<p>I’m confused! I plan on sending formal announcements to friends and family (with a photo), whether they live in or out-of town, but include a separate less formal invite to the graduation party if they live nearby. Should I not be sending all formal announcements? Should I just send informals to those attending the party? Today I received in the mail two invites to parties from families that I planned on sending formals with party invites enclosed. what do I do now? I ordered enough formals to send to everyone. Will they feel like we are expecting a gift? I plan on giving gifts to their kids. Help please!!</p>
<p>why not include the informal invite to the out-of-towners as well. they probably won’t attend, but it’s nice to let them know they aren’t being excluded from the festivities. formal announcements probably don’t need to be included with the informal invites. </p>
<p>it’s always easier to invite someone you don’t expect to attend than it is to explain why you didn’t invite them later…</p>
<p>I have been so conflicted about this exact issue. I have two graduating College in May…but, after all the other "events’ surrounding them since they were born (triplets)…I feel kind of weird sending announcements out about college…we had a huge high school party…but at this point, I honestly feel I want to keep it to immediate family. We still have weddings to go thru, so…I just feel sort of unsure about this whole College announcement, without people thinking I’m expecting “gifts” for the kids. I really dont…(they might) but, I feel our freinds and family have been generous to the kids all along…when to I put an end to this? I feel the time is now…am I wrong? I am not the queen of etiquette…I just know what feels ok to me. I know we’ve been getting announcements from high school class mates that my kids barely hung out with…which is really odd to me…lol…maybe I’m just out of touch. But I think there comes a point where these types of events are for family…not everyone our kids ever knew…please correct me if I’m wrong.</p>
<p>I don’t think I’ve ever received a graduation announcement.</p>
<p>I’m planning to send out formal announcements (w/picture of D in her chosen college’s t-shirt) to family & friends and a save the date card for a college send off party later in the summer. (We’re having a grad party for her friends and their families but decided to have a college send off for her instead of a grad party for our family & friends.) </p>
<p>I’m only sending the announcement to those that know her well and have watched her grow up.</p>
<p>sorry, i thought the op was referring to high school graduation–i don’t think i’ve ever received a college announcement…only one or two college graduation open houses that i can recall…doesn’t make sense to me really. it would seem that the college graduation is far more worthy of a huge celebration!</p>
<p>Oh sorry I too thought OP was referring to HS Grad. I’m still in that mode!</p>
<p>Thank you everyone! Since I only ordered 50 formals I am going to send those first to out-of-town longtime friends and family (with a party invite if there is any chance they could attend), and send informals for the party to in-town friends who actually will come to the party. Extra formals will go to close in-town friends who would like a nice photo.</p>
<p>papagena: I agree with you about college announcements (I’m dealing with high school) - I don’t give many college grad. gifts and don’t think I have ever gotten an announcement, esp. not from long forgotten kids! Trust your gut!</p>
<p>centraleagle, that seems to be the norm among those I know (and from all around the country) HS announcements go to close family and long term friends - those whom you have kept in touch with all along who will say “Awww, look, little Johnny is graduating - look how grown up he looks, seems like just yesterday he was biting our little Susie”</p>
<p>We didn’t ever send them to people locally. THey knew what our kids had grown up to look like and what they had done in HS. </p>
<p>College grad announcements are just for ceremony, Order enough for grandparents and others who will keep them in scapbooks. Don’t send to anyone more distant than granparents/godparents/sibs of parents.</p>