Ultimate Etiquette Tips!
(As seen on the wonderful www.weddingpickle.com !!!)
While I am not an expert in formal etiquette (Hey! not to say I don’t have manners!) as a calligrapher I frequently consult etiquette guides while creating invitations and other wedding calligraphy items.
Although these days absolutely anything goes when it comes to weddings, some couples are interested in taking a more traditional approach.
Here are a few Ultimate Etiquette Tips for the modern bride.
100% Miss Manners approved!
A FEW ETIQUETTE TIPS FOR WORDING YOUR INVITATION
- Traditionally, whoever pays for the wedding is listed on the invite. Many couples choose to honor their parents by listing them on the invite regardless of who pays.
- Names & Places are written in full on the invite. No abbreviations except for Mr., Mrs. and Dr.
- If the ceremony is at a place of worship, the wording “…request the honour of your presence” is used. The word “honour” is spelled the Anglican way.
- Spell out dates and times fully. Do not use a.m. or p.m; Instead, use “in the morning,” “in the afternoon” or “in the evening.”
- If a certain dress code is requested, use the wording “Black Tie,” “Black Tie encouraged” or “Casual Attire Welcome.”
- It is optional to include the year of the wedding on the invitation. (My opinion: Include it!)
- Invitations should be mailed at the very least 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding.
- To follow ultimate etiquette, no mention should be made of a registry anywhere in the invitation package.
Sample Wording for a Formal Invitation.
(Bride’s parents host the wedding, Grooms Parents are included.) The parents are formally listed under the full name of the man.
Mr. and Mrs. John Michael Regent
request the honour of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Marie Jeanne
to
Mr. Matthew James Smith
son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald James Smith
Friday, the Second of September
two thousand eleven
at half after four o’clock in the afternoon
Grace Church
Vancouver, British Columbia
These are EXCELLENT tips!!! So so needed!
Great advice – definitely a resource to bookmark! :)
Great tips!
Really helpful post, thanks for sharing :)
These are great tips and ones that are worth saving!
Very helpful wording and tips thank you!
Really great tips! It’s funny though that its considered bad manners to put anything about the couples registry in the invitation package. I mean, I totally understand it…it’s kind of rude to tell people what you want. But perhaps the couple has opted to ask for donations to their favorite charity, (as my husband and I did), how would all the guests know about that? Sure they could put such requests on their wedding website or Facebook pages, but what about someone like Aunt Millie from Kentucky who doesn’t have access to the Internet? I guess the best thing to do to get the word out would be to have someone, a family member or maybe one of your attendants call those people who might not have access to a website, right? :-)
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