Wedding announcement sent before or after a beach destination ceremony?

Wedding announcements announce that a wedding has happened. If the wedding hasn't happened, there is nothing to announce.

Invites go to whoever she wants to be there, whether or not they will actually be able to come. They make the choice as guests whether or not they will be able to.

If she sends out invitations to all, then they know about the wedding and either rsvp saying they will be there or they will not be there.

I feel that it would be too expensive to invite people to a wedding in the Bahamas then expect a wedding gift.

I agree with your daughter that an announcement after the wedding with pictures and some details and the fact that the expense was too great for them would be much better.

We eloped and sent announcements after the wedding. That was the best and most efficient way to get the word out that we were married. There is no need to announce to anyone an event they won't be invited to. It might actually confuse people into thinking it's an invitation. Announcements are not fishing for gifts. Anyone who understands etiquette rules knows that an announcement carries no obligation of a gift, just the same as an announcement published in the local paper. We received just a handful of gifts, including monetary ones. All were from close family.

Private Wedding Announcement

You are confusing the annoucement with the invitation. An invitation is just that...inviting the guest(s) to attend. An announcement states that an event occurred (just like a birth announcement). So...your daughter is right. Announcements are sent AFTER the wedding. If you feel that some might be hurt then they should receive an invitation.

You're combining 2 separate issues. Wedding announcements are ALWAYS sent after the wedding (if you choose to do this. It seems most people today don't).

However, this has nothing to do with those you invite to the wedding. A destination wedding isn't a free for all, where you issue a blanket announcement and wait for people to invite themselves. Once you secure a venue and know how many guests you can accommodate, then figure out who you want to invite. Some of us call these people to alert them about the date, and others just send "save the dates". A save the date is just what it sounds like, and also alerts them an invite will be coming.

An announcement isn't an invitation.

If you want them to feel as though they have the opportunity to attend should they wish to, then you send them an invitation to the wedding.

A marriage announcement is sent AFTER the wedding. No announcement should be sent before, as it'll just look like their faces are being rubbed into the fact that they're merely being informed of the wedding with formal notice, but not invited.

Your question is in any etiquette book such as Peggy Posts. Your daughter needs to decide whom she wishes to invite. It could be 20 or 200. There is a formal invitation form. Then your daughter sends to those she wants to announce, but not invite, an announcement. IT looks similar to an invitation but uses the word ' announces the marriage' instead of ' cordially invites you ' . The announcement is mailed exactly postmarked on the date of the wedding wherever it occurs. Worth the cost of the book, really.