Wording for ceremony only invites?

Basically all wedding invitations are written for the ceremony specifically, with "reception to follow" at the bottom or a separate reception card as an insert. So you can follow any invitation sample wording.

Also, why is almost half of your guest list excluded from the ceremony? Unless you are having a very intimate ceremony with immediate family only, it is pretty rude to exclude *some* people.

No space!

We are getting married on top of geothermal crater. So, really have no option

That 50 includes family and for friends, we filter as people we talk to at least once a month.

I'm with Emily. Although I think it is ruder to invite people to the ceremony and exclude them from the reception, excluding them from one or the other creates 'less than's. I strongly urge you to just have your reception with the 50 who were important enough to rate the ceremony or pick another ceremony site.

You win CN. That is about the coolest, coolest thing ever.

For the party;

'Please join us to celebrate our marriage on ......." I don't think you have to go into detail about what you did for the ceremony. If asked, just say, 'we chose to do an intimate private ceremony", but honestly, that ceremony should be just family and very close friends. It's kind of hard to have a group of 50 and still call it "private'.

I think if you explain to people that you're getting married on top of a geothermal crater...they might be a bit more understanding.

Celia's wording is perfect but I'd get the word out about "why" informally.

I'd say just the same as any other invite, just don't put, Reception to Follow.