For many engaged couples, the guest list is the first step in wedding planning: many factors, including the budget, overall vision, and venue capacity can make determining who gets the invite a difficult decision. One solution for trying to include as many of your loved ones as possible? Creating a “B-List.” What’s a “B-List?” A […]

Destination weddings seem to become more popular every year. With the ease of planning online and snagging great travel deals, why not have your wedding weekend double as a vacation for family and friends? Yet a wedding that involves travel may also lead you into uncharted etiquette territory–and we’re here to help! Read on for […]

The trickiest part of planning a wedding is often the guest list. Determining who gets an invitation is often a collaborative process between the couple and their parents, and when one set of parents is paying, that collaborative process becomes a very delicate dance. This month’s wedding etiquette question comes from a bride trying to […]

Wedding planning comes with lots of decisions and questions, and sometimes, finding an answer requires some crowdsourcing. That’s how the Ask a Real Bride Instagram account came to be, and this month’s question is the perfect example of women coming together to help each other in the wedding planning process! A Real Bride asks: “Hi! […]

The Ask a Real Bride Instagram page is growing, and we would love to see you there, too! Every week, we discuss wedding etiquette topics like plus ones, dress codes, gift registries, and thank-you notes. And while there are many guidelines for hosting, gifting, and expressing gratitude, there’s one wedding topic that almost no one […]

Throughout the wedding planning process, the mother of the bride takes on many roles: she often plays the part of organizer, budgeter, coordinator, counselor, and confidante. But is “shower hostess” a title that should be taken on by the MOB? With the help of our Ask a Real Bride Instagram audience, let’s explore the traditional […]

We’ve all heard the joke, “Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.” So when it’s finally your turn to be the one in white, you may struggle with two conflicting feelings: Brides juggling those conflicting emotions reach out to me week after week on our @askarealbride Instagram page with questions like this: The key to answering […]

In the midst of wedding planning, a weekend getaway with your best friends sounds like the perfect break from all the stress. But in order to keep your bachelorette weekend truly stress-free, there are a few things brides may want to keep in mind. My favorite source for wedding-related wisdom? Our @Ask a Real Bride […]

Four ways to tell guests what to wear to your wedding If you’re in the middle of wedding planning, your mind is filled with ideas for how to make your big day enjoyable and memorable for your guests. One important element: helping your guests feel comfortable in what they wear to celebrate. So what’s the […]

Every week, the etiquette inbox at Ask a Real Bride is filled with questions about thank-you notes: when should I send them? What should I say? What about giftless guests and group gifts? I’m compiling all of my answers into one resource I hope will help you overcome any writer’s block and graciously express your […]

In the past decade, wedding websites have become an essential information hub for the couple and their guests. In a recent survey on our @askarealbride Instagram page, 86% of brides reported that they’ve already built out a website for their upcoming wedding. If you’re in the 14%, don’t stress–we have you covered! Over 500 amazing […]

If you’re not yet part of the Ask a Real Bride Instagram community, you have to join us: brides to be, mothers of the bride and groom, bridesmaids, and anyone who loves weddings will find daily etiquette Q+A’s, fun videos, and quick tips to make wedding season more enjoyable! Week after week, brides (and sometimes […]

While the bride and groom are obviously the stars of their wedding day, the third most visible role belongs to the father of the bride: he often escorts the bride down the aisle, gives a speech at the reception, and shares a dance with his daughter while everyone looks on. The irony? In the lead-up […]

Wedding planning is about so much more than the wedding: in addition to the big day, couples also have to think about the “night before!” This month’s question comes from an Ask a Real Bride Instagram follower wondering if it’s necessary to host out-of-town guests at a pre-wedding event. Read on for why a welcome […]

The morning of your wedding is a special time: the months of anticipation and planning are finally coming together, and it’s time to soak it all in and enjoy! The best part of the morning is sharing it with your best girls, and one way to make them feel special is to coordinate your bridesmaids’ […]

One of the most frequently discussed topics on our @askarealbride Instagram page is bridesmaids. I hear variations of these questions all the time: How do I choose my bridesmaids? What if I don’t want the chaos of a huge bridal party? Will my friends be disappointed if they aren’t asked to be in the wedding? […]