Wedding Guest Mistakes You Need to Avoid: From how to dress appropriately, wedding arrangements, plus one etiquette & other useful tips.
Weddings are fun. You won’t just get to see your loved ones at their happiest as they tie the knot. You can also get to eat a delicious meal, get dressed, play games, and dance the night away.
It’s so easy to let yourself loose and have a blast during weddings. But as a guest, you should also make the event equally fun for the newlyweds, so they’ll remember this once-in-a-lifetime event in a good way. To make sure that you won’t turn such a special and exciting day around, take note of these tips.
Send RSVP ASAP
RSVPing may be an old wedding etiquette rule but no matter what year it is, you should still send it as soon as possible. This helps couples determine the final headcount before they send orders to their wedding vendors. This saves them from stress and lets them budget better.
Don’t Wear Jeans
Jeans are one of the most versatile clothing items. You can wear it in parties, in the office, in meetings, and outings. But you can’t wear it in weddings.
Weddings are formal events that require formal clothing. Usually, couples have requirements for wedding guest dresses, so be sure to check the invitation they sent you. If they didn’t indicate any dress code, the general rule of thumb is to keep it classy but don’t wear anything denim. Unless it’s the theme of the wedding, wearing jeans is a no-no.
Don’t Wear White
Like denims, you should also avoid wearing white clothes unless the couple asked you to. This color is only reserved for the bride, regardless if she chose to wear it or not. And if she does, wearing white is like taking the spotlight away from her.
Don’t Depend on the Couple for Your Accommodation
Couples already have a lot of things in their hands. Plus, planning a wedding is already expensive. Thus, no matter how close you are with the couple, it’s a no-no to treat them like a travel agency and expect them to find and book your accommodations. As an attendee, it is your responsibility to secure your own accommodation, unless they volunteered to shoulder it.
Don’t Bring a Plus-One
Weddings don’t come with a cheap price tag. Hence, many couples only invite those they are truly close with. So if you’re invited to a wedding and wasn’t offered a slot for a plus-one, might as well, don’t assume that you can bring one.
Aside from the fact that couples will need to pay for added fees when you bring a tag-along, it’s a rude thing to do. Besides, no one wants a party with uninvited guests.
Don’t Post Photos of the Bride Before the Ceremony
The social media has changed the world so much in so many ways. Hence, nearly all of us take photos of whatever we see or do and post them on social media platforms. But when you attend a wedding, try to stop yourself from posting too many photos from the wedding day, especially before the ceremony starts.
Different cultures have different beliefs and traditions, especially during weddings. One of the well-known ones is that it is considered bad luck if the groom sees his bride in her dress before she walks down the aisle.
It’s understandable to get excited when you see the bride in her dress. But if you were to take a photo of her, try not to post it until after the wedding ceremony to respect their beliefs and to not spoil the couple.
Don’t Take Too Many Photos
Speaking of photos, it is also a general rule of thumb not to take too many photos during the wedding.
It’s understandable how you want to immortalize such a happy and once-in-a-lifetime event through photos. However, this could affect your experience, as well as others.
Being too focused to get that picture perfect angle can ruin the couple’s moment. Plus, you might not even notice that you’re already blocking the official photographer’s view, which could negatively affect the official photos.
So try to unplug from social media as much as possible as you attend a wedding. The couple will not only thank you for it, but you can also get to enjoy the day more.
Watch the Kids
Kids can be a bit of handful sometimes. They might disrupt the event or cause a nuisance to other guests. So if you’re attending a wedding with a child, make sure to keep an eye on him too, so they won’t wreak havoc.
If you feel like your child is about to throw a tantrum during the wedding, try to distract him by keeping his interest on the venue. Or, you can quietly excuse yourself before he starts crying and leave the venue for a while until he calms down.
Don’t Mention Exes
If the couple asks you to make a toast or speech, always remember not to bring up a topic about their exes. This event should all be about happiness and the couple’s new chapter in life. Bringing the past back isn’t a good idea as it might ruin the mood, or it might open old wounds that could affect the newlyweds’ relationship.
Don’t Steal the Spotlight
Weddings only happen once, and it’s a chance for the couples to have the spotlight on them. It’s their day, and it’s all about them. Thus, it’s a no-go to make things about you.
When you’re asked to make a toast or speech, don’t focus talking about yourself. It’s also not a good idea to propose or announce something unrelated to the couple without their permission. There’s a lot of other days in a year to do it where you can have all the spotlight to yourself, just not in others’ wedding day.
Weddings are special events that has no take twos. Couples spend lots of time, effort, and money for this big day for you to have fun too. But as guests, try to make it as enjoyable as it should be for the couple with these tips.
