My parents (mom, stepdad, dad, and stepmom) are planning my fiance and me a beautiful wedding in March. My fiance’s family who lives here has many out of town guests attending staying over at the hotel in which our reception is located. My parents are providing complimentary valet parking for all guests on the night of the reception, Saturday night. They are also planning to pay for their overnight guests parking. However, my fiances parents do not want to pay for their overnight guests parking. We just got our invitation proofs. There is an insert for accomodations as well as transportation. Transportation says: For complimentary valet parking, please mention you are a guest of the Blank/Smith wedding. My dad is concerned that ALL guests, including my fiances overnight guests will assume this means their parking is complimentary. Again, it is free for the night of the reception, and for the overnight guests of my family, but not for the overnight guests of my fiance’s family. What should I do here? How can I word this so that people are not offended and my dad doesn’t get stuck with an extra bill if assumptions are made on behalf of my fiance’s overnight guests? Thanks for any help you can offer– I know this is an obscure problem.

Rebecca Black, Etiquette By Rebecca

Dear Anniejc,

Your parents are very generous to be paying for all of this. And, it would be better not to include this information in everyone’s invitation. The insert would only be included in the invitations going to your guests.

Best wishes,

anniejc1019

Thank you. However, the insert for accomodations and transportation are on one card. Are you suggesting we order two different cards, one for accomodations and one for transportation- and only include the transportation for our guests? This would cost more money and I’m worried about that for my parents. Is there any possible way to word this so that guests do not assume their overnight stays are complimentary but if they don’t stay the night, they are?

Rebecca Black, Etiquette By Rebecca

Why not skip mentioning the transportation. You can verbally inform your guests about the complimentary parking.

This should simplify things.