Tuesday, April 22, 2008

21st-Century Wedding Etiquette

So many questions; so little time.

I get questions all the time about the “proper” etiquette of correspondence. And many of those inquiries center around weddings. Some questions are relatively easy to answer; others are much more complicated.

“Proper” etiquette is a moving target. In Victorian times and well into the 20th century, there were hard-and-fast rules that defined proper etiquette for wedding correspondence. Though strict, these rules brought with them a level of comfort. This is how it’s done, now let’s deal with the cake.

As society evolves, so does etiquette. The fact that people are marrying later, the emergence of intercultural and interfaith marriages, second and third weddings, and alternative ceremonies are all contributing factors to the changing rules of etiquette. Many of the rules of etiquette were made (and continue to be made) to deal with changing social situations. Some of the etiquette deemed proper today would have been unthinkable a generation ago. And, surely, a generation from now many of the current guidelines will seem archaic and obsolete.
To assist today’s brides, and to help me with all those wedding etiquette questions, Crane has released its newest edition of the Wedding Blue Book.

This new edition continues to offer definitive rules relating to traditional correspondence and guidance for implementing a more contemporary approach to everything from save-the-date cards to thank-you notes.

The Blue Book features an easy-to-use format with more sample designs and examples of wording and an extensive selection of traditional and contemporary typestyles. The Blue Book has been expanded to address current and emerging trends in save-the-date cards, commitment ceremonies, wedding programs as well as religious and cultural considerations.

Here’s what my new BFF Letitia Baldridge, the nation’s leading etiquette authority, has to say about the new Wedding Blue Book:

“Greatly needed? Crane’s Wedding Blue Book, that’s what’s needed. Today’s world is in such a state of befuddlement regarding the dos and don’ts of behavior, it’s a joy to see the old traditional rules honored, but updated to make things work better. Thankfully, there’s a new elasticity in invitational language that is based on efficiency without sacrificing kindness.”

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