1. Engagement
a) Announcements
- Your first responsibility is to inform your families of your decision.
- Traditionally, the bride's parents are informed first and the groom may or may not go through the formality of asking her father's permission.
- If either of you has children, they should be the first to know.
- A get-together can be done by the groom's parents to meet the bride's parents.
- Wedding announcements may be sent after a family ceremony. They are not obligatory and serve only to spread the happy news.
- If you want to announce your wedding in the newspapers, it should be done at least three weeks ahead of your wedding date. Inquire about deadlines from the newspaper.
- Generally you should provide the following:
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a formal portrait of your wedding (the couple or only the bride, as soon as the dress is ready)
- bride's full name
- bride's parents name and town of residence
- bride's parents occupations
- bride's maternal and paternal grandparents
- bride's school and college
- bride's occupation
- groom's full name and town of residence
- groom's parents name and town or residence
- groom's parents occupations
- groom's maternal and paternal grandparents
- groom's school and college
- groom's occupation
- date of the wedding
- location of wedding and reception
- names of bride's and groom's attendants and their relationship with them
- description of bridal and attendant's gowns (specify the designer's name)
- name of the officiant
- name of soloist, if any
- where the couple will honeymoon and reside (town) after the wedding
- Each paper will use as much of the information as it wishes, and in its own words. The announcement generally appears the day following the ceremony.
- Other announcements could be sent to business associates, guests or friends not receiving invitations, and this does not obligate the receiver to send a gift.
- Those announcements should be mailed immediately after the ceremony. Keep the same style as your invitations (you should order them at the same time).
- For a double wedding, announcements could be done separately if the brides are not sisters.
- If an engagement is broken, a notice should appear announcing that the marriage will not take place.
b) Engagement Party
- The bride's parents, the groom's parents or the couple itself may find it appropriate to give an engagement party to make the wedding official and to celebrate it.
- Any style of party is appropriate; a buffet, a cocktail, a picnic, a barbecue etc.
- You could send invitations for the occasion in the name of the host. It is also correct to issue the invitations by an informal note or by telephone.
- Gifts are optional and should not be expected. However, since some guests will want to mark the occasion with a gift, it is wise to list your gift choices soon and register (more information on Registry and Gifts). Do not forget to respond by a thank you note for each gift received.
- Toasts may be proposed by the bride's father, followed by the fiancé toasting you and your parents. You might also make a toast to your fiancé and both sets of parents.
- You could prefer to organize a regular party during which you surprise your guests with the announcement of your engagement.
- The engagement ring is usually given to the future bride (more information on Jewelers). If the engagement is broken, the bride must immediately return the ring and all other presents of any value her fiancé has given her, as well as those given by families and friends.
- In addition to the ring, the fiancés may give each other another gift, such as a jewel, in honor of the engagement or the for the wedding.
- Family and friends may organize many other parties before the wedding (more information on Showers ideas).
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