Meanwhile, back in the real world where people marry each other (or want to, anyway) as an expression of love and commitment, two sets of couples I know announced engagements on New Year's Eve. I'd like to extend my belated congratulations to my friends Christine and Mike, and also to Nicole and Brandon, for their happy news. Woo hoo!
I believe it was Ginger who said at the New Year's Eve party that according to etiquette, one is not supposed to say "Congratulations" to a newly-engaged woman. Apparently, doing so implies that one is really saying "Congrats on finally landing a husband! About time, too!" Instead, one properly says "Congratulations" to the man and "Best Wishes" to the woman. Of course, we all thought that was a load of shinola and offered our hearty Congrats to each of them anyway. Which I reiterate here, along with my Best Wishes. Mazel tov, y'all!
(Fixed to note that it was Ginger and not Christine who brought up the "Congratulations" thing.)
Posted by Charles Kuffner on January 05, 2004 to Society and cultcha | TrackBack"Mazel tov, y'all!"
Have you been listening to Kniky Friedman lately? :-)
Posted by: William Hughes on January 5, 2004 2:34 PMDon't worry folks, the typing lessons start next week. :-)
Posted by: William Hughes on January 5, 2004 2:35 PMIt was either Christine or me, because that's one of my pet bugaboos, along with wearing black (and white) at weddings.
Why, yes, I am kind of anal about details sometimes. :)
Posted by: Ginger on January 5, 2004 2:51 PMI always thought it was because the future husband was getting a much better deal, but I was raised by wolves, so who knows.
Posted by: julia on January 5, 2004 2:54 PMHey! Wolves are highly developed social creatures!
I've heard that same advice all my life, so I've gone along with it. Congrats & Best Wishes to the happy couples.
Posted by: Linkmeister on January 5, 2004 3:04 PMI always thought it was because the future husband was getting a much better deal
That was certainly the case for me. :-)
Posted by: Charles Kuffner on January 5, 2004 3:23 PMIt was Ginger who told us what we were supposed to say to the potential bride and groom. If I recall, this initiated several interesting comments on exactly what "Best Wishes" we were hoping to promote on the part of the bride to be.
Posted by: elizabeth on January 5, 2004 5:29 PMHey! Wolves are highly developed social creatures!
Yeah, but you'd be surprised how few times "rip their throats out with your teeth" is considered the appropriate answer in polite society...
Posted by: julia on January 6, 2004 2:34 AM