Weighing my options...

[alexpgp]

I am drafting a letter to invite my sister-in-law to attend our son's wedding, and for some reason, after having written the bulk of the thing, am dwelling entirely too long on the greeting.

The standard, ordinary way to address an invitation like this (which will be seen by Embassy staff) is "To whom it may concern."

Why, then, do I want to put down "To all before whom these presents shall come - greeting"?

I've got the latter in the text right now, but I'll likely chicken out and use the namby-pamby formula.

Cheers...

Comments

[skipperja.livejournal.com]

You can't use "Dear Sis"?

[alexpgp.livejournal.com]

<chuckle>

I suppose I could, but technically, the letter is addressed to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, letting them know that I'm inviting my sister-in-law to come visit.

Cheers...

[alexpgp.livejournal.com]

No, it isn't.

Back before The Fall of Communism, the only way to get someone from the USSR to come visit you in the US was to draw up a formal invitation, have it notarized, and have the notarized document certified by the Soviet Embassy before sending it to the recipient in the USSR, who submitted it, along with the requisite paperwork, to their local authorities for approval. (Asking for someone to come live with you permanently involved the additional step of having having the notary's signature notarized by the appropriate office of your state government before sending it to the Embassy.)

At The Fall, a lot of the more onerous aspects have disappeared, but as time goes on, various aspects have been reintroduced, I suspect, largely as a tit-for-tat for increased (or revived) bureaucracy on the Russian side.

Cheers...