In my quest to provide my reader’s with the most up to date information in one place, I searched some forums and q&a’s to find some up to date responses to questions I see often in forums and on blogs – what is the proper wedding invitation etiquette for divorced parents? Below is one of the questions most often posed and can be conformed to meet almost any scenario of divorced parents.
“My fiance’s parents are divorced and his father is remarried. His mother is not remarried but never changed her married name back to her maiden name. How would I word this invitation other than “Together with their Parents” which I feel is too informal.”
You eliminate the idea of designating a host entirely. In modern times, we rarely have the “traditional” wedding in which the brides parents bore all expenses and hosted everything from their home, so the old form in which the bride’s parents issued invitations is obsolete. Since it would be gauche for your invitation to reveal private information, like who paid for what, one of the most tasteful ways to issue your invitations is in the passive voice.
The pleasure of the company of
[invite each guest by name, even nursing infants]
is requested at a dinner dance
to celebrate the marriage of
Bonnie Bridella, daughter of
Joyce Bridella Newman and James Newman, and
Thomas Bridella, to
Gregory Groomly, son of
Victoria Groomly and
Robert Morris,
at Two O’Clock etc etc etc
Please feel free to add your own comments or suggestions. Helping readers with all the different scenarios is a group effort. Hope this helps.
Wedding Invitation Samples Flickr photo by SillyLabs
You want a beautiful invitation for your wedding day but you just aren’t sure of the type of invitation, style, font or theme quite yet. Going all out and either making your own or having them professionally done is a big step, especially if you aren’t quite sure how the final product will look. Well, it is easier than ever to create a few of your sample wedding invitations before you dive head first. By creating some samples first, you will be able to show them to friends and relatives to get some opinions before you make a decision. This not only will help to alleviate the stress of the “unknown” but will give you the assurance that the final product will be exactly what you expected. The last thing a bride to be needs when planning a wedding is the wrong type of surprises. Here are a few easy and quick tips to creating your own sample wedding invitations:
First, be sure you have a good word processing program (Word is great). Most of them have downloadable templates for wedding invitations. Browse through the selections and pick a few of your favorites and then download the ones you like best. Many of these templates can also be found online and are free to download.
Find good high quality card stock that you plan to use to print the invites. If you aren’t sure yet which color or style of stock you want, then purchase one ream of each color only. Use the same stock thickness that you plan on using for your invite so you get a good and true picture of the look and feel of the invitation.
Insert your paper choice into a digital laser printer. If you don’t have a good quality printer, then you can always print a sample copy on plain white paper and take it to a local printer and have them duplicate the invitation on various stocks. The standard wedding invitation size is 8 1/2 x 11 but choose whatever size suits your tastes.
Finally fold your invitation and trim away any excess. Embellish each invitation differently adding your own personal touches to each so you get a good idea of which ones look best.
Creating your own sample wedding invitations is a great way to get a glimpse into the type of wedding invitation and style will look best for your wedding day without spending a fortune up front. Knowing exactly what you will be getting and being happy with the end result will go a long way in checking one more stress factor off of your list and ensuring that your invitation is exactly what you had envisioned.
Writing or creating wedding invitation text can be a little overwhelming and most couples tend to overthink the process when they get started. Keeping it simple Sally(?) (KISS) is a very applicable statement here. The simpler, the better.
No need to fret, wording an invitation can be fun and stress free with a little thought and planning. With so many different family scenarios out there including divorced and widowed parents, a lot of different options are available and make the process a little easier.
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First you need to decide what type of wedding you are going to have. Basically it comes down to 2 choices: formal and non-formal.
Regardless of the type of non-formal; casual, destination, small and simple, choosing your wording can be as informal as the affair. However, if you go the formal route there are definintely some rules of etiquette that need to be followed.
With a formal invitation, the wording needs to be as formal as the affair.
Spell out names in their entirety, i.e., spell out the names of addresses, streets, numbers, avenues, etc.
Use Roman Numerals rather than numbers as in Paul Jones II.
Use proper English or the “British” version of the words “honour” and “favour”.
If it is a Church wedding or religious wedding ceremony then use the phrase “request the honour of your presence”; if it is non-religious but formal then “request the pleasure of your company”.
The font for formal is usually black ink with an engraved style or script style.
A less formal or casual invitation has a lot more wiggle room. You can express yourself and your style to reflect the theme and feel of the affair. The only rules of thumb are to be sure to include the date and time of the wedding, the location (ceremony and reception) and a map with directions. If there are any out of town visitors, a list of weekend events and nearby locations is a great “add on”.
Stressing over wedding invitation text should be the least of your concerns. Send it and they will come. Do a little research up front, determine the type of wedding you want to have and remember – KISS; the simpler, the better.
This is a great video for wedding invitation kits using a pocketfold wedding invitation. There is no speaking it is just set to music which is a refreshing change of pace. The instructions are pretty much step by step as they appear on the screen in unison with what you are watching. This video is not as detailed as some of the videos on making your own wedding invitations but it is enough information to get you going in the right direction and creating a beautiful pocketfold wedding invitation if that is the invitation of choice. The video demonstrates how to create your own seal for your envelope and how to place it on the envelope so guests don’t “tear” it open. Watch the video and enjoy.
So much to do and so much to plan. Where do you begin. Caterer, booking a room, looking for a dress, a photographer…everything needs to be perfect. Sometimes, though, in the hustle and bustle of planning for THE big day, getting people there is often overlooked. One of the most important decisions you will make as a couple is the wedding invitation. It is the window to your special day…the beginning of this journey that you have set out to do together. So knowing the proper wedding invitation etiquetteis crucial in planning for your wedding and should not be overlooked. After all, the wedding invitation is an expression of who you are as a couple, a symbol of the bond and commitment you have made with each other.
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Knowing the proper wedding invitation etiquette can be difficult but if you follow a few simple rules, you will be well on your way to a successful special day and ease the burden of overload to make this a simpler, smoother process for the both of you.
Regardless of whether you have chosen to create your own wedding invitations using a wedding invitation kit or have them done professionally, they need to be high quality and proofread diligently to avoid embarrassing spelling mistakes. Making your own invitations allows you the ability to use special calligraphic fonts to help your personality shine through and be an economically feasible option, especially for the smaller wedding. Either way, there are some do’s and don’ts to wedding invitation etiquette that need to be followed.
When preparing your wedding invitations, be certain to keep things direct. Spelling out all abbreviations is a necessity, including spelling out the date and time. The date and time should be written out in words, not in numbers. This is a necessity because following the proper etiquette will make your personality shine through and represent who you both are as a couple, making this day even more special.
Your parents need to be included in the invitation (more often than not, they are monetarily tied into this wedding so including them is essential). Traditionally, the bride and groom’s parents are presented first followed by the invitation to share in the union of their children. Next will come the names of the bride and groom to be. Some people choose to have their names first followed by “daughter of” or “son of” after their names. This is a personal decision and either way is acceptable.
So what else needs to be included on the wedding invitation? Most importantly, the date of your wedding and the location. Specify the location, date and time of the ceremony and a statement about the reception if there is one after the ceremony (time of the reception also is important, i.e., immediately following the ceremony). Including a small map is always a good idea and one that many people choose to ensure their guests have no problem finding their ceremony or reception.
RSVPs – if you have a need for an RSVP, be certain to include an RSVP card with the invitation and be sure that it is stamped. Not including a stamp is in very poor taste and may result in people not returning the card. In most cases, an RSVP card can be a post card or a small envelope that is addressed back to themselves. If you have out of town guests (and even if you don’t) including a list of rooms available is a good idea. Include meal choices and anything else relevant to the people who are attending the wedding.
Remember that their are certain rules that govern the invitation including when to send it out, what should be included, how the wording should look. Be sure to follow all of the proper wedding invitation etiquette when preparing your invitations.
In summary, here are some basic, easy to follow rules to help ease your worries.
When to send out the invite? No later than 6 or 8 weeks before your wedding day. Telling people the date of your wedding far in advance is always a good idea since many times people plan their wedding years in advance. A good option to telling everyone early is sending out save the date cards. These cards include your name, the date of your wedding and a statement that the formal wedding invitation will be following. It helps people to keep that date in their calendars and post it somewhere where they will see it so it won’t be forgotten. Many of them come as refrigerator magnets and can easily be posted on one’s refrigerator as a constant reminder. Whether or not you use save the date cards, you want to be sure to send your actual invitations out early enough as to allow time for RSVP’s and the corresponding list to compile for the caterer. Doing things early will ensure a smoother day and relieve an unnecessary stress factor from your already large “to do” list.
Include your names, parent’s names, date of your wedding and location (a small map if necessary).
If an RSVP is needed, include it with the invitation as a post card or small card with an self addressed stamped envelope. Be certain to remember the stamp!
Lastly, regardless if you do it yourself or get it professionally done, PROOFREAD it carefully. You don’t want a ton of wedding invitations sitting there with the wrong date, time or name misspelled.
Your wedding is quite possibly, one of the most important days of your life. Starting it out right is essential. Wedding Invitations are the window to your world and following the proper wedding invitation etiquette is essential to a successful wonderful and enchanting day to remember for the rest of your life.
Writing or creating wedding invitation text can be a little overwhelming and most couples tend to overthink the process when they get started. Keeping it simple Sally(?) (KISS) is a very applicable statement here. The simpler, the better.
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