Invitation wording

[amc80]

I could use some ideas for how to word the "reception following" part of the invitation. I had it simply as:

Brunch reception immediately following

My fiance wants to mention the cruise, since we are sort of viewing the cruise as an extended reception (over half of our guests are cruising with us).

Something like:

Brunch reception immediatly following...extended reception continuing for seven days onboard Freedom of the Seas

Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[sillyberry]

I would leave it out. Everyone who is cruising with you (I'm guessing) is already cruising with you, and I think including it has the potential to make people feel bad that they aren't going to be attending the whole wedding. Why risk hurt feelings?

 

[centralsquare]

I agree with sillyberry...seems like it's not necessary to say it (those going already know about the cruise), so seems there is more risk than reward.

 

[swingirl]

Please mention the cruise for those who get motion sick. They will need to time their medication or make plans accordingly.

 

[amc80]

Please mention the cruise for those who get motion sick. They will need to time their medication or make plans accordingly.

Well, people who are cruising already know about it, since we sent the save the dates out long ago.

I see what you all are saying about the reasons not to mention it. But we want to mention it...so any suggestions as to how to work it a little less awkwardly would be appreciated.

FYI- the invitations are going to be passport style and will contain information about the cruise anyway. They will be something like this-
http://www.thestylishscribe.com/traditional-passport-wedding-invitation-pages.htm

 

[sillyberry]

In that case, maybe something like "celebration continuing upon embarking the Freedom of the Seas" would work.

 

[slg47]

it seems weird to mention it if not everyone is invited?

 

[yssie]

I can say that I would think it in very poor taste to receive an invitation that mentions a celebration to which I am not invited. I wouldn't be hurt, because I assume I wouldn't be close enough to the couple to particularly care, but I would find it painfully, embarrassingly crass. You can be sure that at least some of your uninvited guests will share my view.

If it's so important to mention it why not either print two sets of invitations - one with and one without, or include an addendum notecard for just those guests?

 

[vc10um]

From my understanding, everyone was invited to join amc on the cruise afterward, but some people have chosen not to take the cruise for one reason or another and are just flying to the destination for the wedding, possibly staying a few days there, and returning home. So I don't think it's a matter of not being invited. For me, though, I would be worried about rubbing the awesome events of the cruise in the faces of the people who have chosen not to or even worse couldn't go on the cruise due to financial reasons, illness, family concerns, etc.

 

[mrscushion]

I think that if you want to mention the cruise, mention it. I'm sure all those not attending have good reasons. I would not be in any way offended if you reminded me that I could not take part. That's my problem, not yours.

And half of your guests are coming with you, wow, what a turn out!

I searched the web for a bit but I couldn't come up with anything better than:

"Ceremony immediately followed by a brunch reception and continued celebration aboard the Freedom of the Seas."

I wouldn't use the gerund twice ("-ing"), it sounds awkward to me.

 

[TooPatient]

From my understanding, everyone was invited to join amc on the cruise afterward, but some people have chosen not to take the cruise for one reason or another and are just flying to the destination for the wedding, possibly staying a few days there, and returning home. So I don't think it's a matter of not being invited. For me, though, I would be worried about rubbing the awesome events of the cruise in the faces of the people who have chosen not to or even worse couldn't go on the cruise due to financial reasons, illness, family concerns, etc.

This is my feeling too.

If you really want to mention the cruise in some way, I think calling it a "celebration" instead of lumping it in as "reception" will be least likely to cause hurt feelings.

 

[amc80]

Thanks for your responses. Yes, everyone is invited to the cruise. The people who are going to the wedding but not the cruise are doing so because they are planning some other vacation...like doing Disney World the week before the wedding, or staying at a resort in Florida instead of doing the cruise. So they are still vacationing, just choosing to spend their time in a different way.

In the end, we decided to mention it on the invitation. It's not a surprise and nobody will be shocked by it being there. I've mentioned to a couple of friends (including one who isn't going on the cruise) and she still thought it was cute. It's especially fitting given the type of invitation we are using.

 

[Guilty Pleasure]

The cruise is not a reception. It's another wedding event.

"Please join us for a brunch reception, followed by our celebration aboard the Freedom of the Seas."

 

[Maria D]

What is awkward to me is the idea of "inviting" people to something that you aren't actually hosting. The reception is an event you are hosting that your friends have to get themselves to but there is no "price of admission." The cruise, on the other hand, is a vacation you have chosen to take and would love for others to join in on, but is not something you are hosting. At least, I don't *think* you are offering to pay for your guests to go on vacation?

I'm not trying to be offensive, obviously the people you care about are fine with it. I just would find it a little off to get a formal invitation to something that I can only go to if I choose to pay for it myself.