Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Choose Your Wedding Bouquet

Bouquets of flowers have always been one attraction at any wedding. Bouquets are already part of the wedding tradition on all races. A bouquet of flowers symbolizes a blossoming maiden and reflects her emotions.

Therefore, wedding bouquets should be carefully selected and planned the same way you plan for your wedding gown. Here are just a few tips in choosing your wedding bouquet:

1. It is recommended that you choose a flower that is on season to save money and time. This will not give you hard time trying to order the flower as well.

2. You can choose other alternatives like silk flowers especially if the flower you would like to use is not in season. Silk flowers are also suited in formal weddings; fresh picked flowers may not fit a very formal party.

3. Your bouquet should not drown you. Be sure that it will not cover your figure. If you are petite, the weight of the flower might be too heavy for your built and may affect your posture and how you carry your gown. Remember that your bouquet should not be too big so as not to cover your elegant gown and should be easy to carry.

4. The flowers you chose should last for the entire day. Make sure that your flowers still hold up even at the end of the day so that you will still look glamorous when taken pictures. Using a bouquet holder is suggested to keep the flowers fresh during the entire day. Also take the advice of your florist on which flowers easily wilt so that you can avoid choosing them.

5. Don't let your florist imagine the flower design you like. You may take a picture or a printed copy of the bouquet style you prefer. Also bring a sample fabric of the gowns so that the florist can choose the correct shade of flower that will match the color of the gowns. Some bouquets may be decorated with ribbons, lace and silk materials. You can advise the florist on what specific designs would you like to add for your flowers.

6. Why not choose a flower that has special meaning? That will not be difficult since most flowers have their meanings. Stephanotis stands for happiness in marriage, Rose means love and being true, and Tulips stand for perfect love and declaration of love.

7. One of the first things to consider when opting for a bouquet is the style. Choose the bouquet style that will suit you and your personality. Bouquets are more personal nowadays and reflect the brides' personalities. For Nosegays, where flowers are clustered in a round form, can vary in sophistication and will fit any personality. In Cascade bouquets, flowers are arranged in a descending form. These bouquets are voluptuous and can be the center of attention.

They are recommended for traditional weddings. There are flowers where stems are wrapped around in ribbons and they are called Hand-tied bouquets. These bouquets bring a casual aura and are recommended for garden weddings. There are also Contemporary bouquets where flowers are arranged in style but with no geometric form. These arrangements of flowers represent the individuality of a bride and are mostly used in sophisticated weddings.

8. The top wedding flowers are Rose, Lilly, Orchid, Hyacinth, Tulip, Stephanotis and Daisy. You may want to follow the trend and choose these flowers for your bouquet.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Prepare Your Year-Long Wedding Checklist

Your wedding should be coming up within the next 6 to 12 months. Do you know what to do and when exactly you need to do them? Here is a guided timeline that specifically gives you the approximate time tasks that should be completed within that time frame.

Use the following list as a guide to help you get the right things done, in the appropriate order. Print this guide out and “check off” all the items that you have completed to make things less stressful and more fun for you.


Six To Twelve (6 -12) Months Before The “Big Day”!

Announce your engagement

Decide on what kind of wedding and the time of day. Are you prepared to feed your guests dinner or do you want a simple ceremony with cake and punch only? The time of day that you choose will dictate the food choices.

Pick a date. Do this as soon as possible so that your bridal party and faraway family can begin making arrangements for hotels and scheduling time away from their workplace.

Choose a location. Remember to take into consideration what the weather could be like on your wedding day. So keep an open mind. Set a budget. This is so important. Discuss it carefully between the two of you and your respective families.

Start planning the reception. Secure a hall, hotel, lodge, or whatever suits you guys for your reception area.

Select the bridal party. It is important to do this as soon as possible so these special people can set aside some time away from work to fulfill their duties and roles in your wedding.

Secure the church and inquire about premarital counseling. Some churches require this for a marriage to be allowed.

Choose your colors. Your flowers, attire, linens, and cake will reflect your choice. Since you have to shop for these items fairly far in advance, it’s important that you are rock-solid on your color decision.

Choose and order the bridal gown, bridesmaids’ gowns and accessories. Choose wisely and stay within your budget.

Start planning the honeymoon. The groom often takes the lead on this, but it should be a spot you will both enjoy.

Begin your bridal registry. Visit your favorite stores and choose items that you will need to start your life together.

Select and order wedding invitations and announcements.

Select the caterer, photographer, florist, and musicians. Keep their phone numbers handy in case you need something.

Choose and order the wedding rings.


Three Months Before The “Big Day”!

Complete the guest list.

Plan to have both mothers select their dresses. The mother of the groom will often wait for the mother of the bride to select her dress.

Make reservations for the honeymoon. Remember to tell them that you will be newlyweds. You’ll be surprised at how many perks you will get!

Confirm the dates and times with the florist, caterer, photographer, musicians, and the church.

Discuss transportation to and from the wedding and reception sites.

Order the wedding cake.

Choose and order the tuxes

Schedule the bridesmaids’ dress fittings. It is also a good time to choose and dye the shoes if that is necessary.

Place engagement announcement in the local newspaper (optional).


Two Months Before The “Big Day”!

Prepare and mail the invitations.

Get the marriage license.

Finalize the honeymoon reservations.

Make transportation arrangements


One Month Before The “Big Day”!

Reserve accommodation for the guests.

Record gifts received and send thank-you letters to each person. Many couples think that they must wait to send those thank you notes. Get them done as soon as the gifts begin to arrive to avoid stressful times later on closer to your wedding.

Purchase the gifts for the bridal party. Brides often buy inexpensive earrings or necklaces that the bridesmaids can wear to the wedding. Popular choices for the groomsmen are money clips, key chains, or ball caps.

Schedule the final fittings for the bride and bridesmaids.

Get Wedding programs printed.

Schedule appointments at beauty saloons for attendants, if needed.

Host the bridesmaids luncheon.

Purchase a guest book and decide where it will go. Some couples place the book just inside the door of the church or wedding area. Some prefer to display it at their reception. In either case, have someone stand nearby to invite guests to sign the book.


Two Weeks Before The “Big Day”!

Arrange to have names changed on the driver’s license, social security, etc...

Finalize the number of guests with the caterer.


One Week Before The “Big Day”!

Start packing for the honeymoon. Be sure to choose clothing that you won’t need during this very big week for you.

Plan the seating arrangements for all guests.

Have a beautician practice fixing your hair. You may also want to practice your make-up or make an appointment at a department store so it can be done for you.

Make sure that the wedding rings are picked up and fit.


The “Big Day”!!!

Congratulations! You made it to your big day! The last thing to do is to just relax. You’ve earned it and should enjoy your entire day!

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Wedding Etiquette: - Summarized

Unique Wedding Program Etiquette and Wedding Announcement Etiquette

Looking for solutions for your specialized wedding needs? Whether you are planning a traditional or contemporary wedding, we have unique wedding program etiquette and wedding announcement etiquette suggestions for you here!

Other Wedding Stationery Etiquette

So you have selected your wedding invitations, and you feel like you are done with the wedding stationery. Think again! There is also wedding program etiquette, wedding place card etiquette and wedding announcement etiquette to attend to. If you want your programs, place cards and announcements to all reflect the theme of your wedding and have a design and style to complement your wedding invitations, you should consider having them designed together.

Wedding Programs Etiquette

If you are having a ceremony that not all of your guests will be familiar with, such as a religious ceremony or a unique ceremony that incorporates cultural rites, you may want to consider putting together a wedding program. Even unique fairy-tale-type nuptials require some sort of wedding program so guests can follow along and know where they are in the time line of the entire ceremony.

Any program should include the processional, service components and explanations of any ceremonial elements that may be unfamiliar.

Wedding Place Card Etiquette

Seated dinners of more than 20 guests typically require place cards to help them find the right seats. Typically designed to match the rest of your wedding stationery, these place cards can be pre-printed or hand written. The most common way to introduce place cards to guests is by placing them on a table at the entrance. All names will be in alphabetical order with a table number so the guests can guide themselves to their tables in an organized fashion.

More upscale weddings often employ a host of ushers that guide guests to their tables according to a guest list and seating chart. Once there, the guests will find that their place cards are already in place.

Wedding Announcements Etiquette

As a good rule of thumb, wedding announcements, while not required, should be sent to acquaintances, friends and relatives who were not invited to the wedding, but may show an interest in your marriage. A good audience would be your co-workers or distant relatives. A common mistake is sending these announcements to guests who were invited to the wedding.

Wedding announcements should be sent within a few weeks after the wedding. In a perfect world, they'll all be sent within the first few days following.

The wording and design of the announcement will be similar to what you used on the invitation. If you chose a more traditional invitation where the parents did the "inviting" then that's the way it should be on the announcement. However, more modern couples choose to have the invitation-and announcement-come from them rather than their parents.

Thank You Cards Etiquette

Thank you cards are perhaps the most forgotten part of the wedding. Couples concentrate so heavily on the ceremony and reception and all of their collective elements that they forget post-wedding courtesy.

Many couples choose to have their thank you cards printed to match the rest of their wedding stationery. While not required as a matter of etiquette, this is often a good idea.

Everyone who attended the wedding should get a thank you card-whether they brought you a gift or not. If they did bring a gift, it's okay to mention the gift specifically in the thank-you card. If they didn't bring a gift, then thank them for attending.

Couples or families who received one invitation should get one thank you card rather than sending one thank you card per individual.

Whether you are ordering announcements, thank you cards, programs, invitations or other stationery, it is a good idea to order everything together in order to save money and assure the designs are consistent.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Important FAQs on Wedding Decorum

Q: Should guests have a say on the menu?

While it is not mandatory, it is still a thoughtful gesture to allow them to share their ideas or inputs on food. After all, you want them to enjoy and feel comfortable during the wedding. You really don’t have to conduct a 100% guest survey, but just keep in mind that there may be vegetarians present during the celebration too.

Q: Are wedding favors necessary?

The wedding favors can be your sincerest expression of gratitude to your guests for being a part of the occasion. Moreover, these will serve as great keepsakes for your big day.

Q: Should the bridesmaids pay for their own dresses and accessories?

It has always been an accepted custom that the bridesmaids are responsible for their own wedding attire and accessories. That is why it is appropriate to give each of them a gift as a token of your gratitude.

Q: What is the most appropriate number of bridesmaids?

It is actually your choice. But you don’t want your wedding to look like one giant parade. Six bridesmaids is considered by some as plenty. But at least, if one or two won’t be there for some reasons, no one will notice you’re one bridesmaid short.

Q: Is it ok not to invite co-workers?

Of course, it is. Especially if they’re not the people you maintain close friendships with, then there is no reason why you should stretch the budget for them. Just tell them politely that the wedding is going to be attended only by your family and that your budget does not allow you to hold a big one.

Q: When should thank you notes be sent out?

Sending these out about three to four weeks after the occasion is appropriate. Remember though that these should never be typed, but should be handwritten. Make sure that you include the guests’ names and your very own thank you notes to them.

Q: Should my RSVP state my bridal registry?

No. this is not appropriate. This will look like you are soliciting gifts from your guests. Instead, have your own wedding website. This will allow you to provide all the details of your wedding, with links to the bridal registry.

Q: Is it proper to dance with both fathers in my life?

This is your wedding. And even if there are certain traditions to live by, you can still get away with your own rules. If you are close to both fathers, then by all means dance with both of them. However, if you feel that you will be creating a tension by doing so, then refrain from doing it.

Q: Should I use the gifts I received even if I call off the wedding?

Your wedding gifts and those that were given during your shower should be returned in case a couple’s wedding is canceled or is annulled prior to their living together.

Weddings entail so many preparations that some people do not have the time to check if they have everything under decorum. Since wedding celebrations have vastly evolved throughout the years, there really is no definite standard for them.

During the preparations, what you have or how much you spent on them is not really important. You may have the best and the most expensive wedding essentials the world can conceive, but they don’t really serve that much purpose any way you look at it. The important thing is you have found someone whom you love to have close for the rest of your life.

And what better way to celebrate this magic than by having the people who matter most witness it? You don’t have to go over etiquette book to do things right. So before you make or alter any wedding plans, see everything from your guests’ point of view. What you don’t like seeing or hearing, won’t be pleasing to them as well.

Anyway, granting that you only have your closest family and friends on your wedding, you can ease up on decorum. Because no matter how you planned your wedding to be, they’ll surely let you get away with it. After all, you don’t get to celebrate your big day often.

Planning to tie the knot, follow these tips and it will become a lifetime experience which you ad your beloved one will never forget And Have a good luck

Friday, April 3, 2009

Wedding Etiquette For A Second Marriage

Wedding Etiquette For A Second MarriageWhat if your heart beats again for the second time? Scary, isn't it? Many questions pop-up your mind especially now that he proposed marriage to you. The first question that your mind has formed was what is the wedding etiquette for a second marriage?

It is a tough question but it needs to be answered. Learning the wedding etiquette for a second marriage will help you lessen the pressure and tension that your first family (which you love so much) has unconsciously thrown at your back. You need to carry the situation like any sensible adult.

Before, it is a popular thought that second marriage should not be elaborate, extravagant and formal the way a first marriage is celebrated. But today, this belief does not hold true anymore. You can still aim for an intimate, smaller and quieter second marriage but you can also celebrate a festive one, if you prefer and your budget allows you to do so.

What is important is that your second marriage is celebrated the way you would want it to be. Don't limit yourself and do what others expect you to do for a second marriage. Remember, it is you who will get wed and not them. Besides, you would not violate any wedding etiquette by following your heart's desires.

Here are some information for you on wedding etiquette for a second marriage.

Wedding Etiquette for a Second Marriage - Announcing Your Engagement

In getting wed for the second time, your major concerns will be the second marriage's effect on your children, if you have any, and to your close relatives. If you plan to remarry, your children should know first of your decision. You must ready your children for having a new family and new brothers and sisters. Uniting two families will not be stressful for you but for your children, most especially.

The next to be informed are your parents. Of course, they need to be in your wedding and informing them is a sign of courtesy to them. Next will be your ex, especially if you have arranged joint custody for the children. He should know that there will be some changes in your household.

Also, you should wear your new engagement ring. There mustn't have any trace of old flames on your fingers the moment you begin planning and announcing your second wedding.

Wedding Etiquette for a Second Marriage - Dress Issue

Widow brides who are getting married for the second time are expected to wear lilac or lavender dress. But these does not hold true nowadays. Wedding etiquette for a second marriage gives bride a chance to wear white dress again. Divorced brides can also wear white dress although they could remove the veil and tiara and instead simply wear flowers on your head.

Wedding Etiquette for a Second Marriage - Who to Invite?

When planning for your second wedding, think that you can invite any person you want to attend to your wedding. Refrain from inviting former in-laws and ex-spouses, even if you are on good terms with them. Guests may also feel awkward seeing and being around them.

If your children, however, requested that their father should be in the wedding, try to talk them out about it and tell them how awkward it would feel for the new in-laws and the new groom to see an ex-spouse around. Wedding etiquette for a second marriage does not obligate you to invite an ex-spouse to your second wedding, although you may do so if the situation warranted.

But if your new groom agrees to the idea of inviting an ex-spouse as requested by the children and your ex-spouse agreed on it, then you may invite your ex-spouse to attend your second wedding.

But there is a more sensible idea than inviting your ex-spouse to your wedding. Invite him to a dinner, perhaps at your home, with your children and new husband, if he is up to it. Tell your children that the dinner replaces the wedding invitation and your children may finally agree on not inviting their father on the wedding day. You may do this before or after your wedding or honeymoon.

Friday, March 27, 2009

The Wedding Etiquette Announcements

The Wedding Etiquette AnnouncementsBeginning on the day he proposed, there are certain wedding etiquette announcements to be observed. The couple should be aware of these wedding etiquette announcements or else wedding could fall into jeopardy.

There are wedding etiquette announcements to be observed when breaking the news to the parents. First, let the people closest to you know of your plans. The groom must ask the bride’s parents for her hand in marriage. It is traditional that men do wedding etiquette announcements to both families but modern times have changed this. Now, both of them can make the wedding etiquette announcements together personally.

The wedding etiquette announcements for friends can be personally by the couple. They can also plan a party for both their friends and turn it into an engagement party. The couple on this event can choose their maid of honor and best man.

Wedding etiquette announcements for sponsors should be done personally with the help of the parents. The sponsors can be chosen by influence, convenience, prestige, or by relationship. The important thing to remember is to get them to commit in being your sponsors and list them down in your planner.

The wedding etiquette announcements for wedding details can be overwhelming, which is why most couples hire a wedding coordinator. If your budget can fit in the fee for this person’s services, hire them. It will greatly lift the pressure of planning, organizing and supervising the entire event.

The maid of honor often performs wedding etiquette announcements for the bridal shower. The bridesmaids, mother and other women family members are invited to chip in and join the event. Depending on what they have prepared, the bride can expect something as elegant as a garden tea party or wild as a trip to the local men’s strip joint.

The best man makes the wedding etiquette announcements for the bachelor party or stag party. Stag parties require little preparation since most parties only require five things: the groom, food, drinks, music and entertainment. The entertainments have wedding etiquette announcements of using either a stripper or just a regular DVD player and watching x-rated movies.

There is a third option of making wedding etiquette announcements for a couple shower. Friends of both the bride and groom organize and celebrate this event. The best choice for this is to have a themed party, something with fantasy on it like a masque ball or have it done like Carmen Elektra and her husband Dave of Inxs where it was one big stripper party.

The wedding preparations:

The wedding etiquette announcements for the flowers should be booked months in advance. The same goes for the caterer, the arranger and the musicians. If the couple decides to hire a wedding coordinator, this will be an easier job for them.

The wedding etiquette announcements for the dress fitting is should also be made weeks in advance. Any adjustments to the dress can be done as the wedding date comes closer. For the men, their clothes are classic pieces so it is no problem for the coordinator. However, it is a must that the groomsmen have a neat hair cut prior to the wedding.

The photography and video documentation needs of the couple should be provided by the coordinator. As a rule, wedding etiquette announcements for photo and video coverage of the wedding can be open to bidders. This way they couple can sample the best work and hire the one they like most at a price that they can handle.

On the wedding event:

Within weeks of the big day, the wedding etiquette announcements for invitations should have already been mailed. Along with it are the wedding etiquette announcements regarding the attire, program, location of the wedding and a map to the reception.

The wedding etiquette announcements for the wedding program at the ceremony is usually printed and given to the guests as they arrive at the church. The couple can skip this if they prefer an informal ceremony.

With the solemnity of church celebration over, it is now time for everyone to relax at the reception. There is still another program in the event but most of it is well-wishes, thanksgiving and entertainment for everyone who attended the wedding.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Wedding Etiquette: Cash Bar Wedding Parties

Wedding Etiquette: Cash Bar Wedding PartiesAs more couples, these days are celebrating their wedding in the evening; throwing open bar party has become a trend and is rapidly gaining popularity. Open bar implies that the guest can order any number of drinks of the brand of his liking. There is no upper limit to the number of drinks which must be ordered. This is a way opted by couples who are ready to burn a hole in their wallets.

However, many couples are opting for cash bars as it would come under their budget. Unlike open bars, in any cash bar wedding party, the guests have to pay for every order they make. The newlyweds cannot be held liable in case of non payment by the guest. The guests have to hand down a bill for the drink similar to the way a customer usually does while he orders a drink at the local bar.

Wedding Etiquette, however, commands the brides and grooms to not opt for cash bars. You would be evaluated as a zero if you opt for one. Even couples with tight budgets are not advised to go for it.

As cash bars defy Wedding Etiquettes, you are sure to receive unpleasant and nasty remarks from guests if you opt for it. These remarks may range anywhere from commenting on your budget to your manners. Hence, it is advisable not to go ahead with cash bars. Rather, you can end your reception with a quiet sit down dinner thereby saving yourself and your spouse from the embarrassment right on your special day.

The point that guests forget here is that they themselves are defying wedding etiquettes by commenting on your efforts. But, there is no way that we can silence them.

Answer to the cash bar problem

There is one alternative available to the cash bar. According to Wedding etiquette experts, you can opt for a semi open bar instead whereby you need not fear about defying Wedding Etiquette and simultaneously you need not have to bear the brunt.

Experts on wedding etiquette say that it is advisable to cash bar all the drinks after the first two while the first and the second drinks can be under the open bar system.

As per social drinking standards, two drinks are acceptable. By opting for this combination of open bar and the cash bar, you can be sure that the guests attending the party are satisfied while you can also be happy that you need not burn a whole in your pocket. This way of hosting the evening party also ensures that the guests maintain their composure and excessive drinking by the guests can also be avoided. Thus, a large number of couples who are a bit tight on their budget are opting for this combination way of hosting the cocktail party.

Second Wedding, Do It Right This Time...

Tradition and etiquette dictates that second weddings should be simple and casual instead of being formal and extravagant. However, the number of second or encore wedding is sharply growing each year. Such ceremony is designed to celebrate two people who want to embark on a new marriage with different partners.

Etiquette In Announcing Your Engagement

The immediate concern in planning a second wedding is how to announce this to you children. The children should always be the first be notified of your decision to remarry, as this will combine two already established families. Expect you children to be stressed by your move and they will need a certain amount of time to accept the situation.

The bride and groom’s parents should be the next to be informed and then the respective ex’s. The ex-wife or ex-husband should make an effort to appease the children and reassure them about their roles in the new family.

Engagement rings from the past should not be worn anymore based on second wedding etiquette. All signs of previous relationships should be taken away once planning for the wedding and announcements are made.

A second marriage can be announced informally such as advertising it in the newspaper, making emails and phone calls. Under second wedding etiquette, the couple does not have to host an engagement party but a small gathering can be organized where you can make that important announcement.

Who’s Going?

Just about anybody can attend your second wedding. However, in observance of second wedding etiquette ex-spouses and former in-laws should not be invited even if you are in speaking terms to avoid awkwardness among the other guests.

The bride and groom should calculate a realistic budget for the wedding. This is a rare chance to again have the wedding of your dreams, it could be elegant, extravagant and intimate.

Vows and Ceremonies

Second wedding are normally made in civil ceremonies but can also be done in a religious ceremony. They are many ways to make the ceremony fell very intimate and special. Writing vows is common among second wedding and there is an abundance of books written about it. The children can be assigned to do an important part of the ceremony in order to foster unity. They can escort you while walking the aisle, read passages from the bible or serve as attendants in the event.

The closest family members and friends of the new couple can walk down the aisle or no one at all.


Are Bridal Showers Needed?

Bridal showers for encore brides are normally but this need to adhere with second etiquette rules.

Only guests should be invited

Club, Office and school showers can also be done and can be attended by other not on the
official guest list. However, those that attended the bride’s first wedding should not participate.

Wedding Gifts and Registry

Guest should make they register. Some guests will have the uncontrollable urge to give something even if the couple does not want gifts. It’s also acceptable for encore couples to sign in the gift registry.

Wedding Gift Ideas for Second Marriages

  • Gift certificates—restaurants, spas, stores
  • DVD player and DVDs
  • Charity Donations
  • Coffee maker, pasta maker, cook books

Wedding Receptions and Parties

The reception of a second wedding may be extravagant or simple depending on the taste of the couple. The bride and gross will be first at the line and followed by their children. The traditional garter and bridal bouquet toss are optional.

Not Necessary In A Second Marriage

  • Rehearsal Dinner
  • Attendants
  • Accompanying the bride down the aisle
  • Procession

Advisable

  • Make a gift registry even if you don’t want gifts.
  • The children should have responsibilities in the ceremony.
  • Customize and personalize the wedding and reception.

Please Avoid

  • Doing the same things in like your first wedding.
  • Wearing a similar wedding dress.
  • Marry in the exact spot of your first wedding.
  • Use old rings from a past marriage.
  • Criticizing former spouses

Optional

  • Showers
  • Engagement Party
  • Announcement in the newspaper
  • Rehearsal Dinner
  • A laving wedding with attendants
  • Parents walking down the aisle
  • A different color for the wedding dress instead of white

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Invitations And Announcements

Wedding etiquette is essential when it comes to letting the world know about your new upcoming marriage and the invitations that you send to your guests. Getting this right really does set the stage for what your guests will think and feel about you for the next months.

Wedding Invitation Design

One of the first things to determine is how the wedding invitation will be set up. Whose name goes first? What happens when things are more than just a simple wedding? The fact is that there are many questions that come up with the wedding invitation design.

First, here are a few etiquette friendly methods of writing an invitation:

• Start with the sponsor or the bride’s parents names.

Mr. and Mrs. Bob Smith should be the beginning of the invitations.

• Follow this with, "request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their daughter”

• Next, include the first names of the bride and the groom, "Ann Marie to Mr. Adam Jones”

• Follow this with the date and time of the wedding followed by the location.

The invitation should also include the groom’s parents if both will be helping to pay for or sponsor the wedding. The bride’s parent’s names should be first, followed by the groom’s.

If the bride and the groom are sending the invitations, their names should appear such as this:

Miss Ann Marie Smith

And
Mr. Adam Jones

Now, it gets a bit trickier when you add in the divorces and other complications. To determine what the right way to design the wedding invitation is, remember this.

The parents that are issuing the invitations, sponsoring the wedding, paying for the wedding should have their name go first. If you have more than one parent, start the invitation with the bride’s parents (father first) and then the groom’s parents second.

There are also special situations that can follow these rules such as brothers and sisters hosting the wedding, grandparents and many, many more. The goal is to give proper respect to the individuals that are sponsoring the wedding first and foremost.

List the purpose of the invitation on it. For example, this should be an invitation to the marriage of their daughter or, an invitation to the celebration of their daughter’s marriage for a reception only. If there is no reception or only selected guests will be there, the invitation would be directed as an invitation for the ceremony of marriage of the daughter.