Newspaper Annoucements

You have told all your friends and family about your Engagement, now it is time to submit an engagement announcement to the newspaper. Because it is inappropriate to send printed engagement announcements, some couples make their announcements public through the newspaper, and I guess it goes with out saying that you should never make a announcement of your wedding if either of you are still legally married to someone else, yes even if you are separated. Nor is a public announcement appropriate when there has recently been a death in either family or when a member of the immediate family is desperately ill.



If you want to announce your engagement in print, the first step is to contact the appropriate department of the newspaper. Most newspapers provide information forms to complete. If you do submit your own announcement the newspaper will call to check the accuracy.



Generally, an engagement announcement appears two or three months before the wedding date, though this isn't a hard-and-fast rule. The information is submitted several weeks in advance. Couples often haven't set the date when an announcement appears. If you delay contacting the publication until the last minute, however, the paper may not be able to accommodate you.

Most announcements are brief and follow a format similar to the one below. But some papers use an informal style, include more information, and may ask to interview couples about the details of their courtship and engagement.

Traditionally, the parents of the bride to be make the announcement. The basic wording includes full names, professional titles, city and state of residence if not the same as the hometown of the newspaper, highest level of education of the couple. and their current employment.

Basic Wording

Mr. and Mrs. Allen Perry of Port St. Joe, Florida announce the engagement of their daughter, Jane Ellen Perry, to William Paul Smith, Jr., son of Dr. and Mrs. William Paul Smith of Panama City, Florida. A September wedding is planned.

Miss Perry, a graduate of Florida State University Nursing School, is a physical therapist with Tallahassee Memorial Hospital in Tallahassee, Florida. Mr. Smith a graduate of Florida State University and is employed as a loan manager with Sun Trust Bank of Tallahassee.

When Parents are Divorced. . .

Divorced parents are listed as individuals, by their current legal names and places of residence, and never as a couple. If the bride's parents are divorced, the mother usually makes the announcement, though the father may do so if he is the custodial parent.

Ms. Martine Cousins of Panama City, Florida, announces the engagement of her daughter, Sarah Louise Baker, to . . . Miss Baker is also the daughter of Mr. Albert Baker of Boulder.

When the groom's parents are divorced, the announcement follows this pattern:

Mr. and Mrs. Lamar Hughes announce the engagement of their daughter, Caroline Hughes, to Justine Marc DuBois, son of Mrs. Thomas Shelton of Atlanta, Georgia and Mr. Jean Marc DuBois of Panama City, Florida.

When the parents of both the bride and groom are divorced, the usual form is:

Mrs. Walter Murray announces the engagement of her daughter Elizabeth Leigh Considine, to John Carter Lowndes, son of Mrs. Harriet Lowndes of Panama City, Florida and Mr. Houston Lowndes of Palmetto, California. Miss Coonsidine is also the daughter of Mr. Horace Considine of Melbourne, Florida.

A stepparent is not usually included in a formal announcement unless he or she is an adoptive parent or the natural parent is not part of the bride or groom's life.

When Divorced Parents Make a Joint Announcement

Divorced parents of the bride to be may want to make the announcement together. Both are listed by their current legal names (whether or not they have married again) and places of residence:

Mrs. Walter Murray of Pensacola, Florida, and Mr. Horace Considine of Melbourne, Florida, announce the engagement of their daughter, Elizabeth Leigh Considine, to . . .

When a Parent is Deceased. . .

When one of the bride's parents is deceased, the surviving parent makes the announcement:

Mr. Gerald Davis Brown announces the engagement of his daughter, Leslie Brown, to . . . Miss Brown is also the daughter of the late Marie Compton Brown.

When a parent of the groom is deceased, this form is generally followed:

Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Davis Brown announce the engagement of their daughter Leslie Brown, to Peter Love, son of Mrs. Benjamin Love and the late Mr. Love (or when the mother is deceased: Mr. Benjamin Love and the late Mrs. Love or Katherine Boyd Love).

If both the bride's parents are deceased, a close family member or members may make the announcement.

Mr. and Mrs. Seth Davis announce the engagement of their granddaughter, Cynthia Davis to . . . Miss Davis is the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Fredrick Davis (or the late Fredrick and Margaret James Davis).

I know that this is a lot in information, and I hope that it is helpful to you. If you have a unique situation that is not covered in this blog, please email me stevenclaydesigns@fairpoint.net and I will be happy to help.

Clay