wedding

My Little Etiquette Shop: Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!

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Pajarita de un esmoquin
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Wedding attire for guests is a hot topic as people pack for their summer wedding weekend jaunts! A great question today. Without further ado…

Q: My friend’s wedding invitation says “black tie invited.” Can someone please translate? I don’t speak wedding fluently.
-Groomsbuddy

A: Groomsbuddy! We love it! Paired with, say, Bridesgal, we’ve got all new wedding party monikers. “Black-tie invited,” also frequently seen as “black tie optional.” This is basically black tie, but with an out for those who don’t own tuxedos and don’t care to wear one that just came back from a night at the Prom. Face it – after a certain age, men realize that the experience of renting clothing is best left for extravagant costume parties. After all, if you’re going to pay to rent an outfit it might as well come with a peacock feather-plumed hat as opposed to just some cheap cufflinks you don’t even get to keep. All the uncles of America, who’ve owned their tuxedos since their college barbershop quartet days, still get to strut their stuff and order cocktails “shaken, not stirred.” We’ll ask pretty bartenders across the country to hold off rolling their eyes until after the aforementioned uncles go back to their tables.

Everyone getting married this weekend – regardless of what color tie – Mazel Tov!

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My Little Etiquette Shop: Shower the people you love with…showers?

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And now, another visit with our resident Etiquette Expert.  Got a wedding or social entertaining conundrum? Let her take a crack at it! Send your questions to your favorite Palm Springs event experts at mylittleflowershopps@gmail.com

Q:  Due to having a) a mother-in-law with giant bridge club b) well meaning Aunt c) my actual own-age friends all in the mix, I am being forced to have 3 showers. I would really like my best friend and Maid of Honor to come with me to all of them and provide her classic sense of humor, otherwise I might elope to Mexico with a paper plate full of bows on my head. How do I ask so that she doesn’t feel like she has to buy three gifts?

A:  Not to sound glib dear, but have you tried a version of the question you just asked? You sound very sincere about needing your friend’s support, and I imagine when asked, she would immediately understand that you need back-up at events where the guests are not people you know well, if at all. Trust me when I say that she is fully aware that showers, when they are repeated, are, well, repetitive. Obviously she cares for you if she’s signed on as MOH. Have a little faith – just ask.

While we’ve got your attention, I have a slight bone to pick with you, Miss Bride. You talk as if you are being bodily forced into a wing chair and held down while people (gasp) give you gifts and (horrors) make you eat pastel frosted cupcakes. Complaining about showers falls under the designation of Conduct Unbecoming a Bride. You are being shown extraordinary love. Receive gracefully. Our universal bridal advice: breathe, stand up straight, and enjoy your moment.  Rinse, and repeat.

Teacup Cupcake Toppers for Bridal Shower
Teacup Cupcake Toppers for Bridal Shower (Photo credit: Cupcake Luv)
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Royal wedding? Or Royal Pain? Some Brits are not amused.

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Royal wedding? Gag me with a silver spoon! Some people have had enough. Apparently there’s a significant number of Britons who’ve discovered that combining the Royal Wedding day (many businesses are closing) with May Day and Easter weekend, they can take an 11 day vacation w/ only 3 days off work. Now that’s what I call doing more with less.  Apparently travel agents are very busy with the exodus.  And, as this picture humorously depicts, some people are just sick of all the fuss. Literally. Nauseous. Ah well, not everyone can be nutty for wedding details. Don’t worry, we’re watching Kate, dear.  (pssssst. Don’t tell her we’re obsessively looking at the flowers, not her so much and btw, the commemorative ashtrays? Blech).

A wedding sickness bag for the seat pocket in front of you