Hello,
We are on a ‘tight budget. We are planning to be married at the Justice of the Peace; because we just had a baby (yes backwards!) and cannot afford a big or small wedding right now. I have 2 questions how do you ‘announce’ you’re getting married (at the JOP) without making the guests feel cheated or slighted and any ideas on how to have a reception later also without making the guests feel like they were cheated out of seeing us get married??!
ANSWER
After the wedding, send out annoucement cards. The cards, much like invitations should state:
If you already know when you are planning to have the reception:
_______ & _________
are pleased to announce the marriage of their daughter
______________________________
to
_______________________________
son of __________ & _________
The wedding took place on
_______________________________
You are invited to join us in celebrating this union with a reception in the new couples honor to be held:
___________________________________
Details will follow.
If you don’t know when you are planning to have the reception:
_______ & _________
are pleased to announce the marriage of their daughter
______________________________
to
_______________________________
son of __________ & _________
The wedding took place on
_______________________________
A reception in honor of this union is being planned. Invitations and details will follow shortly.
Now, that takes care of letting people know that you are married and that a reception is being planned. There will be some people who will wish they could have seen you exchange vows. What you can do is make that part of the reception. Not a full ceremony – but a short program during which you exchange vows and rings publicly, either on your own or with a officiant there. There is no legal need to do this, but in almost all cases, those who would have been offended will be happy with that.
If you want, you can also include that on the annoucement:
You are invited to join us in witnessing the exchange of vows and rings, followed by a reception in the new couples honor to be held:
or
A public exchange of vows and a reception in honor of this union is being planned. Invitations and details will follow shortly.
If you are having a pastor or preist there: use Public exchange of vows and blessing of the rings(union), etc.
One last note: the annoucement above was written as sent by the parents.
Here is the layout if you wanted to send it from your baby:
___________________________________
is pleased to announce the marriage of her mother
______________________________
daughter of
___________________ & ______________
to her father
___________________________________
son of
_________________ & _________________
If you want it sent by you:
_________________________________
daughter of
__________________&_____________________
and
______________________________________
son of
________________________ & ____________________
are please to announce their marriage, which took place:
