Wedding Etiquette - Gift Registry

A wedding etiquette question we frequently get asked is about the bride and groom's wedding registry.

The question is, "Is it etiquette to print the places that we are registered on the formal wedding invitation?".  The answer is "no".  It is not etiquette to expect gifts therefore you do not print your registered places on your invitation.  The best way to communicate where you are registered is on a customizable wedding website.

Invitations. When do you mail them?

A question we frequently get asked is, "What is etiquette when mailing out wedding invitations.".  The answer is, the ideal timeline is eight weeks before the wedding.  Four weeks before the wedding is also acceptable but any time after that is considered bad etiquette.

Flowers. What is Etiquette?

Wedding etiquette for flowers gets a little confusing.  Here are some guidelines to follow:

The bride's family pays for:
Flowers for the female attendants
All corsages with the exception of the mother and grandmother's
Flowers for the ceremony, aisle runners and rental equipment
Reception flowers

The groom's family pays for:
The going away corsage for the bride
Boutonnieres for the men in the wedding party
Flowers for relatives unable to attend the wedding

The bride or groom can pay for:
The bride's bouquet is usually a gift for the groom but the bride can also add it to her flower order.
The corsages for the mothers and grandmothers are traditionally given by the groom's family but again can also be paid for by the bride.