Planning your beach wedding can be stressful enough without the added worry about keeping all of the rules straight. Without a doubt, invitations involve more rules and customs than anything else associated with weddings, but thankfully for casual beach weddings, you can safely throw most of them out the window.
But you should keep these rules/customs in mind and use them if your heart tells you it's the right thing to do. Even if your best girlfriend thinks differently.
How far in advance should I send the wedding invitations?
My best sources suggest that you send them out at least 8 weeks before the beach wedding. With this much advance notice, every guest should have plenty of time to make their travel plans, arrange for time off from work, and get the best deals on air fares.
Can I send information about bridal registries with the invitation?
No matter where you hold your wedding or how formal or casual it is, it's considered rude to include any kind of information regarding gifts with your wedding invitation. It's better to circulate this information later, possibly through word of mouth, an email, your Facebook page or private website, or even an additional mailing.
Do I need to include a separate reception card?
You'll be happy to know that the answer is No. If the reception is going to be held on the beach or very near the site of the ceremony, guests assume that everyone invited to the wedding is also invited to the reception. Even so, it's a courtesy to add a brief sentence at the bottom of the invitation announcing that a reception will follow immediately afterwards
On the other hand, if the reception will be some distance from the site of the ceremony, for a beach wedding it is still OK to include the required information on the invitation itself.
What do I do when two unmarried people are invited from the same house?
This can get a bit touchy. If they consider themselves a couple, then the recommendation is to send only one invitation, but write each name on a separate line in the address area. The custom is to address them alphabetically. However, if the two are a parent and an adult child or just roommates, then it's best to send two invitations.
Is OK to mention my deceased mother/father on my invitations?
This is a really bad idea because anyone specifically mentioned on the invitation (other than the bride and groom) is assumed to be hosting the event. If you are planning a wedding program, you can honor them there. Otherwise, consider a short memorial either at the ceremony or afterwards.
If you give a little thought to these guidelines, you may avoid making an unfortunate etiquette goof that you may regret long after your great beach wedding.
No comments:
Post a Comment