THE EDITORIAL BY GIULIANA PARABIGO

Sometimes it risks being considered nothing more than a list of senseless, boring and stuffy rules, but etiquette is the art of being together. It favours relationships and offers reassurance when we are facing the fatidical question "how should I behave?"  It is a way of communicating, of being together and of making the right choice. Created in 1559 by Monsignor Della Casa, who first encoded the main rules for proper living, it has gradually changed over the years, following the evolution of society, yet somehow remaining the same: a series of logical rules that favour conviviality. It still has the same importance now as it did then, especially on occasions like weddings.

Let’s look at a few examples.

Invitations

Text messages, chats and e-mails are fine for telling people to “save the date” and, considering the fact that we are always so busy nowadays, should be sent off as soon as you set the date for your wedding. Of course the actual wedding invitations must be printed or, better again, written by hand, and sent out in the post. They provide the friends and family of the bride and groom with a beautiful memento to treasure after the event. Consequently the utmost care should be devoted to the choice of the card used (weight, texture, rough-edged or smooth), the preference for a single or double sheet (measuring about 16.5 by 12.5) and the choice of the envelope. Another addition could be a little extra that surprises the receiver and enriches the message. A pop-up, for example, or some other special feature. For the envelope: in the case of a couple, her name and his, otherwise each with their own name and surname.