Wedding Invitations

Movie theatres, certain areas in hospitals, school lunchrooms, public libraries, wedding ceremonies.  What do all of these things have in common?  Don’t spend all day racking your brains trying to come up with the answer, we’ll tell you right now.  The way that your wedding ceremony and movie theatres are the same is that both places need to remind guests to shut off their cell phones while there.  

These days, you will very often open a wedding’s ceremony program to find a note reminding everyone to silence their cell phones.  Some wedding venues even have it listed, front and center, in their event guidelines and regulations, to remind guests to silence or shut off cell phones.  A gentle reminder in the program is the most ideal method to ensure no one’s raucous ring tones interrupt the quieter and more tender moments of the wedding.  According to Emily Post, absolute wedding etiquette expert, it is also acceptable to have a little sign by the guest book at a ceremony.  Mrs. Post notes that a verbal announcement (something like “The ceremony is about to begin; could everyone please make sure their cell phones are silenced?”) would be acceptable wedding etiquette, but the written reminders are more preferred by etiquette.

Let’s not overlook some folks, though, and remember that the silencing of cell phones should not be limited to wedding guests.  All too often, members of the wedding party neglect to shut off their phones, only to discover the error at a very inopportune moment in the ceremony, for instance, while in the middle of the vows!  Many wedding venues or wedding coordinators are there to assist the wedding party just prior to the ceremony; you could ask them to be in charge of making sure the bridesmaids and groomsmen have silenced their phones.

For most brides planning weddings, choosing a wedding invitation to send out to their guests is standard. Yes, some brides send emails or write letters or make phone calls to invite their guests to their wedding ceremonies, but for the most part, the majority of couples stick with mailing tried-and-true wedding invitations out to their guests.

But don’t forget that your wedding invitation isn’t the only invitation that you might need need to select. Bridal showers need invitations, engagement parties need invitations, rehearsal dinners need invitations. Many couples are now putting together a full weekend of events for their guests in addition to the wedding, with such things as casual barbeques the day before for their attendants, or day-after family style brunch as a sort of sendoff for the honeymooners. And those events need invitations, too!

As with any invitation, wedding-related or otherwise, etiquette dictates that the basics of the event be crystal clear for the guests. Time, date, location, and perhaps any dress code or suggestions should absolutely, without fail, be appearing on an invitation. And, of course, it’s best to be absolutely sure to send out invitations well enough in advance of your bridal shower or wedding for your prospective guests to plan accordingly (especially any guests who are coming in from out of town). Even those who like to defy wedding etiquette can’t argue with the wisdom of making it easy for their guests to attend.