Wedding Invitations

Wedding Invitations: Deceased Husband

Dear Edith

When addressing envelopes to a woman whose husband passed away, how would you address the envelope and place card?

Answer

You still address her properly as Mrs. Robert Jones. I hope this helps .

-Edith

Invitation Wording

Dear Edith

My daughter is getting married and we are paying for everything except for what the groom is suppose to pay for, with another exception, his parents are paying for the rehearsal dinner. Should their names have been included on the invitation?

Answer

In the US, it is optional but not necessary to include the groom’s parents’ names under the circumstances you mention. Naturally the rehearsal dinner invitations will go out in their name. In foreign countries, the parents of the groom’s names are always included. If there is a problem, I suggest you refer them to any etiquette book in any public library. I hope this helps.

-Edith

Invitations to the Rehearsal Dinner

Dear Edith

Who issues the invitations to the rehearsal dinner? Should the bride and groom send them, or the grooms parents (they are hosting the dinne)?

Answer

Thank you for writing. If the groom’s parents are hosting the dinner, of course, they should send the invitations! You are their guests!. I hope this helps

-Edith

Wedding Invitation to the Minister

Dear Edith

I am having a very small wedding (40 people) and I am wondering if it is truly expected that I should invite the minister and his wife. I have only met him one time, during the interview process, and I have never met his wife. If I do need to extend an invitation, do I do it verbally or actually send him an invitation by mail? Thank you for your assistance.

Answer

Yes, my dear it is expected that you invite the minister and his wife. This is a courtesy and they are free to accept or not as they see fit. Do send them a formal invitation. I hope this helps.

-Edith

Invitation Wording for Step Father

Dear Edith

I’m getting married later this year and would like to know to have my invitations printed. My mother passed away a few years ago. I am still very close to my step father and would like to include him on the invitations since he help raise me. My father has also been remarried for a number of years how would I have this worded on my invitations???? Answer

My dear, you have posed a difficult question. There are other matters to consider–who is walking you down the aisle? Who is actually hosting (paying) for the wedding? There are many choices and I would need to know more in order to be of help. You could send the invitations in your and your fiances name adding “along with members of our family” Please get back to me I would like of help!

Edith

Reply……………………..

Dear Edith

Both my father and step father will be walking me down the isle. Both parents along with my fiance and myself are paying for the wedding. Any help or advice you offer is appreciated.

Answer

You could follow my earlier suggestion or you could word the invitation ‘Mr. Father’s name” and below that “Mr. and Mrs. Stepparents names” request the honor of your presence at the marriage of, then omit the word “their daughter” because you can’t be the biological child of three people. Otherwise that would be perfect – do you agree?

-Edith

Invitation Etiquette with Divorced Parents

Dear Edith

I do not plan to have my father walk me down the aisle or help with the wedding financially, but he will be in attendance. My parents are also divorced. How do I write up the invitations? Is there a way to leave my parents’ names off the invitation without being rude?

Answer

You have several options. For divorced parents, it is correct to write the mother’s name first and below her name, the father’s name. Or you could send the invitation out in your and your fiance’s names (if you are financing the wedding), or you could send invitations in your names and say “together with their families” request the honour of your presence. I have this all in my book. I hope this helps.

-Edith

Wedding Invitations: Wording

Dear Edith

My daughter’s wedding:

Parents are divorced.
Mother not remarried.
Husband remarried.
Should the invitation read:
Ms Mother and Mr Father or
Ms Mother and Mr and Mrs
Father (ie include new wife)
Than you so much for your help, This issue is not addressed anywhere.

Answer

The proper wording in your case would be “Mrs. Mother of the bride” below her name, without the word “and”, the father’s name “Mr. father of the bride”, since these are the two biological parents of the bride. I hope this helps.

-Edith

RESPONSE

Dear Edith

Please help me to understand your answer — on why you would not include the stepmother — only the biological parents- Is this the proper way??

THANKS (the stepmother and wife for 15 years)

Answer

First you talk about your daughter’s wedding, then you intimate that you are the step-mother. This is confusing! Weddings are the blending of two families, and it is usual to acknowledge the biological parents, and there are only two people involved in creating a child. Therefore it has been customary to mention the biological mother and biological father in the marriage of “their” daughter. If you decide to include the step-parent, then you need to omit the phrase “their daughter” and merely give the woman’s name, the wedding of Susan Smith. I hope this helps.

-Edith

Invitation Wording – Deceased Parent

Dear Edith

My father has passed on, mother has never remarried. Uncle will take my father’s place. Both me and my husband to be will be issuing the invitations but still we’d like for both sets of parents to be on the invitations so how do word all of this? Thanks.

Answer

You and your fiance could issue the invitation and add the words “together with their families request the honour of your presence” I hope this helps.

-Edith

Invitation Wording for Divorced Parents

Dear Edith

My daughter’s wedding:
Parents are divorced.
Mother not remarried.
Husband remarried.
Should the invitation read: Ms Mother and Mr Father, or Ms Mother and Mr and Mrs Father (ie include new wife)…
Thank you so much for your help, This issue is not addressed anywhere.

Answer

The proper wording in your case would be “Mrs. Mother of the bride” below her name, without the word “and”, the father’s name “Mr. father of the bride”, since these are the two biological parents of the bride. I hope this helps.

-Edith

Invitation Wording for Wedding at a Park

Dear Edith

Our reception is at a lodge in a local county park. The ceremony will be performed at the same location, on the hill next to the lodge. How do I go about wording the invitations to the ceremony? Thanks.

Answer

Please talk to the people at the Lodge and ask them where the guests should go when they arrive for the ceremony, where they park their cars etc. and will they be given directions? Will there be a sign? Then on the invitation, I suggest you state that your wedding ceremony will be held at the Lodge or wherever they suggest, and you could say on the invitation on the bottom left corner ‘Reception immediately following at the Lodge’. I hope this helps.

-Edith

Rehearsal Dinner Invitations

Dear Edith

When do we mail the rehearsal dinner invitations to our out of town guests?

Answer

Rehearsal dinner invitations ought to go out very soon after the wedding invitations so people can make their travel arrangements. I hope this helps.

-Edith

Invitations: RSVP Cards with Extra People

Dear Edith

What should I do when I receive an RSVP card with 10 people listed when only 2 were invited?

Answer

You, or someone close to you, can call the person and say very sweetly that you regret deeply, but space will not permit the additional guests, and you certainly look forward to seeing the two people who were invited.. You may get some flack, but so be it! I hope this helps.

-Edith

Small Wedding Ceremony Invitation Wording

Dear Edith

My fiance and I are planning a small ceremony (we will probably just exchange vows in the garden of the reception site with no march down any isles) before we have a small luncheon for the reception. My question is how to word the invitation.

Answer

Thank you for writing. There is no great diference in the wording of the invitation, unless you wish to mention the words “garden ceremony” and in the lower left hand corner state “Luncheon Following the Ceremony” I hope this helps.

-Edith

Invitations: Son on Wedding Invitation

Dear Edith

How might I word invitations where our son is giving us the wedding. I believe it would be cute.

Answer

I suggest you say on the invitation, Your son’s name followed by “request the pleasure of your company”, or if in church “the honor of your presence at the marriage of his mother”, your name to groom’s name etc etc. I hope this helps.

-Edith

Wedding Invitations: Questions on Proper Usage

Dear Edith

Question:

1. is there a comma before III (ex: Doctor and Mrs. John Francis McQuade, III)
2. do you say “on Saturday, the sixteenth of March” or do you say “Saturday, the sixteenth of March”
3. Is “Two” of “Two thousand and two” capitalized?

Answer

Yes, there is a comma before III 2) yes, on Saturday 3) Two of Two thousand and two is capitalized., but I am sure you know that you only write the year on announcements and not on invitations! I hope this helps.

-Edith

Wedding Invitation with Event

Dear Edith

We are planning to send our wedding invitations out 2 months prior the wedding. Should we send the rehearsal dinner and post-wedding brunch invites out around the same time so our guests will know about all the events of the weekend?

Or, should we wait and send these extra invites after a few weeks, once we receive respond cards, and only send these invites to those who are able to attend the wedding?

Answer

Two months is a long time ahead to send wedding invitations. They are usually sent four weeks ahead. Have you considered sending a “save the date” card several months ahead giving all the pertinent information and adding , “a formal invitation will follow 3 or 4 weeks before the ceremony.” Then the other invitations may be sent to those who accept. A lot depends if guest are scattered all over the country or mainly all live in the same town. I hope this helps.

-Edith

Who Should We Invite

Dear Edith

My fiancee and I are high school sweethearts, but won’t be marrying until we are both graduated from college. Is it appropriate to invite/not invite high school friends, people who knew us both?

Answer

I think you are putting the cart before the horse. First, you have to decide where and when and who will marry you, and your BUDGET for the reception– which affects the guest list! In the meantime, why not get a copy of my book? It will be of enormous help to you!

-Edith

Wedding Invitations: Please Respond

Dear Edith

What is the opposite of “regrets only”? I would like to only receive attendees acceptance.

Answer

The opposite of regrets only is either RSVP or Please Respond.

-Edith

Wedding Invitations Through Email

Dear Edith

How do you accept a wedding invitation via email. What do you write?

Answer

You could say, “Dear ………….I (we) accept with pleasure your kind invitation to your wedding on date………….cordially, sig………..” and for kicks I would reply with a hand written note! It is very tacky to invite someone to a formal occasion via e mail!

-Edith

Who Do We Send Wedding Invitations To?

Dear Edith

Do we send entire invitation (map cards, response cards) to all of the attendants, minister, musicians, parents?

Answer

Yes, my dear invitations are sent to all attendants, parents, minister and spouse. I wonder why you include musicians unless they are friends? If they are paid, they don’t need an invitation, but clear instructions as to where and when to be there. I hope this helps!

-Edith