorothy
and
Mr. Philip Brewster
on Monday, June the twelfth
at twelve o'clock
(and afterward at the wedding breakfast)

Or it may be written out:

Mr. and Mrs. Frothingham Smith accept with pleasure Mr. and
Mrs. Evans's kind invitation to be present at the marriage of
their daughter Dorothy and Mr. Philip Brewster on Monday, June
the twelfth at twelve o'clock (and afterward at the wedding
breakfast).

_Regretting_

Mr. and Mrs. Frothingham Smith
regret exceedingly that they
are unable to accept
Mr. and Mrs. Evans's
kind invitation to be present
at the marriage of their daughter
Dorothy
and
Mr. Philip Brewster
on Monday, June the twelfth
(and afterward at the wedding breakfast)

Or this also may be written out. The portion in parentheses will be
omitted if one has not been asked to the wedding breakfast or reception.

_For the formal dinner_

Formal dinner invitations are usually engraved, as in the following
example. In case they are written, they may follow the same form or the
letter form. If addressed paper is used the address is omitted from the
end. The acknowledgment should follow the wording of the invitation.

(A)

_Mr. and Mrs. John Evans
Request the Pleasure of_
Mr. and Mrs. Trent's
_Company at Dinner
On Thursday, October the First
at Seven o'Clock
and Afterward for the Play (or Opera, etc.)_
_500 Park Avenue_

(B)

_Mr. and Mrs. John Evans
Request the Pleasure of
Mr. and Mrs. Trent's