Tips on surviving the wedding season from the experience of a wedding planner.
So you received your stash of wedding invites from friends and family. The fact that these set of couples invited you to their wedding only means that they value your presence in their lives to have thought of including you in their wedding guestlist. Whether we admit it or not, we feel honored just to be invited to witness the couple’s special union. So what to NOT do at a wedding?
Don’t send your RSVP cards late.
The couple usually gives these out weeks before the event date, so you are given a lot of time to respond either through a card that comes with the invites or digitally in their social network or email.
–> Do let them know if you will only be attending the church ceremonies and not the reception (and vice versa). The headcount for the reception is usually per plate so they know in advance how many guests they are expecting. As a common courtesy, do attend both the ceremony and the reception.
Avoid wearing white.
The wedding day is the bride’s day — do not upstage the bride by wearing the same color as her dress.
–> Do pay attention to the dress code indicated in the invitation card. If it says semi-formal, please don’t come to the wedding wearing jeans.
Don’t assume it’s okay to bring a plus one.
Often times, the couple are operating on a tight budget (hence the RSVP card). So it would be totally rude to bring a plus one to the wedding when the seats reserved were only for you.
–> You can always RSVP making mention that you will be bringing a plus one to the wedding so they know in advance and get their numbers right.
Don’t take your phone out every minute to take photos of the couple.
It’s always nice to stash your phone away especially during the wedding ceremony. The couple paid a handsome amount to hire wedding photographers. So let them do their job properly. Just enjoy the moment with the couple and view everything with your own eyes for a change. As a rule, do not use your phone especially during the ceremony.
–> Do stay away from the photographer’s line of sight. You might be getting in the way of a truly raw and important moment for the couple that the photographers need to capture in their lenses. So be mindful of this thought. Weddings are a once in a lifetime event. We can’t repeat the moment if it just passed by.
Don’t “eat and run” at the reception.
Sure you have another party to attend, but it is rude to leave the reception right after eating. Wait until the program ends, the couple invited you to be part of their event. They spent a lot of their time and resources planning their reception. At least show a little love for the couple by staying for their after dinner program/wedding rituals.
–>Do enjoy and participate in the program. The couple put in a lot of hours thinking of their program with their suppliers. They want to make sure that their guests will be having a good time in their wedding party with your enjoyment in mind.
Don’t bring a huge gift to the wedding.
However they appreciate the gift you sent, make it easier for them by sending these type of gifts directly to the couple’s house.
–> Cash gifts however are always preferred. If you don’t have time to buy a gift or go through their wedding registry, you can save yourself the trouble by giving them cash gift. It would be highly appreciated by the couple — trust me! 🙂
Enjoy the wedding season! But don’t forget to be the classy well mannered guest. 🙂
Ettenyl Writes 