Wedding Etiquette

This is How It’s Going to Happen..

Weddings have lots of traditions, and some things have to be done the right way (if you’re into that kind of thing). Some of the traditions are listed below.

Invitations

The hosts of the wedding should be the ones inviting guests to the wedding. For example, if your mum and dad are paying for the wedding they are generally considered to be the hosts.

Traditional wedding invitations go like this:

The bride’s parents as hosts

Mr and Mrs John Smith are delighted to invite
________________________
to the wedding of their daughter
Jane
to Mr Harry Jones
on Saturday 26th April 2011

The bride and groom as hosts

Mr Harry Jones and Miss Jane Smith
are delighted to invite
_____________________
to their wedding
on Saturday 26th April 2011

The Running Order

The Ceremony

Your wedding ceremony will begin with the processional. Your bridesmaids will step together, step together up the aisle with you following behind escorted by your dad or your giver-away-er.

The religious chap or the officiate will say an introduction and then there’s a hymn. Then follows your marriage! (One of my friend’s wedding ceremony started at 1pm and she was married by 10 past!) Then follows prayers at a religious ceremony and readings or blessings and finally signing the marriage certificate! At that point it’s all official! No turning back now!

Your wedding service will end with you and your husband walking back down the aisle!

It’s generally expected to provide an order of service with the words to hymns and songs, sometimes the words for readings so that the guests can sing along.

The Reception

After the photos, you either greet all your guests in a receiving line or try to mingle. While you’re speaking to your guests and having photos taken, most venues provide canapés.

Then it’s dinner, followed by the toasts and speeches, however tradition is ignored if your speakers are very nervous! The father-of-the-bride goes first, then the groom and finally the best man.

After the speeches is the cutting of the cake followed by the first dance. The cutting of the cake normally happens before the evening guests arrive, the first dance after your even guests have gathered.

It is traditional for the guests to stay at the party until the bride and groom leave, however this is becoming less and less common with carriages at midnight!

A Busy Day

All in all it’s a very busy day and you may find yourself super tired at the end of it. Make sure you plan a very relaxing day after to unwind and keep yourself from feeling a bit of an anti-climax.