Your Etiquette Answers
/Hello from this Oklahoma calligrapher!
Brides.com has some great information on the most popular etiquette when it comes to formal events, like weddings. Can you guess what the first 5 questions are? No need to guess!!! Here they are:
1. When Should We Send Our Save the Dates and Invitations?
When it comes to your invitations, timing is everything. Traditionally, save the dates are mailed four months in advance, with invitations going out around eight weeks before the wedding date. If you're having a destination wedding, add a little time on the front end: Send save the dates up to six months in advance, and invitations 12 weeks before the event. This will give your guests plenty of time to arrange their schedules and shop around for great flight deals.
2. Who gets a plus-one? While tradition states that only those who are married or engaged should always be invited with a plus-one, common practice has gotten a little more modern. The wedding invitation plus one really should be given to any of your guests in a serious relationship. So if your college roommate is in a long-term relationship or lives with her significant other, you really should invite them as a couple. Did your cousin just start dating someone new? In that case, it's your call—and no one will hold it against you if you invite her solo. The exception: You should invite your immediate family members and your wedding party with their significant other or a generic "and guest" no matter what their relationship status is.
3. How long should we give our guests to RSVP? The general rule of thumb is to set your RSVP date for four weeks after you mail the invitations, giving them time to receive the invite and send back their response. The timing can change depending on the type of wedding you're having. For a local wedding, with very few guests coming in from out-of-town, set your RSVP date for two weeks before your wedding date, allowing up to six weeks to RSVP. Wedding RSVP etiquette for destination dictates starting earlier. Request your RSVPs back seven weeks before the wedding date. So, if you mail your invitations 12 weeks in advance, you're giving guests five weeks to finalize their plans. This will also give you a little extra time to track down people you haven't heard from to ensure everyone is accounted for.
4. Should we include dress code information on the invitation?
Dress code information is perfectly acceptable to include on the invitation. If you do so, put in the lower right hand corner. If you do not include a dress code, the invitation itself should serve as an indication of the dress code (i.e. a very ornate invitation will indicate a formal dress code, while a more casual invitation would denote a more casual dress code).
5. Can we add our wedding website information to the invitation?
Absolutely! Your guests will be excited to see your website. You can include the information right on the invitation, or you can add a separate card to the invitation suite that lists the website.
