How to Write Traditional Engagement Announcements

An engagement announcement is typically published in local newspapers.

Congratulations! You're getting married and you can't wait to announce it to the world. If you're all about tradition, you of course told your parents first. The parents of the bride are traditionally the ones to make the announcement on the behalf of the couple. Whether you write the actual wording or the parents do, there is specific protocol to follow for a formal, traditional engagement announcement.

Instructions

1. Start with who is announcing the wedding. Traditionally it is the parents of the bride that make the announcement in their local papers. The start of the announcement would then say for example, "Mr. and Mrs. Jackson of Baltimore announce the engagement of their daughter...,". If one parent is deceased or not in your life, it is fine to include just one parent. It is not traditional for the parents of the groom to make the announcement, but if your circumstances would make that a better fit for your wedding, feel free to do so.

2. Write the name of the couple and the groom's parents next. The bride's name should go first, as it is the bride's parents or parent announcing the engagement for their daughter to the groom. Use formal titles as you did with the parents. For example, after "Mr. and Mrs. Jackson of Baltimore announce the engagement of," write, "Miss Alexis Marie Jackson to Mr. Tyler Lawson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lawson of Annapolis." The same situation applies for the groom's parents if there is only one parent.

3. Include basic details about the wedding. You may not have a venue or even a specific date, but you can include a general time frame such as, "A July wedding is being planned," or "Alexis and Tyler are planning a fall wedding." Keep it brief, as this is a public engagement announcement, not the invitation or a save the date. You don't need to provide specific details.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also include educational credentials of the bride and groom in the announcement if applicable, and space permitting, although not required. Place this information before the wedding details.

References

• The Knot: Engagement To-Dos: Engagement Announcements 101
• Brilliant Wedding Pages; Samples of Engagement Announcement; Feb. 10, 2003
• A to Z of Manners & Etiquette: Engagement Etiquette

Resources

• Modern Manners and Etiquette: Engagement Announcement Etiquette