College graduation announcement/invitation wording

by Lisa
(Montevallo, AL)

I'm helping a friend with her daughter's college graduation invitations. She wants them to serve as an invitation to commencement exercises for guests whom she is giving tickets to, and as an announcement for those whom she isn't able to give tickets. How does she note this on the invitation? Would a footnote at the bottom be acceptable? Something like "Ticket required for ceremony"?


In Reply

Thanks for contacting us and more importantly congratulations to your friend's daughter.

This is a tricky one as you could end up with quite a confusing invitation/ announcement. To avoid confusion it would seem better to separate the announcements and the invites. Those getting an announcement would be happy and those getting their invite plus ticket would know for sure they are invited to the ceremony.
For a college invitation there is a certain etiquette including response cards etc.

Would you be able to send an announcement to everyone and include a college graduation invitation, plus tickets, plus response cards to those invited to the ceremony. That may save on mailing costs?

Co grad party

We have decided to co host a grad party for my son and a friend. I am not sure how or if this should be stated in the invite. What is proper?



In Reply

Many thanks for getting in touch and asking a question many families will be starting to think about. You don't say if this is a formal or informal affair. I am assuming that you are using both parents names on the invite as the invitees rather than the graduates as the invitees. Make sure to use the graduate's last names to be absolutely clear on who is who. An example wording could be



Martin and Diane White
and
William and Jean Hughes
invite you to attend a
Graduation Party
in honor of their sons
Martin White
and
Ian Hughes
Venue (details)
RSVP (details)

Obviously you will want to add details on dress codes, start times etc.

High School Graduation announcments and party invitations

Is it acceptable to invite people to a graduation party to whom you did not send a graduation announcement? There are folks whose company we enjoy and would like to come to the party, which will be very casual, but we don't want them to feel obligated to bring a gift or otherwise feel like we are looking for anything more than their company at a party. We weren't planning to send them the formal graduation announcements, but I am concerned that this may be in poor taste.


In Reply

Thanks for sending in this excellent question. You have no real etiquette questions to be concerned with here. Being invited to the party will be thrilling for these people who you clearly care about. You may feel sending an announcement is the right thing for your own circle of friends. Perhaps a good way to ease your own mind would be to put an announcement in with the party invite but make sure the wording states that you have a no gifts policy.

addressing envelopes

should the handwriting be by the graduate I feel weird as a parent writing Grandma or Aunt Uncle etc.



In Reply


Thanks for contacting us.

I am afraid there is no etiquette question here as long as the envelopes are handwritten.

Congratulations to the graduate.

trm

How do you address outer envelop when a Dr is married to a Dr?


In Reply


Each person should get their title and name. For example

Dr William and Dr Kate McMillan

Twins Mom

by Kathy
(Lapeer, MI)

I have twin girls graduating togther. do they have to have separate invitations? How should I word the invitations if I put them together on one?

Thank you!


In Reply

There are some twins invites on the market that are ostensibly from both graduates. The choice is really yours to make. You will know how much it means to either keep them together or mark their graduations a little separately. If you go together then you can word them as, for example,

(Your Names)
are proud to announce
the graduation of
(Graduates Names)
from
(School/College/University Name)
They invite you
to share their happiness
at Commencement Exercises
on (Date) at (Time)
(Location)
RSVP by (Date) to (Parent's Names) on
(Telephone Number)

There are lots of ways of wording the invites but this gives an idea. You do however need to choose whose name goes first.

Please feel free to try some wording and send it in for any help you need. Most importantly congratulations to the twins in advance, you must be very proud.

Mother of grad

We are having a gathering (dinner) at a restaurant for my son who is graduating high school. We would like it if everyone knows that dinner is on their own. Any suggestions?


In Reply


The great thing is you wish to get the message across that the dinner is at each person's own expense. There are a few ways to go here that I can suggest although it is not a definitive answer.

You could simply say that "dinner is not complimentary".

You could be specific and tell guests that dinner will cost $---.

You might consider saying "please be prepared to cover your own dinner costs".


I have heard of people using the term "no host dinner".

At the same time you could conisder covering gifts. You might have a no gifts policy and you can state that too.

Hopefully you know your guests well and know what is the best phrase to use for them.

Graduation Party

How do you compose an invitation for 2 people who are graduating (1)from HS and the other from college with no gifts for the college student?



In Reply


There are lots of great ways of wording the invites. You don't say if the parents are hosting the party or the graduate's are sending the invites. However, if you take a fairly basic verse like:

(Parent' Names)
request the pleasure of your company
at a Graduation Party
in honor of
(Graduate's Name) who has graduated from XYZ College and (Graduate's Name) who has graduated from XYZ High School
on (Date)
at (Time)
(Location)

We respectfully ask that you do not give gifts to (The College Graduate's Name).


You may choose to give a reason for no gifts, but you do need to be aware that invites have brief wording. Overall the idea could be to take graduation verses you like and alter the wording for both graduates. I hope you find the wording that suits you and your graduates. I would be delighted to hear how you finally word the invites.

Congratulations to both your graduates.

mother of graduate

I am widowed but want to include my late husband in our sons graduation announcment . How should I word this ?



In reply


First off congratulations to your son on his graduation. A touching tribute to both your late husband and son seems a wonderful thing to do. There are perhaps some options that can be determined by yourself and the graduate. You could use your name as, for example Mrs John Smith is pleased to announce. That may not quite be enough to capture your sentiments. You could add, for example, In loving memory of Mr John Smith who would be so proud, at the end of the announcement.
Another possible way could be, for example, Mrs John Smith, on behalf of the late Mr John Smith, announces the graduation of .....

I will keep looking into this one to see if I can improve our answer.

Valedictorian

by Cindy
(Houma, LA USA)

How do you properly announce this in the graduation announcements?



In reply

What a wonderful achievement! Perhaps a good way would be:

____________ would like to inform you of his/her graduation from ________ High School. He/She will be the class Valedictorian.

Church Graduates' Reception

by KM
(Eclectic, Alabama)

We are planning a reception for our graduates. Wondering what the proper wording would be to make sure that things are done fairly. Should we request no gifts or do you think people would know to bring one for each person,without it being said?



In Reply

Many thanks for contacting me.

There is no particular etqiuette question here, but I do understand your concerns. I am assuming you are inviting family of the graduates. In that case you might expect that they are buying gifts privately and they do not necessarily form part of your reception.

Can you reach out to the parents through a PTA for example to explain that gift giving is not part of the reception?

Mother of Law Student

by Shelia Phillips
(North Carolina)

Should we put the name of my dear husband, her father who passed away. How would that be worded.


In Reply


Many thanks for getting in touch.

Naming you husband is your choice and would make a wonderful and fitting tribute to the father of the graduate.
The right wording can be very meaningful. For example if you are creating announcements you could use:

Shona Smith

daughter of the late Ian Smith

and Diane Smith,

has graduated from

Milton High School

East Linton

On (date)




I hope this gives you a good start. Let me know what you think and whether you are wording invites or announcements.