Wedding announcements: the rule of etiquette the perfect choice and message
Wedding announcements are the business cards of a wedding, this is why it is crucial to be very detail oriented in their selection. Specifically, because your choice of color, font or paper belie the style of your big day. But what do the rules of etiquette traditionally require for the perfect wedding announcement?
Wedding Announcements: what to write?
Nowadays, a wedding announcements and invitations are often considered one and the same, however, in the past there was significant distinction between wedding announcements and invitations. The former was sent to all acquaintances so that they could “be present” at the ceremony if they so wished. The invite, instead, was attached to the announcement only for those close friends with whom one wanted to celebrate together at the reception after as well.
According to the rules of etiquette, it should be the parents of the bride and groom to announce the wedding of their children. Today, however, this tradition is waning because bride and groom to be are often already living together or do not live with their parents. As such, it is the couple themselves who announce their wedding.
When writing them, begin with “Dear” or “Dearest” and include the first name and last name, with no additional honorific titles of the guests. Do not forget that the bride’s name should be on the right, and the groom’s on the left. Additionally, you should include the bride and groom’s addresses under the names so that the guests can pay them a visit if they so desired. Finally, remember to include the date, time and location of the ceremony.
Wedding invites, style and tone
While it is preferable to print wedding announcements on tiny foldable pamphlets, the wedding reception information should be printed apart on a smaller leaflet.
It should be printed in the same style as the announcements with additional verbiage inviting the guests written below the address of the location for the reception. Do not forget to include on the bottom right the famous RSVP, or Répondez s’il Vous Plaît. It is a refined way to ask each invitee to confirm that they will be attending.
Following the rules of etiquette, both wedding announcements and invites should be printed on ivory or white paper, with a simple and elegant font. If however your wedding vibe is more informal, you can think about changing them to be more lighthearted.
Wedding Announcements: when to send them?
One of the main questions for couples is when to send wedding announcements.
For family and the bridal party, it is best to hand deliver them. It is a small detail that will make them understand how much you value their presence at your wedding. For friends or distant relatives, it is appropriate to send them three months before the wedding, if they live in Italy, if however they live abroad send them out a couple months sooner. Do not forget to write the address for the hand delivered announcements in elegant legible calligraphy.
Now that I have cleared up how to select and write wedding announcements, all you have to do is to speak with your future spouse and figure out what you want to do!
