Wedding Etiquette Is Changing With The Times
The funny thing about wedding etiquette is how differently things are handled on different parts of the globe or even across one country. There are many people that have a sincere appreciation and understanding for the value and importance of etiquette and there are others who do not have a clue as to why etiquette is a necessary thing. It is a shame to see so many of the traditional values that were once strong in the relationships between people deteriorate to absolutely nothing. Etiquette was created for a reason; it established a code of honor or a code for behavior that was universally accepted among everyone. However, as the years have gone by, the guidelines and adherences to the social etiquette has slowly begun to slip.
In America, the south is still very much aware of the value and importance of etiquette and there is no more likely showplace than the wedding etiquette that is expected and shown when planning a wedding in the south. It is often said that you cannot pick who is on your family tree but you can certainly teach each of the member's manners. Read any southern author's ideas about wedding etiquette, wedding planning and wedding protocol and you can clearly see a difference between a southern American wedding and a northern American wedding.
In the northern part of the United States, the rules and guidelines of wedding etiquette are not as clearly marked or discussed. There is a lot less concern with upholding the traditional guidelines for invitations, thank you notes and notices of bridal registration in the north. It seems a shame that the traditional guidelines of the wedding etiquette is not more widely known within the brides and their mothers as there are many traditions that offer elegance and grace to any event.
There are strict guidelines in traditional wedding etiquette on the structure and presentation of the wedding invitation, guidelines against sending out response cards for the guests to return to the bride (this is considered insulting to the guest in the south) and the idea of including the tissue with each invitation. These simple little steps when adhered to are a clear indication to your guests that you understand and appreciate the structure and guidelines of etiquette. However, if your guests don't know the requirements of etiquette, they may simply be annoyed that you did not provide the same type or conveniences that other wedding couples have done in the past.
