Family, Friends & Guests Etiquette
- Question:
- My fiancé just got the invite to his brother's wedding. Instead of putting my name on it, they wrote "and guest." I've been dating my fiancé for over four years, and we've been engaged for a few months, so they know who I am. Even worse, I wasn't included on the rehearsal dinner invitation. Shouldn't I have been invited too? Do we say something, or just leave things as they are?
- Answer:
Whenever someone on your guest list has a serious squeeze, the invitation should be addressed to both people by name, or they should each be sent a separate invitation. (If you're planning to invite single guests with dates, show your hosting skills by calling the singletons and asking whom they'll be bringing.) But this isn't a wedding felony that's been committed, so cut them some slack. It may not even be your fiancee's family's fault, as the bride's family usually does the wedding invites. On the other hand, the rehearsal dinner guest list should definitely have included you. Since your main squeeze's parents are likely hosting the party and, hence, controlling the guest list, your fiancé should talk to them (and to his brother). It may have been an oversight on their part that they would be happy to correct.
- This content originally appeared in Modern Bride magazine.
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- How can I uninvite a guest?
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- What should I do about forgotten invites?
Submit Your Own Etiquette Question
Have an etiquette question you'd like our editors to answer?
- How do we seat my divorced in-laws?
- Should we ditch a nervous toast-giver?
- Should I invite my fiancé's outcast aunt?
- How can I get his mother to back off?
- How do we let guests know what our Plan B is?
- Should I allow one person to bring a guest?
- Should I plan extra activities for out-of-town guests?
- Is a small reception, big ceremony OK?
- Should we let one couple bring a kid?
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- How can I make sure that my fiancé's mom will be on time?
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- How should I handle guests who RSVP with their kids when children weren't invited?
- How can I divvy up the guest list?
- Should I invite people who can't come?
- How should I handle a forgotten thank-you?
- Do I have to invite my five co-workers?
- Should I change my wedding date so that my grandfather can attend?
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- How should we handle complaints about our Friday night wedding?
- Can I ask a friend to help things run smoothly on the wedding day?
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- How do you prioritize your wedding guest list?
- Should you mail a wedding gift?
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- Should I warn my divorced friend that her ex husband is bringing a date to the wedding?
