What You Need to Know about Retirement Party Invitations

It’s up to you to make sure the right people make it to the right place at the right time. But what should be included on the invitation? What is the right tone to take?

Party Planning Solutions hears these questions from concerned party planners all the time. That’s why we created our very own extensive retirement party invitation guide.

Here, you’ll learn everything you need to know about invitation etiquette, what to include, how to word your invites, and what type of invitation to send. We have it all pre-planned just for you!

Need-to-Know Etiquette for Retirement Party Invitations

As with everything, there’s an etiquette behind writing the perfect retirement party invitation. You don’t want to come off as rude but you also want to ensure that invited guests receive all the information they need to prepare for this event.

Right off the bat you need to know who should be invited and how early the invites should be sent out. So let’s begin with a short introduction to retirement party invitation etiquette.

Who should be invited?

Make sure to have a guest list prepared with all the retiree’s favorite people. For a corporate event, it makes sense to invite colleagues, bosses, and upper management. If the retiree belonged to a smaller office, then you should only invite those from that department or office. Spouses can typically be included in the invite, but family and friends should be left off the guest list unless given special permission. Instead, encourage the retiree to have a casual celebration with them at a later date.

For informal retirement parties, ask the retiree for a list of who they want to see at the party. This will ensure you don’t miss anyone important or accidentally invite someone that would sour the mood. You’ll also want to specify if invitees are allowed to bring guests. Since this is typically an adult party, kids may not be invited to attend.

When should the invites be sent out?

The general rule of thumb is at least three to six weeks before the date of the event. However, the earlier you can send out the invites the better. Take into consideration some of the invitees needs when it comes to taking time off work or organizing a babysitter. Some even need to know as early as a couple months before in order to clear their schedule with work travel.

Also, don’t forget to leave enough time for order processing time if hard copy custom invitations are being ordered.

The Basics of Creating a Proper Retirement Party Invitation

Just like any other party invitation, you need to make sure all the relevant information is included. You need to answer all the possible questions the invitees may have and structure the information in a way that makes sense. This includes:

NAME OF THE RETIREE

This could be introduced with a witty or serious one-liner.

DATE(S)

Guests can’t clear their calendar if they don’t know when the party is!

TIME

Let the guests know when the doors open, when to expect to eat (if there is a formal meal time), and roughly how long the celebration will last.

VENUE/ LOCATION/ ADDRESS

This will help guests plan for travel time and accommodations they might need. You could also use this section to hint at the retirement theme.

HOST/RSVP

Always ask invitees to RSVP to you the host ASAP so you have a headcount for later steps down in the Retirement party planning process!

PARTY THEME*

The Retirement party theme will let guests know if this is a formal or informal event, what’s likely to be served for food and drink, and what they need to wear to the event.

NO GIFTS PLEASE*

Only put this on if the retiree specifically requests it. And NEVER ask that guests bring gifts or contribute to the costs of the party. Costs should be determined before sending the invites.

*Optional Information to Include

Since this is generally an adult party, invitations need to be succinct and only list the most relevant information. There shouldn’t be any overly cutesy or fluffy language.

Wording Examples for Retirement Party Invitations

Talented wordsmiths are a dying breed, so we don’t blame you if you have trouble finding the right words for your invitations. Invites need to be short and to the point, but they also need to be enticing enough to get people hyped for the occasion.

It’s a delicate craft, for sure. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of retirement party invitation wording samples to lead and inspire you!

Wording Samples for a Classic Retirement Party

Simple, effective and sometimes humorous, classic retirement party invitations get straight to the point without too much flare.

Retirement Party Invitation Wording for Brunch-Time Events

Forget the early birds, these invitations are for those married to their pillows and somehow never miss a meal.

Wording for Teacher Retirement Party Invitations

Put in all those academic years to use with witty quotes and teacher humor. I mean, the retiree had to put up with your kids after all.

Examples of Military Retirement Party Invitations

Cordial and with authority, stand tall and salute those many years of service in the armed forces with one of these military retirement party invitations.

Retirement Party Invitations for Law Enforcement

Pass on that badge of honor for your retiree’s last day on the force. These invitations are for all those in uniform for the sake of our loved ones.

Wording Retirement Invites for Nurses

Deliver these retirement party invites with the same level of gentle-loving care that we receive daily from these respected men and women.

Doctor Retirement Party Invitations Samples

Get well, be well, and live well. Retiring doctors deserve the same surgical precision and attention to detail that’s in these retirement party invites.

Hard Copy Invitations vs Online Invitations

Now you know how to write the invitations, the proper etiquette, and the retirement invite theme you want to use. All that’s left is how you deliver the retirement party invitations.

It used to be that you could only send hard copy invitations, but the internet truly is a fantastic place nowadays. Party websites make it easy to prepare custom invitations of all kinds in a matter of minutes and then send them out instantaneously. Electronic invites save you a ton of money and time. They can even be animated to add some real flare and make guest feel really special.

However, online invitations usually aren’t appropriate for the current generation of retirees. Online invitations can be overlooked or forgotten. They aren’t appreciated as much as a physical invitation that people can touch. The problems with hard copy invites are that they’re expensive, take time to deliver, and may require an artist’s touch if they’re homemade.

In most cases, we tend to favor hard copy invitations because of the age group that we’re catering too. It’s really up to you to work out the nuances and weigh the options for your specific circumstances.

Timeless Ideas for Hard Copy Retirement Party Invitations

There’s a lot of value in investing in a hard copy retirement party invitation. And, there are so many ways to approach them as well!

Some hard copy invitation ideas include:

Handwritten Invitation

Show some appreciation for each guest with a personal invitation to the festivities to come. Just make sure your handwriting is legible enough to get people to the party.

Computer Printout Invitations

Neat, stylized and offering nearly unlimited design options, computer printout invitations are great for computer-savvy individuals.

DIY Invitations

Take a DIY approach with the party invitations. There are so many ways to make them! Visit our Retirement Party Invitations Ideas board on Pinterest for inspiration!

Generic Store-Bought Invitation

For party planners on a schedule, generic store-bought cards cost a little more but save a lot time in the process. Check out local Party Supply Stores.

Custom Invitation

Want to get really creative? There are plenty of third-party vendors that will gladly put in the work on your behalf to design top-level retirement party invitations. You can find great vendors on Etsy!

Creative Online & Electronic Retirement Party Invitation Ideas

If you decide to go online, make sure that everyone on the guest list has access to their invitation. There are so many online invitation websites that will make creating, sending and managing the guest list a piece of a cake.

Evite

Evite offers a ton of free and premium templates for you to use. You can also manage RSVPs with ease and even send invites through text messaging!

Minted

Although not free, Minted grants you access to a number of recognized artists and lets you customize cards, have them printed and sent directly to you!

PunchBowl

This provider gives party planners all sorts of convenient & free invitation options. And if you like to manage things on the go, PunchBowl has an RSVP app as well. 

Paperless Post

Go green with a variety of Paperless Post invitation templates at your disposal. And sending invites is as simple as sharing a link!

SmileBox

Think animated invitations with SmileBox. Here, you can produce slideshows, collages and take your invitation planning to the next level.

pin these retirement party invitations for later!