DEAR MISS MANNERS: How do I announce my second wedding, which will be a tropical destination wedding for two only?
Most of our immediate friends and family know of our recent decision. We made this choice after months of debate over who we could and could not invite to a more intimate local wedding.
The list of invitees was always greater than our budget could afford, and we were also set on taking a honeymoon that neither of us had in our first attempts at marriage. Finally, landing on a destination wedding seemed to make things right by us, yet I need to make sure I don’t exclude all who have shown us love and support over the years and throughout our journey of love and life shared together.
Additionally, many have expressed an interest in making contributions toward our destination wedding, which they can do online.
How do I include such a reference in an announcement, when it will simply be an announcement and not a “save the date” or an invitation? I don’t want to appear needy and/or inappropriate, but I also don’t want to disregard the wishes of those who’ve expressed such.
GENTLE READER: A short vocabulary review is in order.
A destination wedding is one in which the guests are invited to a location that is chosen for its charms to the couple, rather than for any association with them or their families. If no guests are invited, it is called an elopement.
A wedding announcement cannot be confused with an invitation or a save-the-date notice because it is sent after the wedding -- its purpose being not to herald an event, but to announce that one has taken place.
Miss Manners hopes that this is helpful because she refuses to assist you in soliciting funds for your trip. People who have expressed the wish to contribute deserve to be thanked individually, which is when you can tell them how to do it.