Writing Announcements

There are three forms of wedding announcements you can use to share your news; Engagement Announcements, Save the Date Cards, and Wedding Announcements. Today’s modern couples opt for no formal engagement announcement, but create a custom wedding website instead.

Engagement Announcements
Formal engagement announcements use wording similar to that of wedding invitations, but their sole purpose is to announce your engagement to the public. These announcements are traditionally sent by the bride’s parents or another close family member. You can always opt to send them yourselves as well. Engagement announcements should be mailed shortly after engagement and sharing the news with close family members and friends. Announcements may also be published in the local newspaper. Here are some sample wording options for formal engagement announcements:

Bride’s Parents
Mr. & Mrs. John Doe of Denver, Colorado
announce the engagement of their daughter,
Jennifer Michelle to Michael Smith son of David
and Donna Smith of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Ms. Doe , a graduate of Princeton Law School,
is an attorney at Bibbity, Bobbity & Boo law firm
in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Smith graduated from Yale
University and works in Blah Blah Blah law firm,
also in Chicago, Illinois. A June wedding is planned.

Yourselves
Jennifer Doe, an attorney at Bibbity, Bobbity & Boo
law firm, is to be married to Michael Smith, an attorney
at Blah Blah Blah law firm in Chicago, Illinois. Ms. Doe
is the daughter of John & Jane Doe of Denver, Colorado.
Mr. Smith is the son of David & Donna Smith of Tulsa,
Oklahoma. A June wedding is planned.

Close Friend or Relative
Ms. Mary Doe announces the engagement of her sister,
Jennifer Doe, to Michael Smith, who is the son of….

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Save the Date Cards
Save the Date cards are becoming increasingly popular with contemporary couples and are a fun and informal alternative to the traditional engagement announcements. Very often, they are photo postcards with the couple’s names, wedding date and their wedding website.

The perfect time to send out your Save the Date cards is just after informing close friends and relatives of your engagement, and before the official invitations go out.

It’s a good idea to have these cards designed in the same style as your invitations. These will be the very first thing your guests will see regarding the overall style of your wedding.


Wedding Announcements
Wedding announcements are worded almost like an invitation, except they are in past tense. These announcements should be sent out either the night before your wedding or immediately afterwards. Plan on sending wedding announcements to family, friends, acquaintances and associates that were either unable to attend or were uninvited.

Sending wedding announcements are not a necessity, but it’s a great way to inform people of your name change and your new address. It’s also a more elegant way to announce the news than just listing it in newspapers.

Parents’ Announcement
Mr. & Mrs. John Doe announce the marriage of their daughter
Jennifer Michelle to Michael James Smith. Sunday, the 15th of June
Two Thousand and Nine at St. Anne’s Church, Chicago, Illinois

Yourselves
Jennifer Michelle Doe and Michael James Smith announce their
marriage. Sunday, the fifteenth of June …..etc…