Invitation etiquette for destination weddings

It's interesting:
"At a time of the year when so much of the life around us is being born and renewed, how appropriate it is that we have gathered on this day to witness Paul and Linda begin their new journey as husband and wife. Spring truly is the season of hope and love, and a great symbol of new beginnings...and I could not imagine a better time to plan such a very special event. For the rest of our lives, I don't believe anyone here could ever think of Spring time without having great memories of today and thinking wonderful and loving thoughts about the two of you."

Destination weddings have distinctive etiquette standards, as they usually entail things that aren't of concern for at-home weddings, such as mentioning attire for unfamiliar climates, inviting people to a separate reception held at home or sending invitations out early to give guests time to book travel. Invitations are an area where brides and grooms need to be particularly careful to avoid confusion, using wording that is easy to understand.

1. Wording

   • Wording for destination wedding invitations is relatively similar to wording for traditional wedding invitations. If guests are invited to attend the wedding, the wording is usually something along the lines of, "Jane Doe and John Smith request the honor of your presence at their marriage on Saturday, the tenth of June, two thousand and eleven at five o'clock, Marriott Resort, Oahu." If the couple are getting married away and having a reception at home, the wording is usually something similar to, "Jane Doe and John Smith are getting married in a private ceremony in the mountains of Tahiti. Please join them at a celebration reception on Saturday, the twentieth of June, two thousand and eleven at five o'clock, Seattle Reception Hall, Washington."

   Timing

   • According to Top Wedding Sites, invitations to destination weddings need to be sent out far in advance--at least three months ahead of time, as opposed to six weeks for at-home weddings. It is also a good idea to send out save the dates up to a year ahead of time.

   Guests

   • While some people believe that it is polite only to send invitations to people whom the couple believes will be able to attend the wedding, The Knot recommends sending invites to anyone that you would like to attend.

   Attire

   • According to Top Wedding Sites, it is a good idea to mention the attire required at a destination wedding, since some people may not know what climate or formality to expect in an unfamiliar area. Simple adding wording such as "Cocktail Attire" or "Casual Attire" will indicate to most people what they should wear on the wedding day.

   Separate Receptions

   • Occasionally, after a destination wedding, some couples have a separate or second reception for family and friends who could not make it to the wedding. The Knot explains that it is traditional to send this invitation out separately if you want certain people to come to the reception but don't want to invite them to the destination wedding. However, if you want to invite people to both the destination wedding and the at-home reception, it is acceptable to send one invitation with both events listed on it.

Source: www.ehow.com

Tags: destination wedding, According Wedding, According Wedding Sites, ahead time, at-home weddings, attend wedding, destination weddings