Wedding Announcements

Once you have decided to marry, you may well feel that you would like the whole world to know! However, before doing this - speak to your families. It would be very upsetting for them to find out from someone else. The bride's parents should be told first, followed by the groom's parents. For those whose engagement means a second marriage, the first people to be told should be any children involved, then the former spouses, and then the parents of the bride and groom.

After that, the news may be broadcast as widely as you wish. However, do not send out letters to everyone that you know, or post printed or engraved announcements - this could simply look like a request for presents! At this stage, you will be able to ask those people that you have decided upon to act as attendants at your wedding.

The formality of an announcement in the press is not as common as it used to be; but if the announcement is made through the newspapers, it is proper to inform relatives and close friends verbally in advance. Traditionally, formal engagement notices are put into local or national newspapers by the bride-to-be's parents.

A typical announcement would read:

Mr D.A. Green
Miss E.M. Palmer
The engagement is announced between David Andrew, eldest son of Mr and Mrs Joseph Green of Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria, and Elizabeth Mary, only daughter of Mr and Mrs Richard Palmer of Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

When referring to 'son or daughter', this normally refers to an only son or daughter; 'younger or elder' refers to the younger or elder of two; 'youngest or eldest' implies the youngest or eldest of three or more.

Here are some alternative wordings for different family circumstances.

Groom's parents divorced or separated but not remarried:

Mr D.A. Green
Miss E.M. Palmer
The engagement is announced between David Andrew, eldest son of Mr Joseph Green of Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria and of Mrs Helen Green of Abersoch, Gwynedd, and Elizabeth Mary, only daughter of Mr and Mrs Richard Palmer of Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

Bride's parents divorced or separated but not remarried:

Mr D.A. Green
Miss E.M. Palmer
The engagement is announced between David Andrew, eldest son of Mr and Mrs Joseph Green of Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria and Elizabeth Mary, only daughter of Mr Richard Palmer of Harrogate, North Yorkshire and of Mrs Laura Palmer of Brighton, East Sussex.

Groom's parents divorced and mother remarried (makes no difference if father remarried, as name doesn't change):

Mr D.A. Green
Miss E.M. Palmer
The engagement is announced between David Andrew, eldest son of Mr Joseph Green of Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria and of Mrs Robert Kile of Abersoch, Gwynedd, and Elizabeth Mary, only daughter of Mr and Mrs Richard Palmer of Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

Bride's parents divorced and mother remarried (makes no difference if father remarried, as name doesn't change):

Mr D.A. Green
Miss E.M. Palmer
The engagement is announced between David Andrew, eldest son of Mr and Mrs Joseph Green of Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria, and Elizabeth Mary, only daughter of Mr Richard Palmer of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, and of Mrs Mark Harris of Brighton, East Sussex.

One parent deceased:

Mr D.A. Green
Miss E.M. Palmer
The engagement is announced between David Andrew, eldest son of Mr Joseph Green of Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria and the late Mrs Helen Green, and Elizabeth Mary...

Both parents deceased:

Mr D.A. Green
Miss E.M. Palmer
The engagement is announced between David Andrew, eldest son of the late Mr and Mrs Joseph Green of Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria, and Elizabeth Mary...

Stepfather has brought child up:

Mr D.A. Green
Miss E.M. Palmer
The engagement is announced between David Andrew, eldest son of Mrs Robert Kile and stepson of Mr Robert Kile of Abersoch, Gwynedd, and Elizabeth Mary...

Stepmother has brought child up:

Mr D.A. Green
Miss E.M. Palmer
The engagement is announced between David Andrew, eldest son of Mr Joseph Green and stepson of Mrs Joseph Green of Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria and Elizabeth Mary...

Bride has previously been married and divorced:

Mr D.A. Green
Mrs E.M. Firth
only change is at the top of the announcement, the rest of the wording remains the same.

Bride has previously been married and widowed:

Mr D.A. Green
Mrs E.M. Firth
The engagement is announced between David Andrew, eldest son of Mr and Mrs Joseph Green, of Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria, and Elizabeth Mary, daughter of Mr and Mrs Richard Palmer, of Harrogate, North Yorkshire and widow of the late Mr Ian Firth.

A word of caution - do not put your full address in any announcement as this could alert burglars to the existence of engagement and wedding presents on the premises. You may also find that heaps of junk mail from prospective suppliers will land on your doormat!