Newspaper annoucement wording

[zoebartlett]

What wording did you use (or will use) for the announcement that goes in your local newspaper? My mom just e-mailed me a couple versions that she wrote and I didn''t like either of them. I thought they were pretty standard, fill in the blank forms, but maybe not. I''m now trying to write our announcement but I''m stuck.

 

[Independent Gal]

Why not have a look at the various wordings on the New York Times website to get some ideas?

 

[zoebartlett]

Ah, good idea!

 

[jcrow]

i would look at the announcements in your area to get an idea. i find the info varies per area. also, our newspaper does provide a form to fill out.
i don''t have it in front of me, but here''s what i remember. of course some of this is optional.

name, where from
what high school & college & what graduated in.
where you work.
who your parents are and where from
who grandparents are and where from

repeat.

where getting married, what day.

--

now, we have both the engagement announcement (above info) AND a wedding announcement the sunday AFTER the wedding. this announcement has much more info. i can list some of that info if you want. wasn''t sure how your newspaper does it.

 

[Independent Gal]

This is probably a dumb question, but do people usually do this before or after the wedding?

I''m guessing my parents would wrinkle up their brows pretty good if I said I wanted an announcement. Like "Why does she need to tell people she doesn''t know personally?" But the truth is I TOTALLY want to announce to the WORLD that I''m marrying my wonderful guy.

Shhhhh... don''t tell my family! (I mean, that I want an announcement...they know I''m marrying the guy

)

 

[diamondfan]

You usually do it after, but of course it can be done before. I read them saying So and so and so and so were married last Saturday at such and such Church etc...

 

[Independent Gal]

Come to think of it, it''s not like I need my parents permission. Maybe I''ll just do it.

Sorry for the threadjack Zoe! Let us know what you find in terms of wording, OK?

 

[robbie3982]

I work at a newspaper and we just have a form that people fill out. I hate the way they word stuff. Our engagement announcement referred to me as the "bride-elect." Maybe this is pretty standard, but I think it sounds so silly! Here''s our wording (which, keep in mind, we had no control over):

Plans for their late-summer wedding are being announced by "robbie3982" and "robbie3982''s FI," both of "our address."

The couple have chosen the "ceremony/reception location" in Washington, PA as the setting fnor their 5:30 p.m. Sept 8 wedding and reception afterward. Invitations will be issued.

Parents of the bride-elect are "robbie3982''s parents'' names," "parents'' address." She graduated from Pennsylvania State University at University Park, PA with a bachelor''s degree in advertising/public relations. She is a "job title" with "newspaper name."

The prospective groom is a s on of "DH''s parents'' names," "DH''s parents'' address." He is a software engineer with "DH''s company."

It annoyed me that they didn''t include DH''s college info. They made it sound like he didn''t go to college. I''m guessing it was a space issue, but it still annoyed me.

 

[jcrow]

we had to summit the info to the newspaper some time - 2 weeks? a month?? - before the actual wedding day. and like i mentioned, we have an engagement announcement which comes the sunday before your wedding, and a wedding announcement which is printed the sunday of your weekend wedding (so after your wedding).

 

[jcrow]

robbie - they list your address?

or the city you live in?

 

[robbie3982]

Date: 9/23/2007 10:22:29 PM
Author: jcrow
robbie - they list your address?

or the city you live in?

They listed our street address as well as our parents street address. DH was not happy. He didn''t like that it was advertised when we''d all be out of our houses.

I''m waiting to submit the paper for the wedding announcement until I have a picture to give them from the wedding.

 

[jcrow]

Date: 9/23/2007 10:38:08 PM
Author: robbie3982

Date: 9/23/2007 10:22:29 PM

Author: jcrow

robbie - they list your address?

or the city you live in?

They listed our street address as well as our parents street address. DH was not happy. He didn't like that it was advertised when we'd all be out of our houses.

I'm waiting to submit the paper for the wedding announcement until I have a picture to give them from the wedding.

i can't believe they list your address!! wow. that's all i got. just wow.
ours just says where your from. as in your hometown, or the town you presently live in. and any info you don't have or what to list we can leave out.

 

[Haven]

Date: 9/23/2007 10:02:22 PM
Author: diamondfan
You usually do it after, but of course it can be done before. I read them saying So and so and so and so were married last Saturday at such and such Church etc...

I was under the impression that ZoeB was referring to an engagement announcement, if so, the engagement announcement ideally appears the day after the engagement party, if there is one. If no, it is up to the bride''s discretion.

Zoe, here are some traditional wordings:

From Emily Post''s Wedding Etiquette:

Mr. and Mrs. Allen Perry of Fairview, Maryland, announce the engagement of their daughter, Jane Ellen Perry, to William Paul Kruger, Jr., son of Dr. and Mrs. William Paul Kruger of Newcastle, Missouri. A September wedding is planned.
Miss Perry, a graduate of Richmond Nursing College, is a physical therapist with Bonaventure Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Mr. Kruger was graduated from Monroe University and is employed as a loan manager with First Bank of Baltimore.

From Amy Vanderbilt Complete Book of Etiquette:

Gail Lee Cramer to wed David Alexander, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Cramer of Santa Fe (*no need for state if in local paper) have announced the engagement of their daughter, Gail Lee Cramer, to David Alexander, Jr., a son of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander of Springfield, Mass. A June wedding is planned.
Ms. (or Miss) Cramer, known as Gigi, is a graduate of Samuel Kent High School and Sarah Lawrence College. She is a senior editor at Devon Publishing Company in Chicago. Her father, who is retired, was chief counsel for the Rathborne Corporation. her maternal grandfather, Rufus Harland, was president of Continental Investing from 1968 to 1983.
The prospective bridegroom is a graduate of Princeton University and received a Maser of Architecture degree from Harvard University. He is with Abrams & Abrams, a Chicago-based Architectural firm. His mother is a reporter for the Evening Standard in Springfield. His father is a civil engineer with Tuscan Engineering Company.

Many newspapers today have forms that they prefer you fill out, and it is generally up to the paper''s discretion as to what information they will include in the announcement. I''ve noticed that many papers are also now including photos of the couple, rather than of just the bride, so this seems to be a popular option now, too.

 

[zoebartlett]

I''ve seen both in our local papers. Some are wedding announcements after the couple have married, and some are engagement announcements, which is what we''re doing.

 

[Haven]

We''ll be doing both an engagement announcement and a wedding announcement. I''m proud to share our good news with the community! I would sing it from the rooftops if I had any sort of a voice (and a lack of fear of being committed to an insane asylum!)

I think the announcements are lovely pieces to keep in an album, as well.

 

[zoebartlett]

Thanks Haven! I like Emily Post''s wording. Here''s what I came up with so far (personal info. is made up):

Mr. and Mrs. John Bartlett of Boston announce the engagement of the daughter, Zoe, to Peter Pan, of Never Never Land. Zoe is a 1992 graduate of Boston High School and a 1996 graduate of Boston College. She earned a master''s degree in reading education from Boston University in 2003. She is currently teaching second grade at Williamstown School.

Mr. Pan is a graduate of Never Land High School in NN Land, MA and a graduate of Never Land College. He is currently an attorney in Boston at Lawyers R US.

Zoe and Peter are planning a July 12th wedding in Maine and a honeymoon in the Azores. They reside in Holliston.


Does that sound okay? When announcing where my FI is from, do I put his hometown or where we live now? Do I mention his parents'' names at all in this version?