How to Write a Wedding Announcement

By doing a little bit of homework, it has become much easier to write your wedding announcement. With the rising cost of large-scale weddings, many prefer smaller ceremonies with more intimate gatherings of family and friends. Wedding announcements sent out shortly before or just after the event have become a much more popular way of letting the community know about your special day.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Internet access
• computer

1. Decide with your future spouse who you wish to invite to your event. By establishing a guest list right away you will eliminate any confusion about who should get announcements and who should get invitations.

2. Get online and do some research. Check out several wedding etiquette Web sites and read through the dos and don’ts of the procedure. Keep in mind that many families are now blended and there are specific rules that need to be followed about parents of the bride and groom. Be sure to take notes from each site.

3. Take a look at several stationary outlet sites as well. Many online retailers have categorized Web sites that allow you to jump to their listings for announcements. These will give you some ideas for patterns, colors and styles.

4. Decide on a style for the announcement itself. Take into consideration the level of formality of your wedding to help you decide how the announcement should be worded. More formal ceremonies should have more formally written announcements and less formal should have more relaxed wording.

5. Sit down and write out your announcement. Most stationers have standard templates that you can draw from in writing it, but remember to take steps to personalize it as well. Maybe consider adding a special thank you to a favorite relative, or express your gratitude to the larger community for the congratulations that you’ve gotten.

Tips & Warnings

• Check out the frequently asked questions section of the etiquette Web sites that you are visiting. Most general questions can be answered there, and they will give you good background information and some preliminary rules.
• Many etiquette Web sites have a section that allows you to email them a question. They are usually pretty good at getting back to you within 24 hours. Consider using this option if you have a question that you just can’t answer on your own.
• Remember to consider the feelings of each set of parents. If the bride or groom has parents that have divorced and remarried there may be concerns about how to word the announcement.
• If ordering announcements online, make sure that the site you are buying from is legitimate and that they offer a preview option so that you can see the announcement before you buy. To avoid any hassles consider buying your announcements from a local stationer.