So what do you say in these announcements? Once again this is down to personal preference, though some newspapers will simply have a standardized form that you can fill in. Some will allow you free rein, within a certain word limit, so ask what is permitted before you place the announcement.
Keep it Personal
If you would like your day to have a more informal feel then it is nice to simply announce your news in a personal way, using words that are characteristic of both your personalities. If the proposal was a long time coming, you could introduce some humor to your announcement by saying something like, ‘Finally! John and Jane are getting married.’ If you prefer a more formal approach, then it is typical to say that ‘John X and Jane Y would like to announce their engagement.’
Remember, you can go as formal or as informal as you like.
Sometimes couples prefer to use more traditional wording, in which the bride’s parents bring the happy news, ‘Mr and Mrs Y announce the engagement of their daughter Jane to John X, son of Bill and Betty X…’ – and this format can be adapted should the bride’s parents be divorced or remarried. If a step-parent is mentioned as an announcer, the biological parent can be mentioned later in the announcement – ‘Jane is also the daughter of Peter Y.’
It is traditional to mention the locations of the parents – ‘Mr and Mrs Y, of Anytown, USA, announce…’ and the professions of the couple, but this is not necessary – remember, you can go as formal or as informal as you like.
Here is a sample wording of a classic engagement announcement:
"Mr and Mrs Yellow, of Anytown, USA, would like to announce the engagement of their daughter Jane, to John Purple, son of Bill and Betty Purple, of Anothertown, USA. Miss Yellow, a graduate of Any University, is a Doctor at Any Hospital, and Mr Purple runs his own business in Anothertown."
You should ask questions with each publication that you choose to place your announcement with and word your good news in the way that you are most comfortable. Enjoy the extravagance of being supremely formal, or simply be yourself – the choice is up to you.
