Whenthebride’sparentsarethehosts:
Ifthebrideandthegroomarehosts:
Whenthegroom’sparentsarethehosts:
Normally, thefollowinginformationshouldalsobeincludedintheinvitation: stateiftheinviteextendstotheceremony, receptionoreveningparty; children’snamesshouldbeincludedifinvited; whotoreplyto (bottomlefthandcorner); RSVPaddress; telephonenumber; dresscode (leaveoffifnodresscode); addresstheenvelopetothefemaleontheinvitation (ifapplicable).
■Photographs
, withoutguestswaitingunnecessarilyfortheperfectshot.
■Speeches
Traditionally, theweddingspeecheswouldbeaddressedinthefollowingorder:
◇Thebride’sfatherproposesatoasttothebrideandgroom.
◇Thebride’sfathercontinues, withaninsightintohisdaughter.
◇ “MywifeandI” .
◇Thegroomthanksallthoseinvolvedintheorganizingofthewedding.
◇Thegroommaywishtopresenthisandthebride’smotherwithbouquets.
◇Thegroomthankshisattendantsandpresentsthemwithhisgifts.
◇Thegroomthenspeaksabouthisnewwife.
◇Thegroomwillthenproposeatoasttothebridesmaids.
◇Afterthegroomhasfinished, thebridemaywishtospeak.
◇Thebestmanrespondsonbehalfofthebridesmaids.
◇Thebestmanthenannouncesanymessages, telegramsoremailsfromabsentees.
◇Thebestmanthendelivershisspeechwherehetalksaboutthegroom, oftenincludingsomeamusingreflectionsandmemoriesofthepast.
■Blessings
Aweddingblessingisusuallyperformedafteracivilceremony, , becauseitisnotanofficialmarriageservice, , —.
, somecouplesregarditasawaytocommittoeachotherinaninformalway.
■RehearsalDinner
Aninformaldinnerimmediatelyaftertheweddingrehearsalisa “norm” intheUS, .
Traditionally, thegroom’sparentswillhostandpayfortheevent, buttodaymanycouplesbudgetforitintheirweddingplanningandchoosetohostitthemselvesinsomecases.
Therehearsaldinnercanbeheld1to3daysbeforethewedding, .
Thosepresentincludethebrideandgroom, theirimmediatefamilies, eachmemberofthebridalparty—withaguest, -of-townguestscanalsobeinvitedifthebudgetallows.
Timeisusuallyreservedfordrinksbeforehand, , -yougiftscanalsobepresentedtothebridalpartyatthistime.
, sendthemacoupleofdaysaftertheweddinginvitations, andremembertoincludeanRSVPifneeded.
