Advice: Wedding Invites - Wedding Forum

kabouter · #1 (**permalink**) 07-05-2004, 07:44 AM

We are getting married in The Netherlands July 10th 2004, and totally organising the wedding ourselves and paying for it.

However due to a rather bizarre hectic situation (I commute 5 hours a day to work, hubby2be is an on-call surgeon, we are just in the process of buying our first house which we move to on 1st July, and we're also expecting our first baby in October 2004) our wedding plans are going a bit haywire, as you can imagine.

We've had additional problems because I am British (living in The Netherlands) we have had a lot of heartache with the Dutch authorities holding up various procedures and official documents. Therefore we will only just been able to confirm the date (10th July) this week now we (at last ) have all the official things)..

It's only going to be a fairly small wedding (~50 people max), not with all the whistles and bells

What I am really bothered about is the invites, it is getting very late and they have not been sent (or designed for that matter). I have read various things about sending the invites out and I am panicking that it is getting too late!

Given that some folk will have to arrange air tickets/hotels I am worrying big time. I have started to e-mail the British contigency to "hold the date", but the invites are still not in sight (FIL is designing them).

Anyone got any suggestions such as
a) when is the latest invites should go out
b) Is it really bad manners to have left it so late

I am also a bit worried about wedding lists, we do not have one - I do not think it is the done thing here in The Netherlands, but all the Brits will be asking what we want - is it rude to ask for money (and then we can see what we want in outr new house rather than worry about it now!)

I am desperate!

Joanne

#2 (**permalink**) 07-05-2004, 07:54 AM

Firstly, a huge congratulations on your engaement and pregnancy!!!!

Gosh you have been hectic!! I started planning my wedding with 9 months to spare and I thought that wasn't long!!

I think most people would realise that money would be the best "gift" at this time(with new home and preganncy) however people who are not very close might need a hint so I would inform the person making the invites to add something about this in them.
I do not think that it is "bad manners"to have left it so late, considering the circumstances, but you need to have tham fished fairy soon...Just a suggestion..if some people from Britain couldnt make it through late notice, could you have an English blessing here aswell and invite evryone to a small party???

KM · #3 (**permalink**) 07-05-2004, 09:13 AM

Many congratulations on your engagement & pregancy from me too!!!

I agree with Mazz, money would be the best form of gift considering the circumstances.

I'd definitely try and have the invites finished ASAP - Is FIL any closer to having the designing completed?

Hugs, Karen xx

KM · #4 (**permalink**) 07-05-2004, 09:15 AM

By the way -

to MGW!

Teresa · #5 (**permalink**) 07-05-2004, 09:53 AM

Welcome to Groovy first off.

Many congratulations on your wedding and pregnancy.

Blimey it does sound like you have been busy.

Emailing or phoning everyone and letting them know the date is a great idea and tell them invite and further details to follow. If you can get them out by the end of the month that will be approx 6 weeks before the wedding which I think is fine.

I think money is good idea under the circumstances and would be a great gift. You can use it for what you need. If you don't like the idea of asking for money then how about gift vouchers. You could select a couple of shops and ask for vouchers from them.

Liz · #6 (**permalink**) 07-05-2004, 10:16 AM

I agree with everyone else - just wanted to say hello, congratulations and welcome to Groovy!!

rachelp · #7 (**permalink**) 07-05-2004, 12:15 PM

Same here:

hello

congratulations

and

blimey!!

Sounds like a manic time! It's not bad manners - it's your wedding, do it your way.

Welcome to Groovy.

KarenE · #8 (**permalink**) 07-05-2004, 12:25 PM

You have been busy!!

I think 6 weeks before the wedding should be OK - especially if you have already let the british contingent know. We received a wedding invite today for a wedding in NI on 18th June...

Everything WILL come together- it may not be day you had completely envisioned, but you will be husband and wife with a baby on the way

Good luck with it all - and keep in touch.

Ang · #9 (**permalink**) 07-05-2004, 03:04 PM

I agree with what everyone else has said. Welcome to Groovy!

Ang xxx

kabouter · #10 (**permalink**) 08-05-2004, 08:39 AM

Thank you for all your advice and welcomes

We will be seeing the FIL tonight, so my H2B and I will ask how he is getting on, meanwhile I have been preparing all the addresses etc, ready for envelopes.

There are only about 50 people to invite - so hopefully it should all go smothly once the onvites are done, and I am informing people to hold the date where possible

I guess I was a bit fraught because we are trying to organise this all ourselves (apart from the odd help from FIL etc!) and it makes matters worse because Dutch is not my first language - I can understand it but speaking it properly is another matter!

Now to arrange the flowers, cake etc .....

Dr. G-nome, aka Joanne