Wedding Etiquette 101
Oops, guess I made a social faux pas when I asked if Squidman can go to a wedding when he wasn’t invited. Don’t make the same mistake I did! Double check here first.
Look closely at the envelope in which the invitation came. To whom is it addressed?
* If it is addressed to only you: your hosts expect you to attend the wedding alone. They will no doubt attempt to seat you with other single people and/or acquaintances of yours. As the wedding date approaches, you might ask the couple if other mutual friends who have been invited solo, then arrange to arrive at the wedding with them. This might be particularly desirable if you are a single woman attending an evening wedding and have any qualms about not having an escort for the event.
* If it is addressed to you “and Guest”: your hosts intend for you to invite the date of your choice. Make your plans immediately and, when you send your response card, indicate your guest’s name (write clearly!) so that they can personalize your date’s place card, if they are to be used.
* If it addressed to you and your significant other: your hosts intend for just the two of you to attend. If you have children as well, sorry, but they aren’t invited. Take no offense. Your children are no doubt lovely and well-behaved. It just may not be a child-oriented event. Try to remember that this is the couple’s special day, and perhaps children don’t readily fit into the picture they have of their dream wedding. Instead of taking umbrage, find a sitter and enjoy yourselves. Be sure to indicate exactly how many of you are attending when you send your response card (if only one of you can attend, make sure that is indicated clearly, so the hosts can plan accordingly).
* If it addressed to you and your significant other (if you have one), and then indicates your children’s names as well: then you are all welcome. This is also the case if it says “and children” or “and family” after your names, or if it is addressed to “The Your Name Family”. Again, when you send your response card, indicate exactly who is attending so to facilitate the hosts’ planning and creation of place cards, etc.
It is not appropriate to ask the couple or the hosts to let you bring extra people, even your children. If the exclusion of your children is such a problem that you can not attend without them, simply send your regrets, saying that family matters prevents you from being able to attend, and leave it at that.
April 25th, 2005 at 11:17 pm
Wait… what if it addressed only to you and you have a significant other? That scenario wasn’t covered in this test matrix!
April 26th, 2005 at 7:25 am
no doubt..wedding are expensive, generally cost the wedding couple $100-$200 per guest depending on how fancy the wedding is. So its not like they can invite every john, dick, and jane
April 26th, 2005 at 9:50 am
Holy crap they are expensive!
http://money.cnn.com/2003/05/30/pf/saving/weddings_costs/
>>Love may be priceless. Weddings aren’t. These days, an average wedding runs $22,360, according to Conde Nast Bridal Infobank. Though the final tab will vary widely depending on where and how you say, “I do.”
If you want a bargain, for example, head down south, where weddings average a relatively inexpensive $18,624.
On the other end of the spectrum: New York City. This year, a typical ceremony in the Big Apple averages $33,424. As a result, many urban brides and grooms are finding clever methods to trim costs.
April 26th, 2005 at 9:58 am
if you have a significant other but they’re not on the invitation, then you have to go alone.. it’s the rules! sorry dtc…
April 26th, 2005 at 10:24 am
I think weddings in the south and more rural areas brought the average down. Many of the weddings I been to cost around $50k (though I heard one of the wedding cost up to $100k).
Las Vegas is the way to go. $50 wedding BABY!!!
April 27th, 2005 at 8:54 am
We’ll remember that for your special day Jenny =)