Weddiquette Basics

There are a number of wedding traditions that are fading into obscurity nowadays, such as the taboo against black-clad guests.  And nowadays, traditional and old fashioned customs are changing and evolving in new and delightful ways all the time!  However, if you're a guest that's unsure about whether or not to wear your midnight finest to a non-dress code specific wedding, we recommend erring on the side of caution.   If nothing else, a nice navy-blue suit is always an excellent choice, and also works as a great all-purpose, all-occasion wardrobe piece as well.  (And no, we weren't paid by the navy blue suit company to say that.)  If you're looking for the more egregious faux pas to avoid nowadays, there are pages and pages of jaw-dropping stories over at Etiquette Hell for object lessons on what not to do.  (Hey, if nothing else, EHell will probably make you feel a little better about your "flip-flops vs. sandals" dilemma.)  While there are a lot of different kinds of weddings out there, from the casual beach affair to the black-tie reception, there are a few basic weddiquette rules that usually fall more or less under the heading of "common sense."  For the brides and grooms out there, this article sums the basics of a moderately formal (business-casual) wedding up fairly well in just a page.  If you're a guest, we recommend simply arriving in something moderately dressy, (unless it's specifically billed as a casual or black-tie affair,) drinking moderately, and putting on basic "office manners."  If you're in the wedding party, simply show up on time with the requisite costume and head up the aisle as planned.  And if you're the bride or groom, please take the financial situations of your attendants into account if you're asking them to shell out for their own clothes and hairstyles.  (We see a number of complaints on various sites about different bride/groom-zillas putting onerous financial expectations on friends and loved ones.  Don't be one of those people.) Yes, we know that most of these tips are very simple, but you'd be surprised at the number of people that stress out far more than necessary over relatively trivial minutiae.  Just remember that at the end of the day, if you have a happily married couple and guests that managed to stay out of jail, it's been a successful affair.  All the rest is just gravy.

~Politely Yours, The Wedding Elves

Wedding Legends

Now we get into the fun stuff!  We Wedding Elves have compiled a number of websites focusing on different wedding/marriage legends from around the world for your enjoyment!  Feel free to incorporate as many or as few as you'd like on your special day; we think they're kinda cute!  And if you think we've left something out, please feel free to let us know; we'll do our best to incorporate as many cultures as possible!