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Invitations Etiquette
Weddings are a joyous and special occasion that you share
with the people closest to you. Before that can happen we need to find the
words to express how greatly their presence is appreciated. How do we do that? Inviting
your guests can involve making some important decisions to ensure the proper
etiquette is executed. Let’s break it down.
1.
Who?
If you are inviting a couple to your
wedding, it is best to address them with the first and last name of the
husband. For example, “Mr. and Mrs. John Smith.” This format should also be
used when addressing the hosts on the invitation itself. When inviting children,
you need to include the names of each child, otherwise it implies they are not
invited. Using “Miss” for girls under 18 and “Ms.” for girls over 18 is most
appropriate. Boys under the age of 18 do not need any title, just their names.
If they are over 18 you should include “Mr.” before their names.
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| Small Impressions |
Let your guests know who is hosting. The
parents who are spending the majority of money should be the hosts inviting
guests to the wedding. If both parties involved are spending an equal share of
money then it is best to select words that cast a broad sense of who will be
hosting. For instance, “Together with their families, Catherine Jones and
William Smith request…” If the couple is paying for the wedding themselves,
write something such as, “Catherine Jones and William Smith request the
pleasure of your company…”
2.
What?
The celebration is for the bride and groom,
but there are other factors that the couple might want to include in their
invitations. For instance, information on parking, appropriate attire, plus ones,
nearby hotels, dietary needs/requests or meal options are great ideas for
giving enough information to your guests. These and other factors can make it
easier for the guests and the bride and groom in planning ahead. Although
adding information can be helpful, it is typically considered rude to mention
your registry on the wedding invitations.
Other details to keep in mind are the wording.
When writing your invitations, make to spell out the full words for things we
typically shorten (e.g. street, road, and, etc). Also, for the date and times
the numbers are traditionally spelt out in full as well. Avoid using “a.m.” or “p.m.”
but rather use terms such as, ‘in the morning’ or ‘in the afternoon.’
3.
Where? When?
Make sure the address, time & date are
clear for your guests and they are able to read it with ease. Providing enough
detail so your guests can plan accordingly is great, however, make sure you
aren’t writing a short novel on your invitations. To the point and with clarity
are essential in writing invitations. Many brides are choosing to even include
maps to make things as simple as possible for their guests.
4.
Why?
Why do we worry about the details? The
details are what make a difference in making your guests feel welcome and it also
sets the tone for your wedding. After all, we all know the importance of first
impressions. This is the first taste of what your guests will be expecting from
your wedding day so it is important to make sure they like what they see.
5.
How?
The RSVP date is important and how your
guests are to respond is just as crucial. Providing a website or app is the
modern option, however e-mail, mail as well as other means of communication are
acceptable as well. Making sure you cater to your guests and knowing what may
be easiest for them is imperative because it will ensure they RSVP by the given
date and you won’t have guests showing up that you hadn’t accounted for.
From the fabulous ladies at Fab Fête Event Planning Boutique, we wish our beautiful brides all the best with their invitations.