How to put bank details on an invitation, politely
More and more guests prefer a bank transfer to an envelope. It suits them and it suits you, especially when the wedding is in Greece and half the guests live abroad. The difficulty is the wording, because one sentence about money can sound like a demand. Below you will find the etiquette, 18 wordings for weddings and christenings, the details guests abroad need to send money to a Greek account, and the most common mistakes.
Bank details on an invitation are not rude
As long as they are placed well. Most guests will ask where to send their gift anyway, especially those who live far away or cannot come. When the information is already there, you spare them an awkward question.
In Greece, money has long been the usual gift at weddings and christenings, handed over in an envelope at the reception. A bank account on the invitation is simply the modern version of that envelope. For guests from the UK, the US or Australia, where gift lists are more common, a gentle line explaining the custom helps.
Three rules are enough:
- The invitation comes first. The main message is that you want your people with you. The account goes at the end.
- The wording leaves guests free. They should feel they can give nothing, or give a gift another way.
- No amounts and no explanation of where the money goes, unless it is something specific and happy, such as the honeymoon.
Where the bank details go
On a printed invitation, most couples add a small separate card inside the envelope, so the main card stays clean. On a digital invitation, the account sits best in its own section near the end of the page, after the church and the reception. Anyone who wants it finds it; anyone who does not never has to look at it.
Whichever you choose, include:
- The full name of the account holder, exactly as the bank has it.
- The IBAN in groups of four characters, so it reads without mistakes.
- The name of the bank and, for guests outside Europe, the BIC (also called the SWIFT code).
What guests abroad need to send money to Greece
A Greek IBAN starts with GR and has 27 characters. Guests in the eurozone can usually send euros to it like a domestic payment. Guests elsewhere have a few more steps, and a line on the invitation saves them a question:
| Guest's country | What they usually need | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Eurozone | IBAN and account holder's name | Usually arrives in a day or two, often with no fee |
| UK | IBAN, account holder's name, sometimes the BIC | The payment is converted from pounds to euros, so the rate and fee depend on the guest's bank |
| US, Canada, Australia | IBAN, BIC/SWIFT code, account holder's name, bank name | An international transfer, which can take several days and carry fees at both ends |
Ask your bank which fees it charges for incoming international transfers, so that a gift does not arrive smaller than it was sent. Some guests will prefer a money transfer service, which only needs the same details.
Wordings for a wedding
We would love to see you on the day. If you would also like to send your wishes another way, our account is: [account holder], [IBAN].
Our home already has everything we need. If you would like to help with what we are planning next, our account is: [IBAN], account holders [names].
We are packing for our honeymoon. For anyone who would like to send us a little further: [IBAN], [account holder]. Most of all, though, we want to see you there.
For those who have asked, here are our details: [account holder], [IBAN].
If you cannot be with us and would like to send your wishes, you can also do so through our account: [IBAN], [account holder]. We will be thinking of you.
Your company is the best wish for what we are starting. For anyone who prefers to give by transfer: [IBAN], account holder [name].
Our gift list is at [shop name], [town], under our names. If it is easier for you, there is also our account: [IBAN], [account holder].
We are collecting memories, not things. If you would like to give us a few more, our account is: [IBAN], [account holder].
In Greece, wedding guests often give money rather than a present. If you would like to follow the custom, our details are below. There is no need to bring anything on the day. [Account holder], [IBAN], [BIC].
Wordings for a christening
The greatest joy for our little boy will be having you near. If you would like to give him something more, the account is: [IBAN], [account holder].
Our daughter already has more toys than her room can hold. For anyone who would like to give her a gift, the account is: [IBAN], [account holder].
We have opened an account for our son's first dreams. If you would like to add something: [IBAN], [account holder].
For those who asked what our little girl needs, the answer is cuddles. If you would like to send your wishes another way, here are the details: [account holder], [IBAN].
I was told that grown-ups usually bring presents. I only want you to come. But if you insist, Mum and Dad have the account: [IBAN], [account holder].
If you cannot be with us and would like to send your wishes to our child, the account is: [IBAN], [account holder]. We will pass them on.
You will find a gift list at [shop name]. For anyone who prefers, there is also the account [IBAN], [account holder].
Your wishes will stay with our child for life. For anyone who would like to add something for the future: [IBAN], [account holder].
For our family and friends abroad: if you would like to send a gift for the christening, our bank details are [account holder], [IBAN], [BIC]. We would love to see you there.
Mistakes to avoid
- Bank details in the first line. They make the gift look like the point of the invitation.
- "Please" or "we prefer" next to money. They sound like a demand. "If you would like" and "for anyone who prefers" say the same thing more gently.
- Amounts. They put guests in an awkward position, even as a joke.
- A wrong character. One mistake and the transfer does not arrive. Check twice and, if you can, ask a friend for a small test transfer.
- The wrong account holder. If the account is in one name, write that name, not "the Papadopoulos family".
- Bank details inside an image. If the invitation is a picture, the number cannot be copied and the guest has to type it.
- Long explanations. One sentence is enough. A paragraph on why you prefer money makes the subject heavier than it is.
Why a copy button helps
Typing 27 characters from a printed card or a photo on a phone is where mistakes happen, and many guests leave it for later and forget. With a copy button, the guest taps once, opens their banking app and pastes. Nobody needs to message you to ask whether it was a zero or the letter O, and the account stays discreet, there for whoever wants it.
Bank details on a Day2Remember invitation
From the Gold package up, your invitation has its own gift section. You write the sentence that suits you from those above and the IBAN appears with a copy button. With the bilingual extra, the section is there in English and in Greek. On the same page guests find the church and reception on a map and reply through a form that reaches your email. If you are planning a christening, the christening invitation wording and the themes for a girl and a boy may help. See the wedding designs, the christening designs and the prices, from €59.
Questions couples ask
Is it rude to put bank details on a wedding invitation? Not when they come at the end, in one gentle sentence that leaves guests free. In Greece money gifts are the custom, and many guests are glad to have the details.
Where should bank details go on a printed invitation? On a small separate card in the envelope, not on the main invitation.
What do guests in the UK or US need to send money to a Greek account? The IBAN, the account holder's full name, the bank's name and its BIC/SWIFT code. Their bank converts the currency.