Bilingual Arabic–English Wedding Invitations: A Design Guide
Want it designed for you in Arabic, English or French? See our digital wedding invitations in Lebanon →
A bilingual Arabic–English invitation works when each language gets its own space, its own typography and identical details. Don't mix both languages on one line; let Arabic read right to left in its own block, and match the two with a shared layout, colours and spacing. On a digital invitation you can go further: each guest opens the invitation in their own language.
Five layouts that work
| Layout | How it looks | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Side by side | Arabic on the right, English on the left | Printed cards, wide designs |
| Front and back | Arabic on one side, English on the other | Thick card stock, luxury suites |
| Top and bottom | One language above, the other below, separated by a motif | Tall cards and phone screens |
| Two separate invitations | One Arabic, one English, same design | Very formal suites or different guest groups |
| Language switch (digital) | Each guest sees their language first and can switch | Digital invitations |
Which language goes first?
- On paper, the language of the hosts, usually the parents, goes first or gets the right-hand side (Arabic reads from the right).
- For mixed families, give each language equal visual weight: same size, same position on its side.
- On a digital invitation, you don't have to choose: set each guest's language, and grandparents see Arabic while friends abroad see English (or French).
Right-to-left rules designers often miss
- Align Arabic to the right, not centred by default and never left-aligned.
- Mirror the layout in the Arabic block: icons, arrows and "next" buttons point the other way.
- Numbers: choose Arabic-Indic (١٥ آب) or Western (15 آب) and keep it consistent throughout.
- Names in both scripts: decide one transliteration (Elias or Elie? Maya or Mayya?) and use it everywhere: invitation, website, hashtags.
- Punctuation: Arabic uses «» quotes and the Arabic comma ، in Arabic text.
Typography
Never add letter-spacing to Arabic. Arabic letters connect; spacing breaks the joins and looks wrong to every Arabic reader (iPhones show it worst).
Never fake bold or italic. Use a font that has a real bold weight.
Pair fonts by mood, not by look-alikes. Some popular free pairings:
| Mood | Arabic | English |
|---|---|---|
| Classic & formal | Amiri | Cormorant Garamond |
| Modern & clean | Tajawal or Cairo | Montserrat or Lato |
| Elegant & soft | Noto Naskh Arabic | Playfair Display |
Size Arabic slightly larger than English for the same visual weight: Arabic letters often look smaller at the same point size.
Keep the details identical
Before sending, check that both versions have the same date, time, venue name, city and RSVP deadline, and use the right month names:
- Levant: آب، تموز، أيلول
- Gulf & Egypt: أغسطس، يوليو، سبتمبر
Adding French
Many Lebanese families invite guests in Arabic, English and French. On paper, three languages crowd a card; give French its own insert or the back of the card. On a digital invitation, simply add French as a third language option.
Proofreading checklist
- A native Arabic speaker has read the Arabic, aloud
- No letter-spacing on Arabic text
- Arabic is right-aligned and the layout is mirrored
- Names are spelled identically everywhere
- Date, time and venue match in every language
- Month names match your guests' region
- Numerals are consistent
- The design has been checked on an iPhone and an Android phone
Bilingual invitations with Cedar Invites
At Cedar Invites we design invitations in Arabic, English, French or any combination, with correct right-to-left typography, and each guest's personalised link opens in the language you've chosen for them. See Arabic wording examples for the text, and personalised links for how each guest gets their own invitation.
Keep reading: Arabic wedding invitation wording: 15 examples · Template vs custom wedding invitation design