As you jump into planning for your wedding day, you might start to feel like the White House social secretary strategizing before a state dinner. The word “etiquette” in particular may haunt your dreams. In this day and age, the very word might seem quaint, and it’s true that even traditionalists like yours truly aren’t exactly sticklers for the way things “should” be done. But when it comes to wedding invitations, keeping some rules of etiquette in mind can really make your life easier.
A popular modern trend has been to create wedding websites to keep all your tech-savvy friends and family well informed and up-to-date on preparations surrounding the event. Include information about your wedding website on your save the dates. If you aren’t using save the dates for your wedding because of time constraints, a good idea is to include a small insert card with your wedding invitations that shares the web address for your site.
Follow modern etiquette and don’t include your registry information on your wedding invitations. It is still considered impolite and can sometimes come off as if you expect to receive gifts. Instead, fill your guests in on where you are registered personally and include a section on your wedding website with registry information. (Seriously, what did people do before the internet?)
It can be common for couples to run into a tricky situation or two while addressing their invitations. If you’re planning a wedding reception that is only for adults or if you have specific limitations on the number of guests you can accommodate, make sure to take special care while addressing your envelopes. In order for your guests to understand who the invite is meant for, address each one with full names and don’t use phrasing like “and guest.”
A great way to gracefully let all your guests know what kind of attire is going to be best for the occasion is to match the formality of your wedding invitations with the intended aesthetic for your wedding. For example, formal raised ink wedding invitations are an excellent option to subtly signal to your guests that your event will have a formal vibe.
Have more questions about wedding invitation etiquette or any tips of your own to share? Leave us a comment or start a conversation with us on Facebook!
