Times may have changed but, according to Ita Buttrose, good manners never go out of fashion. And, of course, she’s spot on.
Ita may be best known (and admired) for her serious media credentials, but she’s no slouch when it comes to etiquette, or should that be Itaquette?
Her latest offering, A Guide to Australian Etiquette for All Occassions, from Weddings to Work offers sage advice on how to behave at all levels of society, from a day of AFL down at the “G” to the correct way to use post-nominals should you ever be privileged enough to be awarded an Order of Australia title.
But a significant portion of the book is taken up with our favourite topic, yes, weddings, and Ita advises on everything from who pays for what during a wedding to how to ask, oh-so-politely, for cash gifts rather than opting to receive another three toasters or dining sets.
Delicate subjects such as pre-nuptial agreements (called Binding Financial Agreements in Australia) and cancelling an engagement or weddings are aso covered, but Ita’s book is also filled with practical wedding related topics, too; you’ll find perfect wording for invitations, how to recall an acceptance to a wedding you can no longer attend as well as detailing the duties of each member of the bridal party.
Never one to shy away from embarrassing topics, Ita explains how to handle letting one rip in polite company or the correct way to de-friend someone on Facebook.
In this day and age where some people genuinely don’t know how to act in certain circumstances, Ita’s Aussie guide to etiquette is indispensible and, at the very least, most informative and entertaining.
Ita’s fabulous (and often hilarious) book is out now and retails for $29.95.
