Wedding Etiquette to Follow
Etiquette is very important if you wish to leave a good impression. Even if you want an informal affair, you have to be particular about etiquette. Most of us get married once in a lifetime and we don’t want to mar the celebrations in any way. These guidelines will help you to do things in the proper way. You can only try to be as perfect as possible.
It would be most improper to invite someone to the pre-wedding shower but not to the wedding. If you are not sure if you are inviting someone to the wedding, do not invite them to the shower. The guest will take offence and think that it is only his gift that you want and not his presence. There is only one exception to this rule, that is, if you throw a shower for a co-worker and invite all other co-workers, you need not invite all of them to the wedding.
It is most important to send a Thank You note for each and every gift you have received. Of late it has become almost mandatory to send warm hand written notes to thank every person who has given you a gift. It could be just a brief note mentioning the gift and how much you valued it. Printed notes with only a signature at the bottom or E-mails are not very appropriate. If someone gives you a gift for the shower and also for the wedding, each gift deserves a Thank You note. The note for the shower gift must be sent within 10 days of the shower and the note for the wedding gift must be sent within about 15 days after the honeymoon. You could add your new address to the note. It will help you keep in touch with your friends and relatives.
As soon as the wedding date is set, the budget for the wedding must be ascertained. The couple must specify if they want a formal, semi-formal or informal affair. A formal wedding means you need a larger budget. Fortunately, there is no formal rule regarding who has to pay for what. The bride’s father no longer bears the burden of the wedding ceremony alone, usually the groom’s family also contributes. With couples marrying late, many young people wish to bear the expenses of their own wedding. It would be ideal if the couple sit down with both their families and discuss the matter. It would not be in order to burden anyone with expenses beyond their financial capability. Traditionally, the bride’s family pays for her dress, head piece, accessories, groom’s gift and ring, bridesmaid’s gifts and bouquets, floral decorations, chairs and programs.
These are the important issues to deal with. Besides these there will be several do’s and dont’s which friends and relatives will keep reminding you about. Follow what you can. Remember, you must try to be polite and friendly with all, don’t hurt anyone and have a positive attitude, the wedding is going to be just perfect.