Notifying the world that you’ve married can happen only after the exchange of vows, but you will need to print your wedding announcements well before then. Small weddings and elopements are the most common events for which printed wedding announcements are sent; the recipients of a wedding announcement, by the way, are not obligated to send a gift. A member of the wedding party of other trusted person usually mails the cards the day after the ceremony (assuming the newlyweds are on their honeymoon) to those not included on the guest list.

The wording should be straightforward: “Mr. and Mrs. John Smith and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Johnson have the honor of announcing the marriage of their children, Katherine Smith and Timothy Johnson,” followed by the date and location of the wedding. Some couples prefer to announce the marriage themselves: “Ms. Katherine Smith and Mr. Timothy Johnson announce their marriage,” with the location and date beneath. Occasionally, couples prefer a third-person announcement: “Ms. Katherine Smith and Mr. Timothy Johnson were married.”

You may include your new contact information on the announcement itself or on a separate “at home” card that you mail with it. Don’t forget to state the date after which you will be “at home.”