Archive for the ‘Etiquette’ Category
Top 3 Bridal Shower Etiquette Questions
March 11th, 2010
The experts answer your most frequently asked bridal shower questions…
Who hosts the bridal shower?
Traditionally, etiquette dictated that only friends of the bride could host a shower, as it appeared self-serving for family members of the couple to throw a bridal shower. Nowadays, Nicky Reinhard of David Reinhard Events believes it’s appropriate for a range of people to host the shower. “In the old days, not even family members were meant to take part in the planning,” says Reinhard. “But as events get less traditional and more elaborate, people other than the bridesmaids and family friends are playing host. Today, the bride’s mother and sisters — even the groom’s mother — throw showers.”
Who is invited to a bridal shower?
The guest list for a bridal shower typically includes the bridal party, close friends and family. Just remember, anyone you invite to a shower should also be invited to the wedding. There are exceptions, of course. “If you’re having a tiny destination wedding, you can include people who aren’t invited to the main event as guests to the shower,” says Reinhard. “But you really shouldn’t do that if you’re having a larger wedding.”
When should bridal shower invitations be mailed?
According to celebrity event planner Mindy Weiss, the invites should go out a month to six weeks in advance–and never by email. “The (stationery) options right now are truly endless — from letterpress to couture — and suit all budgets,” says Weiss. “There are so many more options than there used to be.” And, yes, you can mention where the bride is registered on the invitation or on an insert included in the envelope.
Do you have additional questions about bridal shower etiquette? Email them to me at pj@thesociallifeofpaper.com, and they could be included in a future blog post!
(via Martha Stewart Weddings, image source)
posted in Etiquette under Bridal Shower | 1 comment »
What to Say in a Birth Announcement
March 5th, 2010
There are typically four parts to a birth announcement:
Introduction
You may choose to open with a short phrase or poem like “Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice…” for a baby girl or something simple like one of these options:
“Welcome…”
“We welcome with love…”
“We’re thrilled to announce…”
“Announcing the arrival of…”
Baby’s Name
Your baby’s name should be the focus of the birth announcement. Along with his or her first and middle name, you may also want to include your baby’s last name.
Birth Information
You’ll want to share the basic details: date, weight and length. You may also choose to mention the time of birth and the city and state of the hospital.
Family’s Names
Conclude the announcement with the parents’ first names, followed by the names of siblings. Some people even include the names of beloved pets! It is not necessary to repeat your last name if you already included it with your baby’s name. If you’d like, you can use a complimentary closing like “Proudly” or “With love.”
(image: Wiley Valentine)
posted in Etiquette under Baby | no comments »
Do I Need to Send Save the Dates?
February 17th, 2010
It is not a requirement to send Save the Date cards, but they can be quite helpful if you are planning a destination wedding or if many of your guests are from out of town. Announcing the date of your wedding well in advance gives your guests the opportunity to find the best rates and make arrangements for their transportation and hotel room. You may also want to give guests a heads up if you are scheduling your wedding over a holiday weekend so that they don’t plan their yearly beach trip on your big day.
I recommend sending Save the Dates six to nine months in advance of the wedding. And remember, anybody who receives a Save the Date must also receive an invitation!
Keep the wording of your Save the Date simple:
Please save the date
for the wedding of
Emily Blunt
and
John Krasinski
July 4, 2010
Malibu, California
Formal invitation to follow
or
Emily and John are getting married!
July 4, 2010
Malibu, California
Invitation to follow
I advise brides to include the URL of their wedding website on the bottom of the card to encourage people to visit the site. Use your website to share more details about the event, such as information about hotel reservations or activities taking place before or after the wedding. The one thing you never want to include on a Save the Date? Information about your registry!
(image: Dauphine Press)
posted in Etiquette under Wedding | no comments »
When Should I Send Birth Announcements?
February 11th, 2010
It’s not uncommon for a couple of weeks to pass after having a baby before new parents remember to send out birth announcements. Don’t worry! Your friends and family understand that life has suddenly gotten very busy for you. The grace period for sending birth announcements is about six months.
To speed up the process, spend some time during the final weeks of your pregnancy to gather the names and addresses of everyone you’d like to receive an announcement. Think of your family, friends and co-workers. How about sending one to your hairstylist or personal trainer? You may also want to schedule an appointment to browse through my design books. It may be too soon to place an order, but it’s never to early to start getting ideas. If you can narrow down your choices to your favorite two or three, the next time you come in — with your baby! — finalizing the details of the birth announcement won’t take very long.
(image: Wiley Valentine)
posted in Etiquette under Baby | no comments »
what to wear to a wedding
January 27th, 2010
Around Christmastime, my husband and I attended a late-afternoon wedding at a small church in Cleveland followed by a dinner and dancing reception at a hunt club. With no hint from the bride or groom as to what to wear, I assumed the affair was semi-formal and wore a cocktail dress with heels. My husband wore a dark suit with a tie. For the most part, we looked like every other guest in attendance, with the exception of a young woman at my table who was wearing khakis, a cotton sweater and a cozy scarf (which she kept around her neck the entire evening). I couldn’t help but wonder if she felt out of place in her casual ensemble? Did she really think that was appropriate wedding attire?
A similar situation occurred just months before in Omaha. With no dress code indicated, I wore an above-the-knee party dress with heels (my husband was in the wedding party and had to wear a tuxedo) to a Saturday evening wedding. I stood aghast at the sight of guests sporting khaki pants and polo shirts! This was the bride’s and groom’s big day, and several of their friends were dressed for a casual Friday in the office.
This is why I’m an advocate of including a line about dress codes on your invitation. As a bride or groom, you may have a vision of what you want your wedding day to look like, complete with how your guests should dress. Why not give them guidelines so they don’t have to guess what you’d like them to wear–or so that some of them don’t stick out like sore thumbs.
Possible dress codes include:
Black Tie: A gown for her, a tuxedo for him
Black Tie Optional or Formal: A long dress, fancy suit or cocktail dress for her, a tuxedo or dark suit for him
Semi-Formal or Cocktail Attire: A cocktail dress or dressy top and skirt for her, a suit (dark or light depending on the season/time of day) for him
Dressy casual: A sundress or top and skirt for her, a pair of dress pants and a button-down shirt for him
As a guest, if you’re still in doubt as to what to wear, either ask the bride or groom what they would prefer or go a bit dressier. Like my mother always says, it’s better to be over-dressed than under-dressed!
(image source)
posted in Etiquette under | no comments »