Human life does not imply merely physical survival. It is a vocation towards the refinement of the spirit. Hence, the demands of daily life include and derive meaning from the cultivation of those traits that truly reflect man's innate dignity. In this context, ethics is considered an art. However, there are art forms that are different from those that are considered as ethical
For this reason, certain actions of man must be in proportionate to the ethical standards as dictated by man's innate dignity. One of which is how we should use words in different functions.
Take fore example the wordings in a wedding invitation. Careful use of words and establishing them correctly is very crucial in wedding invitations. This is because wedding invitation are the first-hand symbol of the wonderful celebration that is about to take place.
Any misused, abused, or unethical choice of words may result to misunderstandings or misinterpretations between and among the guests.
Generally, wedding invitation wording should be clearly established to avoid confusions and misconception. There are instances were words may have several meanings depending on how it is used in a sentence.
Moreover, the wordings must accurately define the details of the wedding like the date, the exact time, and the place where the wedding ceremony will take place. These things should be clearly stated because there are cases wherein most guests directly assume that once they are invited, it means that they are asked to attend to the wedding ceremony and the reception.
However, there are some weddings that the couple would usually invite people just for the reception. In this case, the couple has decided to make the wedding very private and that they only want their immediate relatives present during the ceremony. The guests are asked to attend on the reception already.
Hence, to avoid confusion and delusion, it is best to carefully state in the invitation the purpose of the invitation.
On the other hand, wedding invitation wordings may also vary depending on certain circumstances that the couple has no control of. An example is the concept of who paid for the wedding.
In this instance, it is best to choose words that would pay respect to the party whom the recognition is due but should also be made in conformity with the ethical standards, in which the feelings of the other party should be considered also.
For example, if in case that the bride's parents are the ones who had paid for the wedding, then, the wordings on the wedding invitation should state that it is the bride's parent s who are requesting for the presence of the guests.
Alternatively, the setting of the wedding should also be considered when establishing the wedding invitation wording.
If the wedding is informal and will only take place in a home, then it is best to replace the usual words being used in formal invitations to a more casual tone but still with respect.
Boiled down, any kind of wordings will do when making wedding invitations a long as the words are in conformity to the ethical standards set by the society and as patterned on the innate dignity of man.
Best of all, the details of the wedding should be clearly stated, otherwise, the wedding invitation will definitely lose its main purpose.
How To Word Wedding Invitations
The reason that they are there in traditional invitations is twofold: for Christian weddings, the bride's parents are traditionally the hosts of the wedding, a custom which comes from the old tradition of giving their daughter into the care of her husband. In the Jewish tradition, both the parents of the bride and the parents of the groom are included in the invitation as they each take part in the ceremony.
If you feel very strongly that both your parents and the groom's parents should be included on the invitation, then I would suggest that you go with a derivative of the traditional Jewish invitation wording.
This issue comes up a lot, as it is often assumed that the people listed on the invitation are the ones who are paying for the wedding. This is not necessarily true.
The bride's parents or parent, usually issue the wedding invitations. (The exception is Jewish weddings, for which both the bride's and groom's parents issue the invitation.) In the Christian tradition, the groom's parents are not included on the wedding invitation. If the bride and groom issue the invitation themselves, it is generally assumed by the guests that the parents are not hosting the event.
The items in parenthesis are optional, depending upon your situation. If your wedding is to take place in a house of worship, the second line should read "honor of your presence" or "honor of your presence." (Both are correct; just remember to carry the British spelling throughout the invitation suite if you choose "honor," i.e. "The favor of a reply...".) If the ceremony is to be held outside a house of worship, then "pleasure of your company" is the correct wording.
For the time line, if your wedding is at a time which may be confusing (9 o'clock, for example, could either be a morning or an evening wedding), then you may add the time and day of designation.
If there is more than one location in the city in which you are to be married with the same name (two churches with similar names, like St. Anthony and St. Anthony of Padua, or two Orchard Country Clubs, for example), then it is important to provide a street address to eliminate the possibility of guests arriving at the wrong location.
There's a common misconception that the people listed on the wedding invitation are the ones paying for the event. However, according to etiquette the bride's parents, if they are alive, always issue the invitation to the wedding. That said, if you and your fiance issue the invitation yourselves, it will probably be assumed by your guests that you are paying for the wedding.
If you feel very strongly that your parents should be listed as the hosts of the reception, then that information, again, according to strict etiquette, should appear on a separate reception card.
Since your wording is far from traditional, following the strict etiquette prescribed for wedding invitations seems rather pointless, however. Given the less formal tone that you've chosen, the wording you have indicated seems perfectly fine.
Both Melissa Burton & Victor Epand are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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