Modern Wedding Etiquette
Weddings are full of traditions, customs, and etiquette. However, like all other cultural institutions, wedding are fluid and do change with the times, at least in some instances. Even wedding etiquette evolves, and certain things which were once taboo might now be widely acceptable. This is the most up-to-date modern wedding etiquette.
Old Rule: Black is for funerals, and therefore is strictly taboo for wedding attire.
New Rule: Black is acceptable for wedding attire, particularly in the evening, as long as it is party wear (no business suits on ladies) and worn with festive accessories, such as sparkly Swarovski crystal earrings. A word of caution: this change in etiquette is somewhat regional, being widely accepted in big cities, but not in all areas of the country. A black dress at a wedding in a conservative Southern town is going to be the cause of some raised eyebrows.
Old Rule: The rehearsal dinner is an event for the bridal party and the immediate families of the bride and groom.
New Rule: With most wedding guests being out-of-towners these days, the most gracious option is a wedding welcome party the night before the wedding which includes all of the guests who are present.
Old Rule: Guests may not leave a wedding reception until the newlyweds have made their departure.
New Rule: These days, many newlyweds stay and dance all night at their receptions, especially if they are having a late night after-party with a d.j. Guests who do not have the stamina to outlast the bride and groom can leave after the cake has been cut without feeling impolite.
Old Rule: A white bridal gown represents purity. A first time bride wearing another color risks being labeled a “Jezebel” and a second time bride wearing white is an absolute scandal.
New Rule: White is a just a color, if a traditional one. Any bride may wear white if she pleases, just as any bride may opt for a different color, even red. Like the rule about wearing black, this one may vary depending on how conservative the town or family is. A second time bride should avoid a long train and veil, even if she does wear a white wedding dress.
Naturally, brides and guests may always choose to follow the more traditional form of etiquette (personally, I would not wear an all black dress to a wedding), but the updated etiquette does allow for some more flexibility in preparing for a wedding.
Filed under Wedding Planning, crystal bridal jewelry | Tags: modern wedding etiquette, Swarovski crystal earrings, wedding etiquette | Comment (0)Electronic Wedding Etiquette
It seems like every day one hears of new ways in which electronic communications are being used in appalling ways related to weddings. As technology evolves, etiquette comes along for the ride to ensure that brides and grooms know how to graciously comport themselves in any situation. This is the latest electronic wedding etiquette, including Facebook, texting, wedding websites, and email.
Did you hear the one about the groom who stopped in the middle of his wedding ceremony to update his status on Facebook to “married”? Either he has the world’s least trusting bride or he went way too far. A marriage ceremony is a solemn and momentous occasion, certainly not one which should be interrupted by something so trivial. The worst part is that once word of something like that gets out on the Internet, other people will also decide to give it a go, even if it is only done in jest.
It should really go without saying that guests should turn off their cell phones for the duration of a wedding ceremony (as well as for funerals). Times being what they are, it must also be stated that the groom should turn off his cell phone, and that the bride should not be carrying one at all, even if she has one of those wedding gowns with pockets. No matter how many crystals you put on it, a cell phone cannot count as wedding jewelry! Save the ringing for the church bells, please.
Wedding websites can be a fantastic way to share information about your upcoming nuptials with your guests. They can, however, get a bride and groom into some trouble. For one thing, bridal registry information, while an acceptable item to include on a wedding website, should not be the main feature. Wedding invitations and thank you notes should never be sent by e-mail. This is one time when the old way of doing things is still the best way, even for the most modern of couples.
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