More often than not, it is the guests that we often times hear complaints about the outcome of the wedding, that the bride and groom violated wedding etiquette, and so on and so forth.
Guests seem to be forgetting that wedding etiquette is not just for the bride and groom.
There is wedding etiquette too reserved for the guests.
We have outlined here some wedding etiquette advice for guests.
These wedding etiquette advice are taken from different sources and may help you understand how to act and socialize with grace and manners in any wedding.
Wedding Etiquette Advice 1: Thou shalt respond to an invitation, immediately!
Invited guests who do not respond to an invitation are the major cause of headaches to the bride and groom. There are guest who will say regrets to the bride and groom just a day before the wedding day. While some guests will not reply to the invitation at all and then show up without notice to the wedding ceremony and wedding reception.
Wedding Etiquette Advice #1 says this act is totally rude!
Today, the bride and groom pay for their own wedding.
They rely on their savings and salary to fund their wedding.
They are not asking their fathers anymore to host their big day.
So, with the limited budget that the couples have allotted for their wedding (of course they need to save some as a startup money). The couples need to know the exact head count so they would know if they will go over their budget. And failure of guests to reply to an RSVP will give the bride and groom headaches. They would not know how many guests should they book in the hotel or caterer. And also, if you aware of this fact, if the bride and groom add you to the guest list and they inlist you for a sit-down dinner, they will pay for your head even though you did not attend the wedding.
Please follow this wedding etiquette advice if you don’t want to be called an unmannered brute. Reply to an invitation immediately if you must, or at least two week before the wedding day.
We, guests, expect the bride and groom to practice wedding attique, and so should we.
Wedding Etiquette Advice 2: Thou shalt be dress appropriately.
This wedding etiquette advice is not meant to promote fashion, although being fashionable is really good. This wedding etiquette advice came next to the wedding etiquette advice on responding immediately to an invitation. Because after you respond to an invitation, the next thing you will do is either buy a gift (if you still have some spare money to buy your bride friend a gift) or attend the wedding (if you do not have the money to buy a gift, you can skip the gift giving).
This wedding etiquette advice is for your own good.
You would not want to look like a gate crasher in your friends wedding, or do you? If it is a formal wedding, you would not want to be caught wearing a jeans and t-shirt, right? You would definitely look like a gate crasher if you are not dressed properly.
The wedding etiquette advice if the event is informal: please refrain from wearing jeans and tank top or t-shirt. For women, kindly wear a cocktail dress or a pretty Sunday dress. For men, please, if you may, wear your suit. Just forgo your tie. You can even roll up your sleeves and open the top button of your shirt to make it look less forma. You would definitely look dashing in a suit!
Wedding Etiquette Advice 3: Thou shalt greet the newlyweds.
Brides and grooms want to feel you are happy for them and your greetings will greatly be appreciated. This wedding etiquette advice is not hard, isn’t it? All you have to do is go to the bride and groom and greet the bride, “Best Wishes” while the groom “Congratulations.”
Saying your greetings is not only a thumbs-up act, it is also a kind one.
