Wedding Etiquette

Wedding etiquette is a phrase you will probably hear a lot throughout your wedding planning, but do you know which areas of your wedding you should be applying it to?

No worry if you don’t, here is a quick guide to the most common applications of wedding etiquette which you can use for any style of wedding.

Invitations

This is probably the one area that most couples get stuck on. Who sends out the invitations? Who is hosting the wedding? & what exactly do we put inside?

To begin with invitations should be worded from the people who are hosting the wedding, so consider one of the following, to suit your wedding.

Bride & Groom as hosts: Miss Joanne Smith & Mr Paul Jones request the pleasure of at their wedding.

Bride’s parents as hosts: Mr & Mrs Simon Smith request the pleasure of at the marriage of their daughter Joanne to Mr Paul Jones.

Divorced parents as hosts: Mr Simon Smith & Mrs Jayne Smith request the pleasure of at the marriage of their daughter Joanne to Mr Paul Jones.

Evening Party invite only: Mr & Mrs Simon Smith request the pleasure of at an after-dinner evening reception, following the marriage of their daughter Joanne to Mr Paul Jones.

Print RSVP in the bottom left hand corner so guests know you require a reply. Include RSVP cards with the invitation for a speedier response.

Another good tip is to include maps, transport details & local accommodation.

Running Order

The Ceremony - The running order can be the same for religious & civil ceremonies but remember that a civil ceremony must not include any religious references, which includes any music you play.

The ceremony begins with the entrance of the bride, followed by an introduction, a hymn (religious ceremony), the marriage, prayers (religious ceremony) & readings or blessings. Finally there is the signing of the register & your exit down the aisle as Mr & Mrs!

The Reception - At the reception your ushers will guide your guests to the car park & then into the venue. As guests begin to arrive, allow half an hour to welcome them then serve canapés & aperitifs whilst the photos are taken. Next follows the wedding breakfast & then the speeches & toasts. Cutting the cake traditionally takes place once the wedding breakfast & speeches are finished. Your first dance will take place when the evening party begins & your guests should stay until you leave the party.

Gifts

It is traditional to give the mom’s a bouquet of flowers at the reception & you should also have gifts for your bridesmaids, best man, ushers & flower girls & page boys.

Set up a gift registry with a reputable store or website so that guests who want to purchase a gift for you can choose something you want. On average guests will spend between $30 & $70 each.

Many couples prefer cash or vouchers these days but it is considered bad etiquette to mention this in your invitations. Ask your family & friends to pass the word around instead. Another alternative is to put gift vouchers on your gift registry or set up a gift registry with a travel company so you can get vouchers towards your honeymoon.