Is a bride obligated to invite her bridesmaid's date to the dinner rather than just the reception. If they are engaged or married, we realize the partners should get an invite to the whole thing. But a few of the bridesmaids don't even have boyfriends or are just starting to date someone. We are willling to have them come to the reception, but is it necessary to invite them to the dinner? We are trying to cut costs and can't invite everyone. It's going to be awkward when aunts and uncles see that their children are not invted with dates, and complete strangers are at the dinner....What's the proper protocol.
2007-08-30 13:04:43 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
Re: Jim H.
Hmmm, even if it would hurt retatives that have to be omitted...because if we invited dates of first cousins... it would mean at least 50 more people to make it equal?????
2007-08-30 13:15:08 · update #1
Guys wouldn't make very pretty bridesmaids though...
2007-08-30 13:39:05 · update #2
You're right...and this bridesmaid was a big mistake...I think that's the REAL problem. There's actually a lot more to this...but it would take a book!!!
2007-08-30 13:43:49 · update #3
There is no protocol for the rehearsal. It is simply a way to say thank-you to the members of your wedding party as well as to give everyone a chance to relax and get to know each other before the big day. Is it necessary to have a formal dinner? Perhaps, you could have a potluck dinner and assign everyone to bring something. If you keep the dinner to members of the wedding party and their significant others, you shouldn't have anything to worry about.
2007-08-30 13:19:50 · answer #1 · answered by Beach Saint 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
This section is called etiquette. It deals with manners.
What do you wish for a couple that just got married?
A happy and long life together. It is a celebration of a man and a woman who decided to be together and make that choice public. Marriage is considered a good thing.
Now what does it say about the idea of a man and woman being together forever if you tell your bridesmaids they have to come stag? They are suppose to come and celebrate the event with you and wish you and your new husband a happy and long life and you insist they be alone? They are suppose to sit there as a group without dates and be happy for you?
There is no better way to celebrate a marriage than to allow those who are celebrating it with you the possibility of developing the same kind of relationship.
All members of the wedding party and all guests invited should have the opportunity to bring a guest of the opposite sex. If you can not afford a big wedding, cut the number of guests, but never ever force someone to come to a wedding alone. That just is not good manners.
2007-08-31 17:46:25 · answer #2 · answered by forgivebutdonotforget911 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Have a smaller wedding if you want to keep costs down. Just a matron of honor and a groomsman.......then you won't have the problem.
If you have a huge wedding party, then naturally people will assume that money was no object, so why wasn't so and so invited.
2007-09-03 14:38:09 · answer #3 · answered by Annie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I go to a lot of weddings, a lot of weddings, and most of the time if someone is invited to the reception then they are invited to the dinner. We usually have dinner during the reception.
2007-08-30 21:33:04 · answer #4 · answered by me 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No, but it would be the polite thing to do, also the right thing.
The people in the wedding party should be the most important people in your lives. They should have priority. If your cousins are more important then they should be in the wedding party instead of the ones you have now.
In most weddings for every bridesmaid their is an usher. Men are great in that role.
2007-08-30 20:11:24 · answer #5 · answered by jim h 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No.....and I think the date would feel out of place unless they knew some of the other guests.
The bridesmaid is going to be pretty busy during most of the wedding.
2007-08-30 20:25:29 · answer #6 · answered by daljack -a girl 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They're not complete strangers...they are the guests of your bridal party and it's extremely rude to only invite them to "part" of your wedding...you invite them to everything...all single ADULT people should be invited WITH GUEST...you don't get to dictate who that guest is.
2007-08-31 09:27:00 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
this really is the 64,000 dollar question..
if you are truly trying to cut costs have a much smaller wedding. that will exclude a lot of not necessary people and the only thing you have to say to anyone is well we wanted it to be small and it was , would you like to see the pictures???
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2007-08-30 20:17:21 · answer #8 · answered by pbear i 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's best to omit all dates to keep it simple and to keep costs down.
2007-08-31 03:23:56 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋