Engagement Announcement Etiquette

Learning about engagement announcement etiquette is a great way to start engagement and wedding planning. Following proper etiquette can prevent hurt feelings and will certainly please your mother. You will also find etiquette quite practical.

Once upon a time etiquette ruled the structure of all engagements and weddings. To ignore an aspect of etiquette was considered rude. There were established rules for the couple's engagement announcement, party and plans for related activities. The structure of a proper engagement announcement was important before the technology age because it served as the only source of information about an engaged couple's future plans. This was the only way for many family and friends of a couple to learn about an engagement and wedding plans since phones and computers were not around.

While engagement etiquette is still around, it is much more relaxed today. Modern engaged couples may choose to observe some aspects of traditional etiquette and ignore others.

Some engaged couples find etiquette as a helpful structure for planning their engagement and wedding. Others disregard some etiquette rules, believing that the rules stifle their creativity in planning a unique engagement and wedding.

Knowledge of engagement etiquette is helpful because you do not want to accidentally offend someone such as close relative who is a stickler for proper etiquette. You can keep the etiquette traditions that are important to you, your fiancé and family.

Engaged couples may enjoy some aspects of engagement etiquette. Engagement etiquette provides the following benefits:

• Etiquette provides a suggested structure for the engagement.
• Engagement etiquette is designed to create a smooth engagement experience.
• Fans of tradition may find engagement etiquette romantic.
• Etiquette traditions prevent you from forgetting about important engagement responsibilities and activities.

Engagement announcement etiquette provides a structure for announcing your engagement to relatives and friends.

Years ago, parents of the couple placed an engagement announcement in the local newspaper to inform everyone of the couple's plans. Today, most couples inform their families and close friends before placing newspaper announcements.

When you first announce your engagement, it is important to tell people in a certain order to avoid hurt feelings. For example, your mother might be hurt if a friend informs her about your engagement before you tell her.

Inform family and friends about your engagement in the following order:

• Parents: Inform both sets of parents first.
• Grandparents: After you tell your parents, talk to your grandparents.
• Siblings: Sisters and brothers should find out after parents and grandparents.
• Close relatives: Tell close relatives about the engagement before talking with friends.
• Friends: After all of your close family members know about the engagement, you can announce your happy news to friends.

Please note that if you have children, you should inform them of the engagement first before you tell your parents.

Once you have announced your engagement to close family and friends, you can make a more public announcement. Here are some suggestions for announcing your engagement:

• Send out engagement announcement cards.
• Publish an engagement announcement in the local newspaper.
• Announce your engagement at an event or party.
• Create an engagement and wedding planning website.

Send the formal engagement announcement cards out before announcing the engagement in the newspaper. Since you are sending the cards to extended family, friends and acquaintances, you want them to find out about the engagement before the wider public. The newspaper announcement reaches a larger group of people.

You can find a number of helpful online resources for engagement etiquette. The following websites offer etiquette tips for announcing engagements:

• eNot Alone: The site has an article excerpt from Bridal Guide Magazine on creating newspaper engagement announcements.
• Wedding Express: The Wedding Express site provides helpful advice on useful information to include in engagement announcements.
• The Cost Effective Bride: The Cost Effective Bride site has a number of suggestions for writing proper newspaper engagement announcements.
• Atlanta Bridal: This article discusses Emily Post's tips for engagement announcements.

Engagement announcement etiquette can help take the stress out of engagement and wedding planning. You and your fiancé may also find that learning about engagement etiquette adds special meaning to wedding planning activities.

• Mens Custom Platinum Wedding Bands
• Meanings of Gemstones
• Design My Own Engagement Ring
• How Much Should I Spend On An Engagement Ring
• What is the main gemstone in your engagement ring?

• Unique Engagement Rings
• Celebrity Engagement Rings
• Asscher Cut Engagement Rings
• Pave Setting Engagement Rings
• Engagement Ring Settings