Alright, alright, let’s talk about this invite thing, you know, the one for the big day. Whose name goes first, the gal’s or the fella’s? It’s a whole lotta fuss, I tell ya, but here’s the lowdown, the way I see it.
Back in the day, it was always the bride’s name first. Yeah, like “Mary Sue Smith” then “John Paul Jones.” Why? Well, ’cause her folks were usually the ones footin’ the bill for the whole shebang. They were the hosts, see? So, it was only right to put their girl’s name smack-dab in front. Made sense then, I guess. It was like them sayin’, “Come on down and see our Mary Sue get hitched!”
- Bride’s name first: Mary Sue Smith
- Groom’s name next: John Paul Jones
Now, things ain’t always so cut and dry no more. These young folks, they do things different. Sometimes they pay for the weddin’ themselves, you know, workin’ hard and savin’ up. So, if they’re payin’, they might just put their names however they darn well please. I seen it both ways, I tell ya.
But if you’re stickin’ to the old ways, the bride’s name comes first. And it ain’t just the first name, mind you. It’s the whole shebang – first, middle, and last. Makes it all fancy-like, you know? The fella, he just gets his regular ol’ name, first, middle, and last. Unless he’s a doctor or somethin’, then you gotta put that “Dr.” in front. Gotta show some respect, even if he ain’t payin’!
Some folks, they get all confused about what names to use. Like, do you use the whole shebang, or just the first and last? Well, if the bride’s folks are hostin’, you use her full name – first, middle, and last. And you use the fella’s full name too, with his title, if he’s got one. If the couple is hostin’ themselves, well, they can do what they want, I reckon. Titles are optional then, like if the gal’s a lawyer or somethin’, she can put “Esq.” after her name if she wants, or not. It’s her party, after all.
Now, let me tell ya, I’ve seen some invites that were just plain confusing. All sorts of fancy words and curlicues, you couldn’t hardly make heads or tails of it. Keep it simple, I say. People just wanna know who’s gettin’ hitched, when it is, and where to go. They don’t need no fancy language to figure that out.
And speaking of keepin’ it simple, don’t go overboard with the names on the envelope, either. If it’s a family, you can just put “The Smith Family” or somethin’ like that. If it’s a couple, put both their names, even if you only know one of ‘em real well. It’s just polite, you know? And if it’s a single person, well, just put their name. Don’t need to make a big fuss about it.
So, to sum it all up, if you wanna be traditional, the bride’s name goes first. If you wanna do things your own way, well, that’s your business. Just make sure it’s clear who’s gettin’ married and where the party is at. That’s all that really matters in the end, ain’t it? People are comin’ to celebrate love, not to judge your fancy invite.
One more thing, don’t forget the RSVP! You gotta let folks know how to tell ya if they’re comin’ or not. Put a little card in there, or a phone number, or an email address, whatever works. Just make it easy for folks to respond, that’s all. And set a deadline, too, so you ain’t guessin’ how many mouths to feed at the last minute.
And for goodness sake, proofread that invite before you send it out! Nothin’ worse than sendin’ out a bunch of invites with a typo in ‘em. Get a friend to read it over, or your kid, or anybody with a good eye. Just make sure it’s right before you spend all that money on stamps.
So there you have it, the lowdown on weddin’ invite names, from an old gal who’s seen a thing or two. Now go on and get hitched, and have a good time doin’ it!
Tags: Wedding Invitations, Bride Name, Groom Name, Wedding Etiquette, Traditional Wedding, Modern Wedding, Invitation Wording
