–Wedding Planning/Ideas–
– Ask Cheryl – Do I Have to Invite the Crazy Relative to My Wedding?
October 22, 2024
Every family has its quirky members, but is it ever okay to exclude them from the wedding guest list? Today, Cheryl offers her tips for handling difficult guests. Dear Cheryl, We’re in a bit of a situation with our brother-in-law. At our daughter’s wedding, his behavior was so obnoxious that we decided to leave him […]
– Ask a Real Bride – Help! My In-Laws Keep Adding Wedding Guests!
September 19, 2024
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 […]
– Ask Cheryl – Which Traditions Should We Keep for our Second or Third Weddings?
September 10, 2024
Traditions like throwing the bouquet and cutting the cake are celebratory, but are they appropriate beyond the first wedding? Dear Cheryl, My upcoming marriage will be my third, and my fiance’s second. We originally planned to have a small gathering, but because of the size of his family it is turning into a larger celebration. […]
Sustainable Wedding Registry Gifts for the Eco-Conscious Couple
September 3, 2024
For many modern couples, it’s important to live sustainably. Some simply try to pay attention to environmental impact and long-term product usage, while others may live totally paper- or plastic-free. At the end of the day, I’d be willing to bet that most couples fall somewhere on this spectrum. Like any other wedding factor, your […]
Who Gets a Gift From the Bride?
July 16, 2024
Your complete guide to gift-giving on your wedding day. Before I got married, I had no idea how much work goes into planning a wedding. My to-do list was long, but the people I enlisted to help had just as much to handle — if not more! It takes a village, and that village deserves […]
Finding the Perfect Mother-of-the-Bride (or Groom) Dress
July 2, 2024
As a mother, your child’s wedding day is a milestone you’ve been thinking about since long before your son or daughter had their first crush. It’s a special time that marks a new chapter for your child, their partner, and your family as a whole. When you think about it that way, deciding what to […]
Your Wedding Reception Checklist
June 6, 2024
There’s more to a reception than “dinner and dancing to follow”–and while the reception is a festive celebration, there are also essential elements that make them meaningful and memorable. Your wedding day is going to fly by, and often, brides say they regret running out of time, running late, or forgetting to include important details. […]
5 Things Your Wedding Guests Wish You Knew
May 16, 2024
If you’re engaged and in the thick of wedding planning, chances are you’ve experienced some decision fatigue: between flowers, food options, vendors, and venues, the choices can quickly become overwhelming. But what if I told you that to your guests, there are only a few things that really matter? That after you drive off to […]
Top 10 Things You Have to Do After Getting Married
May 7, 2024
You’re married! Congrats! The days leading up to your wedding are so focused on the events of the day that once it’s over, it’s easy to be left wondering what to do next. Just like you have a wedding planning to-do list, you should have a post-wedding checklist to make sure you cross your Ts […]
– Love and… Remarriage – Etiquette for an Encore Wedding
April 23, 2024
As I write this, I’m fondly remembering my good friend’s “Encore” wedding, which I recently attended. They orchestrated an amazing weekend-long party full of fun activities, incredible food, and a heartfelt ceremony in one of the most beautiful settings imaginable: Aspen, Colorado. However, my friend told me it was challenging to find information, advice, or […]
– Ask Cheryl – How Much to Spend on a Bridesmaid’s Gift?
April 16, 2024
There are so many decisions to make when planning a wedding. Today, our AskCheryl reader is an organized bride who isn’t sure how much to spend on gifts for her attendants. Hi Cheryl! I have an etiquette question regarding the cost of wedding party gifts (I also read your article on the topic). We were planning on […]
– Ask a Real Bride – Can I Tell Guests It’s Too Late to RSVP?
April 9, 2024
Once you mail your wedding invitations, it all starts to feel “real:” after months of planning, the word is finally out, and you can’t wait for guests to open their envelopes and enthusiastically and promptly send in their replies! But it doesn’t always happen that way. Unfortunately, there will always be a few guests who […]
– Ask a Real Bride – What Should I Write on My Wedding Website?
March 21, 2024
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 […]
Smartphone Etiquette and Unplugged Weddings
February 29, 2024
Think about the last time you were at a wedding. How many guests had their cell phones held up the moment the processional music started to play? I’m willing to bet there were quite a few. You may have even been one of them! I remember planning my own wedding years ago and wondering whether […]
Finding the Perfect Bridesmaid Gifts
February 28, 2024
After you say “YES” to your perfect partner, you get to choose the besties that will stand by your side as you say “I do”! Each of these ladies is, without a doubt, so important to you and adds her own unique element to your life. When you thank them for being a huge part […]
– Ask a Real Bride – How to Write Wedding Thank You Notes
February 15, 2024
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 […]