Weddings have a lingo of their own. Learn to speak the language before you plan your big day.
Do you know what E-Ring, DH, MILTB, BM or other wedding abbreviations mean, or are you as confused as most of us? The world of engaged couples is an insider’s club in a way. Like every good club, there’s a secret language to learn and a not-so-secret clubhouse. In this case, the clubhouse is the Internet, populated by wedding planning blogs, advisory boards, and flurries of emails. But the secret language?It’s full of confusing wedding abbreviations that you’ve probably never heard or seen before.
Before you start thinking that a bride is talking about sexually transmitted diseases when she says STDs, or that she’s joined the mafia when she mentions her MOB, here’s your decoder ring: a list of the most common wedding abbreviations used on the internet. Hopefully, it will help you in the next steps of your secret engagement initiation rituals. You have the secret handshake down already, don’t you?
Most Frequently Used Wedding Abbreviations
FH – Future Husband
FW – Future Wife
BM – Best Man or Bridesmaid
MOH – Maid of Honor or Matron of Honor
MOB – Mother of Bride
FOB – Father of Bride
MOG – Mother of Groom
FOG – Father of Groom
A Full List of Wedding Abbreviations You Might Need to Know
AHR – At Home Reception
AI – All-inclusive
BF – Boyfriend (BF sometimes refers to best friend, although usually BFF is used instead on wedding boards to differentiate)
BIL – Brother-in-law
BM – Best Man or Bridesmaid
BP – Bridal Party
DF – Darling Fiancé or Fiancée
DFH – Darling Future Husband
DH – Darling Husband
DW – Destination Wedding or Darling Wife
E-Party – Engagement Party
E-Ring – Engagement Ring
FFIL – Future Father-in-law (sometimes written FILTB, or father-in-law-to-be)
FG – Flower Girl
FH – Future Husband
FI – Fiancé
FIL – Father-in-law
FILs – Future In-Laws
FMIL – Future Mother-in-law (sometimes written MILTB)
FNF – Friends and Family
FOB – Father of Bride
FOG – Father of Groom
FSIL – Future Sister-in-law
FW – Future Wife
GF – Girlfriend
GM – Groomsmen
H2B – Husband-to-be
HM – Honeymoon
IHO – In Honor Of
ILs – In-Laws
JP – Justice of the Peace
LDR – Long-Distance Relationship
LTBM – Living Together before Marriage
MIL – Mother-in-law
MOB – Mother of the Bride
MOG – Mother of Groom
MOH – Maid of Honor or Matron of Honor
MUA – Makeup Artist
NH – New Husband
NWR – Not Wedding Related
OOTG – Out of Town Guests
OOTB – Out of Town Gift Bags
OTT – Over the Top
RB – Ring Bearer
RD – Rehearsal Dinner
SAHD – Stay-at-Home Dad
SAHM – Stay-at-Home Mom
SAHW – Stay-at-Home Wife
SIL – Sister-in-law
SO – Significant Other
STBMrs – Soon to Be Mrs.
STDs – Save-the-Date Cards
WP – Wedding Party or Wedding Planner