The most frequently asked questions that are emailed toSouthern Bride & Groom, or asked of us when we are giving out our magazines at a bridal show are about specific wedding locations or about etiquette concerns that have stymied the bride-to-be. Those are truly the most interesting questions, and believe it or not, flexible solutions are often best in today’s NEW RULES of ETIQUETTE.

We invite you to send in your etiquette or planning questions and we will give you the traditional old rule answer, along with anewer rule if we know of one. If we do not have the answer for you, we will consult with our Southern Bride & Groom wedding planning professionals. We would also love to hear from brides who have come up with their own innovative ways to deal with various planning dilemmas!

Here’s one “New Etiquette” example: In this beautiful outdoor wedding on the lakeside gazebo at Rose Hill Conference Center, featured in the current 2009 edition of Southern Bride & Groom magazine, the bride-to-be wanted she and her fiancé to be surrounded by their closest friends as they said their vows. They alternated bridesmaids and groomsmen in a semi-circle around the couple…perfect for the gazebo. The photo is by Neil Boyd Photography.

In the NEW RULES of ETIQUETTE, you don’t have to have an equal number of men and women in the wedding party unless you love that tradition!  You can choose to have the bridesmaids and groomsmen walk out in pairs or in singles in both the procession and the recession, or even have only one maid or man of honor.