A wedding is a day when a couple commits themselves to a life of love, respect, and trust, thus, taking their relationship to a deeper and more meaningful level. This makes the wedding day one of the most special days of their life; hence, they will want it to be a day that will be cherished by them forever. However, planning and organizing a wedding is not a child’s play; therefore, it is important to start the planning process before the actual day. Although most couples start the planning process months before the wedding, there have been many cases where guests were not happy or there was some problem in the wedding ceremony. One of the main reasons for this is that many of them do not know about proper wedding etiquette. So, if you have decided to tie the knot or have been invited to attend one, here is some information on proper wedding etiquette that you have to follow.
Proper Etiquette for Wedding
From the time the couple gets engaged, they must follow various etiquettes until their wedding day. It is customary for the couple to inform their parents about their engagement before they tell anyone else, including their grandparents, siblings, very close friends, etc. Once the couple has told their parents, it is the mother of the groom responsibility to initiate contact with the bride’s parents by inviting them for an informal dinner or lunch. In this way, everything the couple does for the wedding has certain rules attached to them. Hence, let us take a look at some of the important wedding etiquette.
Who will Pay for the Wedding?
Traditionally, the bride’s parents are responsible for paying for the wedding. However, this trend has changed in recent years, and nowadays, most weddings are sponsored by the parents of both the bride and the groom. As couples are marrying late and have their own savings, many of them decide to share the expenses of the wedding without involving their parents. It can be said that there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to the question who will pay for the wedding.
Pre-Wedding Celebrations
Before the wedding day, it has become a trend to celebrate the upcoming wedding with small parties or functions. However, none of these pre-wedding parties should be hosted by the bride and the groom. For instance, the bridal shower should always be organized by one of the bridesmaids or the bride’s friend, while the groomsman or the best man usually hosts the bachelor party. Also, according to etiquette, the groom’s parents are responsible for hosting the rehearsal dinner.
Proper Wedding Invitation Etiquette
While sending invitations, there are some etiquettes that the couple have to follow. One mistake many of them make is that once they send the ‘save the date card,’ they think it is unnecessary to send the wedding invitations. However, this is not true, rather save the date card is sent only to inform your close friends about the date of the wedding, so that they can keep themselves free from any other commitments. If you do not want the guests to bring their children to the wedding, address the card only to the couple and do not mention the children’s name. However, if you want to invite children above 18, you have to send a separate invitation; otherwise, they are considered uninvited. Do not forget to send RSVP card with the invitation and make sure that you put return postage on them. Guests who have not replied to your invitation even a week before your wedding should be called to confirm their attendance.
Proper Wedding Gift Etiquette
Apart from the invitation etiquette, it is also important to know about the proper wedding gift etiquette. One must understand that it is considered impolite to put one’s wedding gift registry information on the wedding invitation. This information should only be given to the guests through close family and friends. Another way of informing your guests about the place where you have registered is by starting a personal wedding website where you can add all these details. However, when it comes to bridal showers, you can mention the place of registration in the invitation. Nevertheless, you should not use the gifts you receive for your shower before marriage. Also, avoid opening the gifts in front of the guests ar the wedding reception.
