Proper Wedding Etiquette - 7 Easy Steps

You’ve figured out where you want to get married, where you want to have your honeymoon, and who you want to invite. Now what? What’s the appropriate way of announcing your wedding, inviting your guests, informing them of the members in the wedding party, and thanking them? Let this guide help you with your wedding etiquette questions and wedding planning:

The First Step: Announcement Cards
If you’re not familiar with what an announcement card is, here’s a description and the purpose of such a card. You use an announcement card to announce your engagement to friends, relatives, and loved ones. Sometimes people also use announcement cards as invitations to their engagement party or bridal shower. You asked for wedding etiquette, you got it!

Second Step: Wedding Invitations
This is where proper wedding etiquette really comes into play. Most couples are overwhelmed with wedding invitations, as there are so many different prices and varieties. You can have them printed professionally, buy them at a store, or create them on your own. Find invitations and envelopes that match in size. The inside of your envelope should contain an inner-envelope with your invitation. The inner envelope should only have the name of the invitee printed on it.

Third Step: Reception Cards
Proper wedding etiquette includes for these cards to be sent to guests of your wedding reception, who may not have been cordially invited to the wedding ceremony. Why would anyone do this, you may ask? This is common among re-married couples who only wish to have relatives present at the wedding ceremony.

Fourth Step: RSVP Cards
These cards should completely synchronize (in style, theme, and color) with your wedding invitation. Each RSVP card should be placed in the same envelope as the wedding invitation with pre-paid postage and an envelope for return.

Fifth Step: Wedding Programs
Increasingly popular amongst those who practice wedding etiquette, modern wedding programs are printed on standard-sized paper. They are then folded in half to make a pamphlet or booklet. The booklets are handed out to wedding guests. Usually it’s the usher’s duty to provide these wedding programs to your guests as they are being seated.

Sixth Step: Wedding Guest Book
At your wedding service, your guests may be asked to share a thoughtful sentiment in your wedding guest book. Usually, the bride and groom select a young woman to sit with the wedding guest book. This young lady will encourage your guests to sign the book and share a thought. Eventually the book can be kept as a wonderful wedding keepsake. Your guest book also acts as a reminder of all those guests you’ll wish to thank later.

Seventh Step: Thank You Notes
Very important wedding etiquette! Always (and we mean always!) send thank-you notes to the guests who attended your wedding. You should wait approximately four to six weeks after the date of your wedding. You should hand-write your thank you notes, as it makes each thank-you more personal. Let your guests know that their gift and appearance was very important to you.

Jen Carter is owner of My Wedding Blog, a website devoted to weddings. You may publish our articles on your website only if you do not edit the article in any way, and include all html as direct links to our site. Visit us at www.my-wedding-blog.com