Retirement Invitation Wording: Tips to Mark This Milestone

If you or someone you know is retiring, there’s cause for celebration. After years of hard work and dedication, a retirement party is a great way to honor your legacy, success, and accomplishments throughout the years. At this event, you can pay homage to your career and share your excitement for what the future holds.

Before you start planning the retirement bash, you’ll need to send out invitations. That includes choosing the right retirement invitation wording to suit the mood of the occasion. Retirement parties can be tricky since they are sometimes filled with mixed emotions — excitement for the adventure ahead yet reflective of the time that has passed. 

Here, we’ve put together a guide to help you navigate the retirement invitation wording process. From black-tie dinner parties to casual BBQ farewell parties, you’ll find wording tips to match the moment.

Retirement Invitation Wording: Here’s What to Say

The tone of your retirement invitation wording should match the formality of the type of retirement party you’re hosting. If you’re hosting a fancy retirement dinner, you’ll want to use formal language so guests know what to expect. If you’re throwing a low-key backyard bash for a small group of people, use your wording to convey that tone. 

Follow the tips below to suit any event mood. You can also use these tips when writing retirement congratulations cards. 

Formal Invitations

Stick to formal titles and wording for a more upscale retirement party. Use full names and professional titles when addressing the envelopes and invites. The language here should be polite, formal, and direct. 

Here are some formal retirement party invitation wording ideas to get you started:

• We request the pleasure of your company as we honor Dr. Drew Rodriguez and his 30 years of service at Dell.
• Join us in sending best wishes for a happy retirement and an evening celebration honoring Lacy Thomas and her hard work at the community center.
• Celebrate a lifetime of achievement as we say goodbye and wish a happy retirement to Cynthia Akiri with a formal gala.  
• After years of dedicated service, King Bature is retiring from his post as our CEO. Come honor his legacy at an evening fundraiser.

Make sure to add in any details about the dress code and event that guests will need to know before attending. This includes the date, time, and location of the event as well as any tips on charity donations or retirement gifts.

Informal Invites

If you’re writing a retirement invitation for a close friend, don’t be afraid to have some fun with it. As long as it suits the tone of the event, feel free to use puns, jokes, and humorous wording. In some cases, you can address the invites on a first-name basis or use nicknames. You’ll still need to include the event details, but you’ll have a little more creative license. 

Here are some cute and funny ways to invite guests to a retirement celebration:

• It’s time for a permanent vacation! Kathy is finally retiring and ready to sail off into the sunset. Come celebrate her accomplishments with a nautical-themed backyard bash.
• School’s out for the last time! We’re throwing a casual beach party to celebrate. Skip the gifts and donate money to your local school district instead.
• Katerina is retiring! Come and celebrate her future of doing nothing with a laid-back cookout.
• Clifton has decided he wants to live life in the lap of luxury. That means he’s ditching his 9-5 and hitting the travel circuit. Come bid adieu to the lucky retiree as we celebrate his career and get him ready for a trip to Europe.

Whether you’re hosting a formal affair or informal event, make sure the retirement invitation wording matches the tone of the celebration.

What to Include in Your Retirement Invitation

Writing a great invite isn’t just about nailing the wording. You want to make sure you include all the basic party details and any additional information guests may need to attend.

Here are a few things not to miss on your retirement party invitations:

• Guest of honor’s name and the reason for the party
• Date, time, and location of the event
• Dress code
• RSVP details
• Information on gifts, donations, or anything guests need to bring (a dish for a potluck lunch, for example)

You’ll also need to think about who to invite. In general, most hosts will invite the honoree’s coworkers, close family, and friends. The number of people you invite will depend on the venue capacity and your budget. Sit down and write out a list of all the invitees. You can check with the retiree or a close coworker to make sure no one is left out. 

Bid Adieu to Work With These 7 Retirement Invitations

Now that you have the retirement invitation wording down, it’s time to pick the perfect invite. At Greenvelope, you’ll find hundreds of designs for all of life’s milestone moments, including retirement. Browse our collection of retirement invitations where you’ll find the perfect design — from formal and sophisticated to silly and vibrant. All of the design templates are completely customizable so you make the event and the invite all your own. Here are some of our favorite retirement invitations.

1. Exclamation Invitation

Design: Bonjour Berry

Share your joy (or surprise!) for a friend’s retirement with this bold invite. The modern design and gold foil exclamation mark are sure to catch guests’ attention. Choose from five different colors with coordinating envelope liners.

2. Goodbye to the Tie Invitation

Design: Patrice Horvath Design

Say goodbye to the tie and hello to retirement with this crafty invitation. It’s perfect for formal retirement dinner parties and casual get-togethers to celebrate someone’s last day on the job.

3. Paper Pinwheels Invitation

Design: Signature Greenvelope

This festive retirement celebration invite is a gorgeous way to announce it’s time to honor the retiree. Use it as a send-off for a colleague in the office or a teacher retirement party. The vibrant design also makes it suitable as a birthday party invitation or for celebrating life’s other milestones.

4. Gilded Cocktails Invitation

Design: Jen Montgomery

This whimsical invite features celebratory champagne glasses and gold foil polka dots for a festive celebration. Use it as a formal retirement reception invite or customize it for a retirement gala or even a casual dinner party. Have fun trying out different fonts, color schemes, or design layouts until you get the exact look you want.

5. OFishAl Invitation

Design: Bonjour Berry

Know a retiree who’s looking forward to long days at the river or adventures in deep-sea fishing? This is the perfect retirement invite for them. The retirement card features fishing lures in bright colors, making it ideal for casual celebrations.

6. Champagne & Confetti Invitation

Design: Elizabeth Silver

Ditch the daily grind and raise a glass to retirement with this festive retirement invitation. The gold glitter champagne glass and colorful confetti set the tone for an upbeat celebration. Use it to plan a surprise party or as a formal retirement dinner invitation.

7. Palm Leaves Invitation

Design: Claudia Owen

Transport guests from the office to a tropical destination with this retirement invitation card. It’s well-suited for luau-themed parties and retirement bashes honoring the retiree’s desire to travel and explore.

Celebrate Freedom and Life’s Biggest Moments

Whether you’re retiring and free to pursue new passions or honoring a coworker or loved one who’s saying farewell to a storied career, a retirement party is the perfect way to celebrate. Be sure to browse our full selection of retirement invitations and get planning! With these tips on retirement invitation wording, you’re sure to nail the tone and mood of the moment.