The last envelope has been sealed, and you’re officially on a first name basis with the good folks at the post office. You raise your fist in victory as the final wedding invitations roll off the tip of your fingers. You find yourself humming "Blue Skies" as you high five the mailman.
Fast forward two days and the reply cards start lining your mailbox. This, my friend, is when the trouble begins.
Suddenly, Cousin Rita has added a date, and Uncle Martin has written in his three children. Oh, and they’d like chicken fingers, thanks.
What in the world is a girl to do?
It’s time to dust off the Emily Post and put it to good use. Etiquette is the new black and we here at Wedology 101 endorse it 110 percent. In our office sits a copy of Ms. Post’s sage words; we contend that it was wise when first written, and is still incredibly meaningful today.
"We find that brides really do want to know how to handle things regarding their big day the correct way," said Wedology 101 guru Elizabeth Howard, owner of invitation, stationery and gift boutique The Cordial Cricket in Chester. "We provide etiquette advice and answer questions on a daily basis. Brides always seem to be put at ease when knowing how to handle what could be a sticky situation, appropriately."
Etiquette brings order to what can be a chaotic time. It’s very rare that anyone likes to be told what to do, but we encourage you to embrace it under these circumstances. Dilemmas will come and go and having dear Etiquette serve as your proverbial wingman ensures that you are handling each situation appropriately. If you find yourself with a disgruntled guest, simply point to your new paperback compatriot and shrug. After all, you don’t make the rules.
When the day is done and the final bobby pin removed, carry your newfound propriety through to your marriage by making time to thank each and every guest for his or her gift. It was a task, not so long ago, that was begrudgingly completed. Now, it’s a life skill that is synonymous with good business and social practices.
Our advice? Make it sincere, make it prompt and make them smile.
"The best advice we give to brides is to be prepared and be prompt when writing their thank you notes," said Howard. "We recommend that they order plenty of personalized thank you notes early in their wedding planning process so they have them ready for all the gifts they will be receiving. They can quickly become overwhelmed by this task, so being prompt by writing notes for gifts as they are received can eliminate feeling the pressure of having to craft a large number of notes at once."
After all, in 20 years, you may shake your head at your choice in bridesmaid gowns, but good manners will never go out of style.
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