Wedding card matter in Hindi follows a fixed order. It opens with "श्री गणेशाय नमः" (Shri Ganeshaya Namah), then the hosts invite you "सपरिवार" (with family) to the shubh vivah of their son or daughter. The events from tilak to preetibhoj come next, and the card closes with the swagatotsuk and darshanabhilashi lines that name the rest of the family.
Below is matter you can give straight to the printer, in Devanagari with the Roman letters under it. Names, dates and places are made up. Take your muhurat from your pandit ji.
The Order of a Hindi Shadi Card
A Hindi card is called a vivah nimantran patra (विवाह निमंत्रण पत्र), the wedding invitation letter. Most printers in Kanpur, Jaipur or Patna set it in this order.
| Part | Hindi | Roman letters | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mangalacharan | ॥ श्री गणेशाय नमः ॥ | Shri Ganeshaya Namah | The opening prayer |
| Shlok | वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय (full shlok below) | Vakratunda Mahakaya | Optional, under the opening |
| Hosts | श्रीमान् एवं श्रीमती राजेश वर्मा | Shriman evam Shrimati Rajesh Verma | Who invites |
| Invitation | सादर आमंत्रित करते हैं | saadar aamantrit karte hain | The request |
| Couple | आयुष्मती पूजा संग चिरंजीव अंकित | Aayushmati Pooja sang Chiranjeev Ankit | Bride and groom |
| Events | तिलक, हल्दी, बारात, पाणिग्रहण | tilak, haldi, baraat, panigrahan | The programme |
| Venue | स्थान | sthaan | The place |
| Closing | स्वागतोत्सुक, दर्शनाभिलाषी | swagatotsuk, darshanabhilashi | Family names |
| Children | बाल मनुहार | bal manuhar | A line from the little ones |
Aayushmati (आयुष्मती) is the respectful word for the bride, and Chiranjeev (चिरंजीव, often printed चि.) is used for the groom. Both are blessings for a long life.
Shlok and Mangalacharan for the Top
The mangalacharan is the prayer line at the very top. "॥ श्री गणेशाय नमः ॥" is the most common. Families who want a full shlok print Vakratunda Mahakaya below it.
| Card text |
|---|
| वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ। |
| निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा॥ |
Roman letters: Vakratunda Mahakaya Suryakoti Samaprabha, Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva Sarva Karyeshu Sarvada. It asks Ganesha to keep every task free of obstacles. The Devanagari above matches shlokam.org's version.
Some families add their kuldevi line under the shlok, for example "कुलदेवी माँ चामुंडा की असीम कृपा से" (Kuldevi Maa Chamunda ki aseem kripa se, with the endless grace of our family goddess Chamunda). Use the name your family uses in its own puja.
Our Hindu wedding invitation wording in English has more shlokas with their meaning, for the English side of the card.
Traditional Hindi Card Matter
From the Bride's Side
| Card text |
|---|
| ॥ श्री गणेशाय नमः ॥ |
| श्रीमान् एवं श्रीमती राजेश वर्मा |
| आपको सपरिवार सादर आमंत्रित करते हैं |
| अपनी सुपुत्री |
| आयुष्मती पूजा |
| के शुभ विवाह के पावन अवसर पर |
| संग |
| चिरंजीव अंकित |
| (सुपुत्र श्रीमती सुनीता एवं श्री मनोज श्रीवास्तव, लखनऊ) |
| शुभ लग्न: शनिवार, 5 दिसंबर 2026 |
| स्थान: श्री राधा कृष्ण वाटिका, किदवई नगर, कानपुर |
| आपकी गरिमामयी उपस्थिति प्रार्थनीय है। |
Roman letters, line by line: Shri Ganeshaya Namah. Shriman evam Shrimati Rajesh Verma aapko saparivar saadar aamantrit karte hain apni suputri Aayushmati Pooja ke shubh vivah ke paavan avsar par, sang Chiranjeev Ankit (suputra Shrimati Sunita evam Shri Manoj Srivastava, Lucknow). Shubh lagna: Shanivar, 5 December 2026. Sthaan: Shri Radha Krishna Vatika, Kidwai Nagar, Kanpur. Aapki garimamayi upasthiti prarthaniya hai.
The last line means "your gracious presence is requested".
From the Groom's Side
The groom's family uses the same matter with two changes. "अपनी सुपुत्री" becomes "अपने सुपुत्र" (apne suputra), and the groom's name comes first.
| Card text |
|---|
| ॥ श्री गणेशाय नमः ॥ |
| श्रीमती सुनीता एवं श्री मनोज श्रीवास्तव |
| अपने सुपुत्र चिरंजीव अंकित |
| का शुभ विवाह |
| आयुष्मती पूजा (सुपुत्री श्री राजेश वर्मा, कानपुर) के साथ |
| होना निश्चित हुआ है। |
| इस मंगल अवसर पर आप सपरिवार सादर आमंत्रित हैं। |
Roman letters: Shrimati Sunita evam Shri Manoj Srivastava apne suputra Chiranjeev Ankit ka shubh vivah Aayushmati Pooja (suputri Shri Rajesh Verma, Kanpur) ke saath hona nishchit hua hai. Is mangal avsar par aap saparivar saadar aamantrit hain.
The Event List (Karyakram)
A Hindi card lists each rasm (ceremony) with the day, date and time. Here is the full list for a night wedding.
| Hindi | Roman letters | Day and date | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| तिलक | Tilak | बुधवार, 2 दिसंबर 2026 (Wednesday) | शाम 6 बजे |
| हल्दी एवं मेहंदी | Haldi evam Mehndi | शुक्रवार, 4 दिसंबर 2026 (Friday) | दोपहर 12 बजे |
| बारात प्रस्थान | Baraat prasthan | शनिवार, 5 दिसंबर 2026 (Saturday) | शाम 7 बजे |
| प्रीतिभोज | Preetibhoj | शनिवार, 5 दिसंबर 2026 | रात 8 बजे से |
| पाणिग्रहण संस्कार | Panigrahan sanskar | शनिवार, 5 दिसंबर 2026 | रात 11:30 बजे |
Baraat prasthan is when the baraat leaves, and preetibhoj is the wedding dinner. Panigrahan sanskar is the ceremony itself, when the groom takes the bride's hand. The groom's card prints "बारात प्रस्थान" from their house, and the bride's card often prints "बारात आगमन" (baraat aagman, arrival) instead.
Check the weekday for every date. 5 December 2026 is a Saturday. If the pheras go past midnight, add "(6 दिसंबर की प्रातः)" so guests know the ceremony runs into Sunday morning.
Modern Hindi Matter
Younger couples often want simple Hindi that their friends can read easily.
| Card text |
|---|
| ॥ श्री गणेशाय नमः ॥ |
| अपने परिवारों के आशीर्वाद से |
| हम, पूजा और अंकित, |
| विवाह के बंधन में बंधने जा रहे हैं। |
| रविवार, 24 जनवरी 2027 |
| सुबह 11 बजे |
| होटल गंगा व्यू, सिविल लाइंस, कानपुर |
| आपका आना हमारे लिए सबसे बड़ा तोहफ़ा होगा। |
Roman letters: Apne parivaron ke aashirvaad se hum, Pooja aur Ankit, vivah ke bandhan mein bandhne ja rahe hain. Ravivar, 24 January 2027, subah 11 baje. Hotel Ganga View, Civil Lines, Kanpur. Aapka aana hamare liye sabse bada tohfa hoga.
The last line says "your coming will be the biggest gift for us", which also tells guests politely that gifts are not expected.
A Couplet for the Card
Many Hindi cards print one couplet in the inside fold. This one has been on cards for decades, and nobody claims to have written it:
| Card text |
|---|
| भेज रहे हैं स्नेह निमंत्रण, प्रियवर तुम्हें बुलाने को। |
| हे मानस के राजहंस, तुम भूल न जाना आने को॥ |
Roman letters: Bhej rahe hain sneh nimantran, priyavar tumhe bulane ko. He maanas ke rajhans, tum bhool na jaana aane ko. It means: we send this loving invitation to call you, dear one, so please do not forget to come.
One couplet is enough. A card with three shayaris and two shloks looks like a calendar.
Swagatotsuk, Darshanabhilashi and Bal Manuhar
These three blocks are at the bottom of the card. They name the family members who are waiting to welcome you.
| Block | Hindi | Meaning | Who goes in it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swagatotsuk | स्वागतोत्सुक | Eager to welcome you | Brothers, uncles, cousins |
| Darshanabhilashi | दर्शनाभिलाषी | Longing to see you | Grandparents and elders |
| Vinit or Nivedak | विनीत, निवेदक | Humbly, the requester | The hosts themselves |
| Bal manuhar | बाल मनुहार | A request from the children | Nephews, nieces, grandchildren |
A sample for the bottom of the card:
| Card text |
|---|
| दर्शनाभिलाषी: श्रीमती कमला देवी एवं श्री रामप्रसाद वर्मा (दादा-दादी) |
| स्वागतोत्सुक: अमित, सुमित वर्मा एवं समस्त वर्मा परिवार |
| विनीत: राजेश वर्मा, 98xxxxxx21 |
| बाल मनुहार: मेरी दीदी की शादी में ज़रूर-ज़रूर आना। (आरव, पीहू) |
Roman letters for the bal manuhar: Meri didi ki shaadi mein zaroor-zaroor aana. It means "please, please come to my sister's wedding". Children love seeing their names printed here.
"With best compliments from" has no single Hindi word. Swagatotsuk and darshanabhilashi do the same job, and some cards also print "शुभकामनाओं सहित" (shubhkamnaon sahit, with best wishes) before the family names.
Before You Print
- Give the printer typed matter, not a handwritten page. Most mistakes come from reading handwriting.
- Check the matras in every name. पूजा and पुजा are different spellings, and the family will notice.
- Match the date and time with the pandit ji's slip. Our December 2026 vivah muhurat list shows the day for each date, and Drik Panchang lets you set your own city.
- Keep two cards after the wedding. Many registrar offices accept the card as one proof of the wedding when you register under section 8 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.
The family names on the card are the same ones written in the biodata. If a younger brother or cousin is next in line, you can make a Hindi biodata on the phone with these same family details. For the message to write inside a card you receive, see our wedding wishes in Hindi. More guides are in the invitations and gifts section.
Common questions
What Is Written in a Hindi Wedding Card?
Shri Ganeshaya Namah at the top, then the hosts inviting you saparivar to the shubh vivah of their son or daughter. After that come the couple's names with their parents, the event list, the venue, and the swagatotsuk and darshanabhilashi lines.
What Is the Vivah Nimantran Patra Format?
It runs from mangalacharan to the hosts and the couple, then the karyakram (events) with dates and times, the sthaan (venue), and the family blocks at the bottom.
What Do Darshanabhilashi and Swagatotsuk Mean?
Darshanabhilashi means "longing to see you" and is used for elders. Swagatotsuk means "eager to welcome you" and is used for brothers, uncles and the rest of the family.
What Shayari Is Written on a Shadi Card?
The most used couplet is "Bhej rahe hain sneh nimantran, priyavar tumhe bulane ko". Print one couplet only, inside the card.
How Do You Write "with Best Compliments" in Hindi?
Use "शुभकामनाओं सहित" (shubhkamnaon sahit) before the family names, or put the names under swagatotsuk and darshanabhilashi, which is the usual Hindi way.
Sources
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