Wedding Announcements

nataliefprice

My future-mother-in-law's guest list for our wedding is separated into Group A "Must Invite," Group B "Would Like to Invite," and Group C "Announcements Only."  My family and I are from South Africa and are unfamiliar with "Announcements."  She said these are like invitations, but go to people that we did not invite, either after or the day of the wedding (please note that this is not a newspaper announcement).  I have several questions regarding this:

1. Is it customary to send Announcements?  I don't want people to think that we are fishing for wedding gifts.

2. Who sends the Announcements?  

3. I won't send any Announcements to my non-invited friends/family/colleagues, and neither will my parents, so can I ask future-mother-in-law to design, send, and pay for the Announcements she wants to send out?

4. Should the Announcements be as formal as the invite?  Or are Save-the-Date-type cards or photo-cards acceptable?

Thank you!  Thank you!

libby2483

Okay, I can't answer all of your qusetions, but I'll do my best.  CMGr would know best about this, but I think she is on vacation.

1. Announcements aren't as common as they used to be (I've personally never gotten one).  However, they are sometimes still used when a couple has a smaller wedding and can't invite everyone that they would like to.  Your FMIL is correct that they are sent right after the wedding (like the next day).  They are correct according to etiquette and are not seen as a gift grab.

2. I believe that the hosts of the wedding can send the announcements or the couple themselves can do it (if the couple is not hosting).  In this case, I think it would be fine if your FMIL sent them out.

3. It can get kind of tricky if you ask her to pay, but since she wants to do it, and you have no desire to, I think it is reasonable that she pays.  I would just say something like, "FMIL, I looked up wedding announcements and the Wedding Paper Divas (or insert other website here) website has some great ones.  Feel free to choose whatever design you like and send them out!"

4. I don't think that they need to be as formal as the invitation.  Wedding Paper Divas does actually have a lot of cute ones that are photo style.  The only caution I would give you with photo cards is that annoucements should be sent the day after the wedding, so if you are going to use a photo, I might use an engagement photo, so that you don't need to wait to get wedding photos back.

Hope this helps!

nataliefprice

Thank you @libby2483!  Very helpful!  I truly appreciate the advice.