Your London Wedding - July/August 2020 (Issue 72)

STATIONERY 61  With many 2020 weddings cancelled, postponed or scaled back, there’s a whole new etiquette around invitations and save-the-dates. We ask London’s stationers for their advice… Sign www.theg oldenletter.co.uk “You could opt for a post-wedding virtual celebration for uninvited guests to make them feel like they haven’t missed out. A printed or digital invitation could be used for this. Another idea would be to send uninvited guests a wedding announcement, including details such as how you met, how you made your wedding special and your favourite photograph of the day. The intention being to make the recipient feel remembered and included.” – Vaishali Shah, Ananya Cards SMALL BUT PERFECTLY FORMED Limits on guest numbers are likely as we navigate the ‘unlockdown’ process. For weddings where save-the-dates and even invites had already been sent out pre-lockdown, this means that couples will have the unenviable task of uninviting some of their loved ones if they wish to proceed with a more intimate celebration. But how to go about that without offending your nearest and dearest? “This is a tricky one, but narrowing down your numbers is something that will be understood by your guests; you shouldn’t feel guilty or uncomfortable with being honest. Explain that the wedding will take place for immediate family only, due to the current situation, and that you hope to celebrate with them at a later date.” – Domenica Francesca Goode, Cartalia Stationery Studio “We suggest that 2020 wedding couples follow the news and stay informed to make decisions on their wedding plans. Our life is far from perfect right now, so don’t wait for the perfect moment, just value each treasured minute. Stay in touch and share your love story with family and friends. It’s important to stay optimistic and take the events of this year as part of what makes our life story unique.” – Julia Tarian, Polina Perri “Remember that everyone is going through this emotionally taxing time, and people will understand the reasons for you making these difficult decisions. Here is some example text for a postponement: As you are aware of these troubling times we are all going through and following government guidelines, some difficult decisions have had to be made. The wedding is still going ahead but we will be having our immediate family there only. However, once we can return to our ‘normal’ lives, we would love to throw a party so we can all raise a glass and celebrate together.” – Kal Osahan, Quint London Wedding Stationery “Under normal circumstances, this is pretty much always a no-no in terms of etiquette – but these are extraordinary times. The most straightforward way to do this is to give yourself solid parameters for how you’re cutting down your guest list. For example, you could limit the numbers to immediate family. This will come across more logical to guests when you explain it, rather than risking them feel like they simply haven’t made the cut.” – Shoshana Bratton, Shoshy Cadoodle OF THE TIMES www.ananyacards.com | w ww.hayleygellphotography.com www.cartalia.co.uk www.polina-perri.co.uk www.quintlondon.com www.shos hycadoodle.com