Tag: Wedding Etiquette
courtesy of Gina Leigh Photography via pbfingers.com
While traditionally speaking, it’s always been said to be bad luck for brides and grooms to see each other before the ceremony, we explored the benefits of kicking this tradition to the curb in our post, Catching a Glimpse ,and choosing to have a moment prior to the ceremony for just the two of you to see and be with each other. Perks remain:
- an intimate moment for just the two of you to share without having to share yourselves with everyone else
- it not only creates beautifully candid shots of the two of you…
- but it also can create time to get some of your “formal” wedding pictures out of the way (ie. bridal party, portraits, family shots, etc.) while everyone is at their freshest
- and finally, can make for some uniquely beautiful memories
However – and this is a HUGE however - a girlfriend of mine (wad up, Linds!) sent me a link today exploring a ‘Behind the Door’ technique, which proves brides who are both trendy AND traditional can have her cake and eat it too when it comes to this! (Sooo stinkin’ sad I didn’t think of it myself!)
The ‘Behind the Door’ technique puts you and your main squeeze right next to each other without revealing the way either one looks. How, you might ask? Well, by leaving a door – be it the one that enters into the bridal suite door or the church or wherever – and giving you a moment to hold hands, share in the moment and capture the memory… all without ever having to give up the tradition of the grand reveal!
I mean how can you not love this idea?!?! My hubs is my best friend. He’s the one I talk to when I’m extremely happy or super sad or overly worried or incredibly annoying (you get the idea); so, it was very difficult to not have him there on the biggest day of our lives to share in that time with me. Because we chose to stay on the side of tradition on our big day and didn’t see each other until my Papa walked me down the aisle — we felt it added to the anticipation and excitement of it all, we weren’t able to talk to each other :( But if we would’ve done this, we could’ve had the BEST of BOTH worlds! Check out Julie’s pics from her Peanut Butter Fingers Blog below:
courtesy of Gina Leigh Photography via pbfingers.com
July 14, 2011
photo courtesy of english-wedding.com
Every wedding has one. Some are given by the best man; some by the maid of honor, and still others by the bride or groom’s parents. They may make you laugh; they may make you cry, but one thing they certainly should NOT do is make you cringe.
I’m – of course – talking about the inevitable wedding speeches!
Wedding speeches are perhaps one of the most memorable aspects of your big day. It is, or at least it should be, an interesting insight to your relationship as a couple, a wish of goodwill and a toast in to your love. And because whatever the speech-giver says is generally amped across a microphone and loud speakers, it’s important that it’s good! So, here are a few tips on how to make it count:
First, let’s start off with what you should avoid at all costs. Humorous anecdotes are wonderful, but keep in mind that embarrassing does NOT always equal funny. Reminiscing about senior year spring break or that one time the groom went streaking through the frat house may make some (namely the bride and groom and more than likely Great Aunt Edna) uncomfortable.
On the other hand, don’t be boring. An easy way to find a compromise is through genuine sincerity. Try taking the emotional high road. Whether you choose to be humorous or sentimental, make sure that any stories or memories you have about the couple are relevant, sincere and stay on topic.
Another thing to consider when beginning the speech-writing process is time frame. It’s difficult to wax poetic about a couple’s love in five minutes, but any longer than that and guests will be agitated by your long-windedness. (Heck, they may even get restless after 2, pending on how many people feel the need to speak after!)
That being said, do not go into a speech without a plan… no matter how skilled you think you are at impromptu. Because even the most brilliant “Who’s Line is it Anyway?” stars can stutter after a couple drinks.
When you actually start to construct your dialogue, think back to your middle school speech class: every speech should have a beginning, middle and end. Begin your toast by introducing yourself and your relation to the bride and groom. Talk about the beautiful ceremony to create an easy gateway to lead into the meat of your speech.
The Middle. This is where your original content should come from. Memories are great, but too many inside jokes will leave those on the outside unsettled. So, stick with subjects that will personalize your toast and maybe garner a few laughs and tears. Having the best of both worlds will create a well-rounded speech. So for every joke you tell, balance it with a genuine, maybe even tearful, sentiment of love. Also, avoid hard subjects like the economic state or politics and harsh language like cursing or vulgarity.
Finally, finish with a bang! If you’ve racked your brain for more perspective only to come up empty-handed, it’s time to bring in the experts. Quotes, whether they’re spoken by a famous author or a member of the family, serve as the perfect standby conclusion. Some great examples of touching quotes:
- “Marriage is not a ritual or an end. It is a long, intricate, intimate dance together and nothing matters more than your own sense of balance and your choice of partner.” – Amy Bloom
- “A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, and always with the same person.” – Mignon McLaughlin
- “Marriage: that I call the will of two to create the one who is more than those who created it.” - Friedrich Nietzsche
- “We have the greatest pre-nuptial agreement in the world. It’s called love.” – Gene Perret
- “A happy marriage is a long conversation which always seems too short.” – Andre Maurois
- “A happy home is one in which each spouse grants the possibility that the other may be right, though neither believes it.” – Don Fraser
- “To laugh often and love much… to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to give one’s self… this is to have succeeded.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
At this time, you will cue all of the wedding guests to join you in a toast to the bride and groom by raising their champagne flutes and wishing them eternal joy and happiness. And hopefully you’ll hear cheers and clapping, not crickets.
October 1, 2010
(photo courtesy of 1weddingsource.com)
If you’re a bride-to-be who’s anything like me, you’ve more than likely been guilty of (or mayhaps a better term: fallen victim to) the inevitable, internet OVER-search. With the World Wide Web access being so readily available and containing such a vast threshold of all the latest and greatest, it’s soooo easy to get sucked into the “Hottest Trends for 2010″ or “Wedding Etiquette 101″ or “What 2 Do 2 Cure the Monster-in-Law Blues” or… you get the drift. And with all this pre-wedding curiosity bursting at the seams, wedding searches just may be the biggest version of unnoticed overload ever.
Because there are so many options for brides to choose from, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when it comes to planning your wedding. So, why not try to sort through things by the process of elimination? If your interest is to have an event that your guests will love as much as you do, why not look to see what other people or even you, yourself, are constantly complaining about and delete them off the list!?
Recently, lemondrop.com – a self proclaimed sweet, tasty and tart blog – published an article on wedding trends they hope will disappear titled, I Now Pronounce You Annoying — Wedding Trends That Need to Go. Written in a sarcastically humorous tone, the author introduces the “Debbie Downer” trends by stating:
The older you get and the more weddings you attend, the more they stop being fun and start sucking the life force out of you. (lemondrop.com)
Haha, I’m guessing the author is not friends with these guys…
Pic from Wedding Crashers, the Movie (courtesy of wedding-999.blogspot.com)
And while the sentiment being expressed is over exaggerated, its underlying message is not. Here are lemondrop.com‘s Picks 2 Nix, but what I want to know is if you agree:
- “Half-a-Dozen Parties Before the Actual Wedding.” Stating annoyance in the fact that a wedding is not just a wedding, but an Engagement Dinner, Bridal Shower, Bachelor / Bachelorette Party, Rehearsal Dinner, Ceremony and Reception… are weddings becoming too costly – and, in turn, too annoying – for guests to remain excited for when the actual day arrives?
- “The Long, Intensely Religious Religious Ceremony.” Because not everyone on a couple’s guest list will necessarily be of the same religious denomination, is it too much to ask for everyone to participate in a ceremony that may or may not last over an hour when they don’t actually practice the faith?
- “The Bouquet Toss.” While a time-honored tradition – no doubt – is the bouquet toss becoming more of a necessary evil, filled with self-conscious single ladies battling for a bouquet or is it still a fun and essential part of the reception’s routine?
- “Stupid Toasts.” Laying reference to the excess length (and inevitably, the excess amount of undisclosed information) a wedding speech can emit, do you think it’s more important to keep things moving along or let your best man recall the ultra embarrassing time you blankety-blanked the blank, down to the very last, nitty gritty - painfully discomforting – detail?
- “DJs Who Demand You DANCE!” In lieu of the fact that in due time, all the beer drinking patrons will eventually make it to the dance floor, is it necessary for DJ Jazzy (fill in name here) to constantly announce for everyone to “get up off of that thang!” or simply just let them “dance when they feel better?”
- “Video Testimonials.” Stating that only the most “obnoxious, drunk and unstable guests take the opportunity” to divulge in such a awkward process, are video testimonials becoming the TMI portion of a bride and groom’s happy day?
Now, more importantly than this list, is your opinion of it ORRRR even better yet, other things you’d like to add!
September 29, 2010
photo courtesy of stylemepretty.com
While there’s always discussion on whether or not children will or won’t be attending certain weddings, there’s not a single doubt in my mind when they do make the “A List,” they’ll have nothing but love for these creative, autumnal creations!
*Candy Apple Creation Stations
Feel free to set up a table and cover it with stick sturdy apples, warmed caramel, melted chocolate and all the crushed candy toppings you can find, and let your guests enjoying making their own treat to eat or take with them when they leave! It’s a great way to involve your guests as well as keep the kiddies occupied. (And no worries about hyping them up on too much sugar… they’re not going home with you! Haha!)
photo courtesy of recycledlovelies.com
photo courtesy of inspiredoccasions.blogspot.com
*Pumpkin Carving Campgrounds
photo courtesy of reverseshot.com
Okay, you don’t really need campgrounds, but the name just rolls off the tongue; so, I went with it :) Anyhoot, this is something – when done under adult supervision – can be a really great way to create lasting memories, as well as super fun photographs for your album. Hit up your local pumpkin patch, buy in bulk and let the fun begin! Feel free to accompany this reception section with pumpkin carvers, gloves and aprons… and if you’re worried that the carving may cause too much stress, use acrylic paints instead! And let the kiddies paint on their favorite face!
*Coloring Book Bonanza!
There’s no question that kids love to color. Whether you choose to man your coloring book station with fairy tale / dream-come-true images or Marvel comics finest character pages, there’s no doubt that kids of all ages will love gettin’ their color on during your big reception!
photo courtesy of weddingcustomcoloringbooks.com
*Disposable Glam Cams for Kids
And even more so than coloring, kids love feeling like grownups; so, why not arm your mini attendants with disposable glam cams for their very own “I feel soooo biiiig!” photography debut? They can get goofy pics of each other while trying their best to capture the day as they see it. And trust me on this one… some of their finds will be priceless :)
photo courtesy of greatexpectationsky.com
*Face-painting, Magic Tricks and Balloons… Oh My!
Pending your budget, sometimes the most well received children stations are the most over-the-top ones! So, bring in a magician, a balloon animating clown or even a face painting wizard to really let the kids get “wild” at your wedding! Of course, it never fails, sometimes these sections become even more populated by adults. I mean, come on, who doesn’t love a butterfly painted face or giraffes made out of rubber? Uhhh, no one! Duh :)
photo courtesy of blog.catchmyparty.com
September 10, 2010
photos courtesy of elimurray.com
Traditionally speaking, it’s considered “bad luck” for a bride and groom to see each other before the ceremony. This type of old-fashioned thinking stems from an even more ancient tradition when the groom was not allowed to see his bride AT ALL before the big day. Not ever. Not once. Not even a glimpse. Nada.
While I’m happy to report that prearranged marriages and hide ‘n’ go seek brides - for the most part – have been eradicated in most cultures, there are still several people who like to hold the base of this tradition true. Often times, couples will choose to not see each other beforehand because they feel it adds to the excitement and anticipation of their wedding day. (Agree.)
Others, however, have poo-poo’ed conventional thinking for a more modern day train of thought and choose to have a moment before the ceremony all to themselves. This is a time just for them to really take each other in, and better yet, a time for a photographer to capture some beautifully candid shots. (I mean, just get a load of this groom!) Couples can have a moment of privacy to talk, hug, give a little smooch or simply calm each other’s nerves. (Also, agree.)
For brides and grooms who see each other pre-ceremony, it can also help take care of some of the formal wedding photography of the bridal party, in order to allot more time after for everything else. Woot, woot! But regardless of what you choose, just know that there is no right or wrong choice… merely Choice 1 and Choice 2, and it’s up to you to decide which one fits you and yours best! Good luck, and cheers to many years of happiness :)
photos courtesy of elimurray.com
July 21, 2010
A couple of weeks ago, a friend at work (holllller, Amy!) sent me an email about Wedinator.com… a Web site whose “prime directive” is to “trash your special day.” Now, I know what you’re all thinking - “Well, that’s pretty negative directive.” – and I know this, because I thought the exact same thing.
That is until; I ventured onto the site and laid these baby blues on what can only be described as some of the most retina burning images ever. And yes, I just coined the term “retina burning,” because they’re the kind of images that stick with you, long after you’ve clicked out and moved on.
Intended as “all in good fun” humor, - well, I suppose until you land on it yourself – this site allows people to upload, vote, digg, share, tweet and retweet photos from the more colorful moments / colorful weddings around the world. Whether you saw it on a site or lived through it yourself, Wedinator.com gives people the opportunity to share and exploit their most outrageous wedding pics… that will – at the very least – make you feel better about your life for the sheer, simple fact you’re not in them.
Here are some of my favorites from Wedinator’s Finest:
#1) A helpless groom tries to get his new wife / life together… but with little to no luck. Hahaha! Reminds me of the end scene of Sixteen Candles when Molly Ringwald’s sister took “a few too many” muscle relaxers to ward off the discomfort of her “monthly gift.” Classic.
#2) Maine – perhaps home to the greatest General Store ever – really knew what they were doing when they put this little piece of heaven together. I mean, I know when I picked out my wedding gown, the only thing that could’ve made it better was the ability to practice my right to bear arms and drink a cold beer. Hahaha!
#3) This next one is a real prize, and with one glance, you can see why. While it pretty much goes without saying that brides want their grooms to be several things, I’m almost 100% certain scary, muderous ninja is not one of them. Wow.
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#4) And speaking of ninjas… who invited this guy?
#5) Not to be outdone by ninjas, pirates also like to show up on the big day… and apparently take brides captive with a wink, smile and loaded barrel rifles. Why???
#6) And what wedding guest wouldn’t want to share their cake… especially with a guest as “cuddly” as this one?? GROSS!
#7) Following the adage, “share and share alike,” nothing says harmony and romance on your wedding day quite like these underage, future felons of America… awww, memories.
And for more photos just as magical as these, feel free to log in and tune on to Wedinator.com.
April 26, 2010
At the risk of coming off totally unoriginal, today’s blog post is completely dedicated to others! I came across this Website a few weeks back where brides – over the course of the past few years – have been asked to submit their unique wedding ideas… so imagine my delight when such a simple theory developed into such intricate results!
I was losin’ it as I read through some of the more “colorful” options, but I couldn’t help but applaud the sheer genius of others! Every wedding day has potential to get Army and be all that it can be; so, why not see what others did for greatness and make it your own? Below are some of my favorite responses to emerge from ourmarriage.com, but please feel free to add to this list by leaving your unique idea here! I always love hearing from you :)
Whenever we would go to a wedding we always are wondering who the people in the bridal party are and what is their relation to the bride and groom. So at our wedding, in the program we listed each person in our wedding party with a little paragraph on how we know this person and a little fun tidbit and or why they are special to us. It was nice for them to read and gave our guests a special insight of our friends and family and didn’t leave them guessing who was who!
I wanted to do something different for the centerpieces at my reception tables, so I decided to make my own candles. I used the dried flower petals that I had been saving from all of the flowers my fiancée had given me from the time we started dating. I thought that they were a true testament of how our relationship had grown, there were the first flowers he had ever given me, I love you, I’m Sorry, Get Well, thinking of You, Valentine’s Day, and anniversary flowers, all the way up to the purple roses he gave me when he asked me to marry him. They turned out beautifully and everyone loved them!
I wanted a good picture of my dad walking me down the aisle. Instead a picture of our “backs”, we took a few steps, stopped, turned around and the photographer got a great picture of our faces. It’s the most cherished picture of me and my dad.
I’ve noticed at wedding receptions that the younger guests are usually bored. So, for my wedding reception, I had a special “children’s table” set up. There were balloons tied to every chair and “busy packets” at every place setting. The busy packets contained coloring books and crayons, small puzzles, activity books and blank paper. The kids were all together so they didn’t have to listen to boring grown up conversation and they had things to keep them busy. We made a point of visiting the table several times during the reception. It was a party for them and a great celebration for us!
[Our guests] are requested to bring along a small Christmas ornament (1/per family) from their personal collections. The purpose of this is to remember all of our friends who came to our wedding. We will hang up all the little ornaments they gave to us on our tree at Christmas.
My fiancée and I absolutely hate the idea of the garter and bouquet toss. So we have decided to do a variation on the theme. Instead of tossing the bouquet, we are going to give a single flower to every single women at the reception. The flower will be a duplicate of one of the flowers in my bouquet. The flower will have a poem pinned to it as well as wishes for love, success and health. There is no reason that only one girl should have all of the fun, this way every single women is given well wishes.
This isn’t my idea – I was at a wedding the other weekend where this was done and I thought it was very nice! During the ceremony a photographer and a videographer photographed and videoe’d the wedding, as usual. At the reception, which took place right after the wedding (cocktails in between right outside the large room for the reception in between wedding and reception), a presentation was shown on a screen via projector. The presentation started out with photos and such of the bride starting with baby photos and ending with a recent photo. Then the same was done with the groom. They then showed the engagement photo. But then this is where the very nice thing took place: they then showed photos and video footage from their wedding which must have been at the most only an hour and a half earlier – most likely less!! It was a great surprise to all the guests, and it was super because the selected clips from during the ceremony after the procession were taken from a view that showed the bride and groom’s faces so we all got to see the important parts of the wedding from a view nobody gets to see otherwise! It was a fantastic presentation, set to music and all, too, of course. I recommend this idea!!
Instead of rice, bubbles, or anything else that people throw at the bride and groom. The wedding party should burn sparklers when the bride and groom are having their first dance. The lights are dim and the moment is so special, and sparklers are such a different touch. Or, you can get all the guests to burn one when they are leaving at the end. Whatever works.
We are asking our guest to send us their favorite recipes with their RSVP’s. We are then going to make cookbooks to give to our guest as favors. It’s really inexpensive and it’s nice to have a cookbook with both our families’ recipes. You can have the cookbook go with your theme or colors. We are binding ours together with cover coordinating with our invitations.
March 10, 2010
(Photo Courtesy of Zazzle.com)
You can forget all that “to be, or not to be” high jinx Shakespeare rambled on about… because this is the true question, people! In recent years, regifting has made its way to the forefront of etiquette questions loitering around the wedding water cooler. In part, because many people have a hard time looking past the tacky “white elephant” nature of it all to see the fabulous side regifting has to offer. (That’s right. I said fabulous.)
Tragically, the regift phenomenon tends to be shown in a negative light. While regifting has probably been poppin’ off since the beginning of time, it wasn’t until a 1995 episode of Seinfeld, when the term “regift” was coined. Thus creating a worldwide buzz about the authenticity and originality of gifts.
Who can forget the scene in Old School, when Frank (played by Will Ferrell) is caught not once, but TWICE trying to regift the exact same bread maker he had just received as a wedding present? Unfortunately for Frank, he broke two of regifting’s cardinal rules. First, he tried giving it back to the person who gave it to him. Fail. Then, he tried to schmooze it in at a child’s birthday party in front of the same cats who saw him muck it up the first time. Double Fail.
Clearly what Frank didn’t realize is that while people will always regift, they need to do it both tastefully and tactfully. I mean, let’s just call a spade a spade. People can argue the tact of this trend all they want, and while the appropriateness level will always be debatable the use of it is undeniable. So, if you ever find yourself in a state of “to re-gift or not to re-gift” (don’t act like you haven’t already), there are certain things you should keep in mind if you want to remain fabulous…
- Don’t regift to the original gift giver. The tact on this is not debatable whatsoever. It’s painfully obvious and heinously rude.
- (An extension of rule # 1) Don’t even regift in front of the original gift giver. If there’s a chance they’ll be present when the gift is (re)opened, don’t even think about it.
- Be mindful of the person receiving the regift. This is the most important rule of all! For example, don’t try to give a six year old a bread maker. (Frank!) While one man’s trash may be another man’s treasure, some things are just plain trash. If you truly want to give something nice, I can guarantee, you won’t find it rummaging through your tattered Goodwill bags.
- Don’t use the gift prior to regifting. This also has “Tack City!” written all over it.
- There are courtesy options available for the nervous regifters. You could call before regifting. For instance, “Hey Hannah, I know you were really hoping for a crock pot, and we actually received three… would you be alright if we gave you one of ours?”
- If you prefer to remain an incognito mosquito regifter, be sure to cover your tracks. Rewrap the gift with love and make sure any remnants, name tags or gift receipts are removed… ’cause this, my friends, is a dead giveaway.
- (An extension of rule # 6) Do NOT regift anything that was personalized for you. I highly doubt Bob & Susan will ever want “Jim & Becca” hand towels.
- If you’re the receiver of a regift – even when it’s totally obvious – be kind and gracious to the person who gave it. You never know the circumstances (hello?!? plummeting economy, much!) or the chances you’ll end up in their shoes.
- ***In the event of a WHITE ELEPHANT EXCHANGE*** Ignore all these rules. In fact, reverse them all. The more deplorable a gift… the better.
Regardless of your stance is on the remixed question of Shakespeare’s classic, the truth is… regifting happens. Heck, there’s a Web site (regiftable.com) dedicated to this notion alone, and the U.S. has even recognized December 18 as National Regifting Day! So, if people are doing it, why not make the best of it? Instead of running away from the cliché, give others the insight to these tactful regifting rules, and hopefully **fingers crossed*** we can make the world will be a better place… one (re)gift at a time.
And please don’t be afraid to leave me your opinions or perhaps your additional rules! It’s always great to hear what other people think!
January 13, 2010
Recently, I received an email asking for the proper etiquette when it comes to children and a wedding, and truth be told, it’s really up to each individual couple to make that call. While there is a laundry list of certain wedding clichés and “unwritten” rules that can horns waggle their way into every event, having children at your big debut is not one of them. It really all depends on the couple and their budget, family size, relationships, etc.
Take me for instance… I am from a very large, very rambunctious family, and honestly, I wouldn’t want it any other way. They are my favorite people in the world. They make my holidays better; my days brighter, and even when we’re at our most chaotic, I know they’re the ones who’ll be standing in my corner when everyone else has left the building… that’s something no amount of bad days or loud talkers or food line jumpers and shovers could ever change – hehe! So, even though my family easily equals the population of a small country, I could never nor would ever have our wedding day without them.
This, however, is not always the case for everyone. I am not naïve enough to think that this is the opinion shared by all. Some people prefer to have a more intimate wedding and simply refuse to allow children in – perfectly fine. While there are still others who – even though they love their families and kids just as much as I do – can’t always make it feasible to invite EVERYONE – again, perfectly fine. Whether their numbers are too great, they’re budgets are too small or they simply don’t have the space, they will sometimes opt to forego having kids at their wedding.
The coin can really flip both ways. I’ve attended weddings where people get annoyed by a crying baby interrupting the vows or cringe at a four year old climbing up a chair to grab a handful of cake… but it should be known that at those same weddings, there are just as many people dying for their chance to hold that little bundle of joy or laughing at the child eating the cake – bride and groom included! At the end of the day, people will always have varying opinions, leaving it downright impossible to please them all. And if that’s the case, you should make your wedding day exactly what you want, whether that’s children friendly or not :)
After thought: While there is no proper etiquette when it comes to allowing or not allowing children at a wedding, there IS proper etiquette to following the “rules” once the bride and groom have established them. For instance, if a couple addresses their invite to a “Mr. and Mrs. only” and writes on their Response card, “Adult Reception Only,” it’s not the classiest choice to RSVP for five and bring your three kids anyway. The bride and groom obviously had a reason to make their choice clear – whether it’s budget, space or simply personal preference – so, please please please don’t be THOSE people. It’s not fair to the ones you’re they’re to celebrate.
October 2, 2009
If you’re anything like me, you probably have a tendency to focus on all the exciting details of planning and leave the more formal, boring ones out to pasture. Colors, centerpieces, dresses, hair, makeup, etc… you know, all the frilly, fun stuff always seems to be on a bride’s mind, which is why some of the formalities of wedding planning can be overlooked. How to properly address your invitations, for instance, is probably one of those things.
As my mom and I sat down with my wonderful aunt – who is designing our wedding invitations, there seemed to be 20,394,820,938 questions and only one or two answers. It kind of went something like this: How do you want the parent’s listed? (What? There’s an option?) Are all of them hosting? (Uhh, yes?? No??) Do you want them above or below your names? (Does it matter?) His are divorced, how do you want them represented? (Well…) Do they go above or below? (Huh?) How many inserts? (Why?) Response or RSVP? (…) Directions? Accommodations? Reception??? (SD@JGK%$*LHKD)
Yep, that’s me alright, but I figure I can’t be the only one who doesn’t know; so, below is a smorgasboard sampling of how to properly word your wedding invitations based on who’s hosting. There’s strength in numbers, ladies, which is why we have to stick together!
When the Bride’s Parents are hosting the wedding:
When the Groom’s Parents are hosting the wedding:
When both the Bride’s AND Groom’s Parents are hosting the wedding:
When the Bride and Groom are hosting their own wedding:
When a divorced or widowed (Unmarried) parent is hosting the wedding:
When a divorced or widowed (Re-married) parent is hosting the wedding:
When a close friend or relative is hosting the wedding:
In military ceremonies, the rank will determine the placement of names. *Any title lower than a Sergeant should be omitted. Only the branch of service should be included under that person’s name:
*Junior Officers’ titles are placed below their names and are followed by their branch of service:
*If titles are higher than Lieutenant, they should be placed before their names and the branch of service should be written below:
Of course, these are merely samples that you can use as a jumping off point. You should also consider the formality of your wedding. Depending on if you’re having a formal or casual setting, will also alter the type of language used to address your guests. Because every invitation is different and at the discretion of each couple, the possibilities are limitless, but sometimes all we need is a nudge in the right direction, in order to get the ball rolling :) And feel free to check out our line of DIY Invitations & Stationery or visit TheKnot.com for even more wording suggestions.
August 3, 2009
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