Nowadays, many young couples use short or online messages to invite relatives and friends to their wedding. But such utterly informal, nay impersonal way of invitation may not be considered polite or decent by many people, says an article in China Youth Daily. Excerpts:

Marriage is perhaps the most important occasion in a couple's life. Therefore, the way they invite people to this occasion should convey that importance and solemnity, especially when the invitees are close relatives and friends.

Until not so long ago, it was basic courtesy to visit potential guests in person and invite them to such important occasions. But that is not always possible in today's fast-paced society when people rarely seem to be have enough time to attend to personal work. Indeed, the times have changed. Besides, by sending short or online messages to invite people to a wedding, couples give the potential guests the choice to accept or ignore the invitation.

All said and done, inviting someone, especially a relative or friend, to one's wedding through a short message lacks the personal touch that is the essence of a relationship. Visiting friends and relatives in person to invite them to a wedding offers people the chance to actually meet them, something that is becoming rare in today's society. Moreover, since most guests need to give young couples red packets with money as wedding gifts to convey their best wishes and blessings, it seems impolite to simply send a message or call them over the phone to extend the invitation.

The fast-changing social scenario makes it all the important to maintain some traditional social norms that give us the feeling of being an integral part of society, and visiting people in person to invite them to important occasions is one of them.

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