Writing the Perfect Wedding Announcement

By Deborah Lambeth

So you’ve ordered your dress, arranged for the reception, rented tuxedos, found a caterer, chosen your flowers, and meticulously planned the multitude of other things associated with your wedding day. But wait—how will you let people know afterward that the blessed event has taken place? Particularly people who weren't invited? Certainly, planning how to let people to know of your marriage and ceremony is just as important as all the other preparations you’re making. Those who may not know that this special event has occurred need to celebrate with you!

So how does one go about creating the right announcement? The operative word is "right." There really isn’t any "right" way to write your announcement. However, the tricky part will be writing the announcement from the point of view that the wedding has already happened, since people will be reading it after the wedding. So you want to be sure to provide a complete encapsulation of the day for people who weren’t in attendance, as well as for those who want to look back fondly and remember. (Plus it will make a great addition to your wedding scrapbook.) There are basic things you need to include in your wedding announcement. If you are writing a full length one, you need to think about including the following:

• The full names of the bride and groom and their respective families
• The date and location of your wedding
• The name of the pastor or officiate who performed the ceremony
• Names of bridal party members (bridesmaids, maid of honor, best man, groomsmen, flower girl, ring bearer)
• Names of musicians who played at the wedding and reception
• Information about the reception—where it was held, if there was a particular theme, if there was a band playing, if it was outdoors, etc.

There are other things you can consider including that will make your announcement unique and truly yours—after all, your day will be like no other! Sometimes newspapers will have strict guidelines and will only print the basics. However, some newspapers leave the field wide open for you to create your own. They may charge more for a lengthy announcement, but decide what you can afford and make the announcement as long as your budget and your preferences tell you to make it. Some things you might consider adding on to the basics would be:

• Titles of special music.
• Unique things about your ceremony (for example, some brides have candles placed in memory of a family member or someone special).
• Special aspects of the bride’s attire (some brides wear heirloom veils, or treasured jewelry).
• Different aspects of the groom’s attire (for example, a Scottish kilt, a military uniform, etc.).
• Interesting aspects to your ceremony. (One wedding announcement I read recently had their dogs as best man and maid of honor! Because paw prints are not considered a reputable signature on a marriage certificate, of course there were other witnesses who could fulfill that duty!)
• Your honeymoon destination and how long it will last.
• Personal and professional information about the bride and groom (where you went to school, what you will be or are doing for a job).
• Notes of appreciation at the end of your announcement (for example, "the bride and groom would like to thank their families for their love and support").

An important part of the announcement that you must consider carefully is the picture that will appear alongside the text. Here again, the field is wide open. Some brides choose to have only pictures of themselves, while others choose to include the groom in the photos. I know of one picture where the bride and groom stood in the water (yes, IN the water) for their photo since they were married on the beach. Artful poses can add flair, such as the groom on bended knee looking up at the bride. Whatever way you decide to have your picture taken, give yourself plenty of time to have the portrait made so you can choose the best one for your announcement, or arrange a second photography session if none of the shots turn out exactly as you wanted them to.

Making careful preparations and plans for your special day is important—and letting people know how important and unique your ceremony was, after the fact, is important too!