Got Wedding Etiquette?

Dear Polite One, I recently married in the Bahamas with only 3 witnesses and no family. We want to host a simple ceremony and celebration once we arrive in the states. We plan to include a flower girl and ring bearer and my parents walking me down the aisle.     I understand that I shouldn't register or expect bridal showers, but many ask me where I'm registered and when I am having a shower. What should I do? For the reception, I want to have refreshments, dancing but no alcohol.   Is this proper manners ? Wants to share our joy Dear Wants to Share Our Joy, It isn't appropriate to host a second wedding or vow renewal.   It’s too soon after your first.   So, it is most appropriate to host a reception.   If you do host a vow renewal, there are no wedding elements, like attendants, including child attendants, and no one walks down the aisle with you.   You don't need an escort.   It is best if you and your husband walked in from the ...

  Angry Social Media Posting Brides Commit Major Etiquette Faux Pas     Alarming as it may be to those who know better, it appears that many are unaware of the simplest of etiquette rules: Be grateful when someone gives a gift.   With these days of skyrocketing travel costs and cash-strapped wallets, this is especially true for wedding gift recipients.   After all, attending a wedding can be awfully expensive for guests. As an etiquette consultant, I feel the need to offer a manners tutorial due to a couple of recent exceptionally bizarre bridezilla stories floating around the Internet.   What are the stories? One unappreciative bride chastised a guest via text message about a gift basket filled with gourmet goodies he gave instead of cash.   The other gag-inducing story involved a financially struggling guest the bride publicly chastised via social media for giving a less than adequate cash gift.   Honestly, I'm not making this up. ...

Your Bridesmaids Will Love These! Most people think of summer as baseball, picnic, or barbecue season.   However, for an etiquette consultant, it can mean only one thing—Wedding Season!   As the weather warms, I’m elbow deep in wedding questions, many of those from frantic brides wondering what to do about their bridesmaids’ gifts.   Consequently, I’ve come up with a few perfect choices, which I’m sharing with you today.   Ready, set…gift! Oh!   I forgot to mention the wedding challenge.   There is a quiz question buried in this ditty.   Let’s see if you can find it and know the answer. Traditional gifts trump all! The traditional bridesmaid’s gift is jewelry, more specifically a necklace.   A necklace is a perfect, and more to the point, logical choice.   After all, the bride can control the overall appearance of her wedding if she also chooses her maid’s jewelry.   Speaking of “maids”, who were the first bridesmaids and why...

  Etiquette Tips for Guest As a guest, it is important to remember that you are not the focus.   Keep that in mind.   It is easy to be a courteous guest.   Attire Unless it is part of the culture of the bridal couple, guests do not wear red.   It steals the show. Avoid revealing attire. Dress in the formality of the event. When in doubt, ask the couple or a member of the family what the dress code is. Behavior Avoid being too loud. Be observant and respectful of traditional wedding and reception elements. Remember that it isn’t all about you.    Yikes! Alcohol Consumption No brainer!   Don’t overindulge.   Drink plenty of non-alcoholic beverages to avoid embarrassing yourself and others.   Etiquette Tips for Gift Giving Couples, please remember that the shower is optional and wedding guests invited to the shower are then responsible for two gifts, one for the shower and one for the wedding, so be kind, th...

It seems that we all have strong feelings about what a wedding should be.   Many feel that it is the most important day of a couple’s life.   Well, it may be the most important day, so far, in a couple’s life.   But it is just another day for everyone else.   Because this is true, we must plan carefully not only focusing on our wedding but also focusing attention on our guests.   After all, we are hosts to our guests. Please Note Parents are no longer financially responsible for their children’s weddings.   This also means that the wedding is no longer a social event for parents.   How to Invite Guests to a Wedding in Vegas With No Reception? Dear Polite One, We will be getting married in Las Vegas and want to send out invitations to a select small group of people, as they have indicated that they would like to come.  This is only for a wedding (no reception).   How do you word this sort of invitation ?  Keep in mind t...

Tales of Our Wedding Our wedding was a casual affair focusing on sharing time with those near and dear to us. We didn't want to spend a great deal or to begin our marriage in debt. So, we hosted ours at our local Veteran's Memorial Center beginning in the afternoon. Saving money on the venue is imperative, as it can be quite costly. With this choice we saved thousands. Of course, hosting our reception in the afternoon also lowers the total cost by allowing us to serve lunch instead of dinner. A lovely, tree-lined courtyard in the center of the property was the perfect setting for the ceremony which was followed by the reception in a large room steps away. The room was lit with natural light from large windows on both sides of the room. The major plus was the kitchen access. For the meal, we chose one of our favorite Italian restaurants as the caterer. It is amazing how inexpensive it was.  Everyone raved about the food. I took classes so I could make our cake . It was beau...

Consider These Ideas Consider a used or rented wedding gown. Please avoid cringing. The dress is only worn once and then placed in a box, which will probably never be opened again. So, picture yourself in an expensive designer gown you didn't think you could ever afford. And the best part is that it is a fraction of the price of one that is new. Plus, you would be "doing the right thing" by being less wasteful. That is a great way to begin this next stage of your life. Used Gowns Preowned Wedding Dresses Used Wedding Dresses Rental Gowns Rent The Runway Search online. More options appear often. Be kind and use rental dresses for your maids as well Please leave your ideas in the comment section to share with others! More by The Polite One Money-Saving Wedding & Reception Tips Money-Saving Officiate Tips Money-Saving Cake Alternatives 

Wedding Programs A wedding program is basically a document to inform guests of what is to come and who are the principal players.    Dear Polite One, My mother and a male friend will escort me down the aisle. How should I list him on the program? Escorted Dear Escorted, You could list it this way: Escorting the bride: Mrs. Joan Doe, mother of the bride Mr. John Smith, friend of the bride You may also walk alone without an escort. Sincerely, The Polite One More by The Polite One Formal replies? What is inner envelope etiquette? Rehearsal dinner invitations?

  Dear Polite One, We are both in our sixties , have both been married before, and recently became engaged. We would like to place an announcement in the paper, but we are not sure who does this.  Would it be my parents or us?  We plan to be married in my hometown close to our families even though we don't live there Ready to Announce Dear Ready to Announce, Those previously married and older couples usually place their announcements. You may list your parents though. More than likely, all the information you need for placing your announcement, including forms, is on the newspaper’s website.  There may not be the need to contact anyone.  So, search online first.  Please note, not all newspapers print wedding announcements these days, so don’t be surprised if this is the case.  If that is not the case, contact the Lifestyle section of the newspaper to find the correct spelling of the editor’s name and mail everything to her/him. Ask ...

  To say that weddings have become more than just uniting two people is an understatement.  Weddings are big business these days.  Because of this, the simple ceremony where two people and their families gather to join in marriage has become this mammoth event with a life of its own.   So, many times and for many people, weddings have become a colossal headache, with unrealistic expectations, debt, and hurt feelings all around.  And, for what? To have the "perfect" wedding (whatever that is), to pretend to be a princess for a day, or to just please mothers who want to be that perfect little princess vicariously through their daughters?  It can be exhausting.  And how do guests and attendants feel about the current wedding climate?  How do they feel about the endless wedding-related events, gifts, and expectations?  What are their gripes and feelings about the all-important day to play dress-up, better known as the wedding? ...