How to Be a Good Wedding Guest
If an excuse was ever needed to spend too much money on a blowout and eat far too many shrimp cocktails, weddings would be it. While sampling as many hors d'oeuvres as possible and tossing aside your diet for the night are, if anything, encouraged, some behaviors will easily land you as the worst guest at the wedding. The following tips will help you become the ultimate wedding guest, whether you’ve been to a hundred weddings or you’re about to attend your first. Here are seven ways that you can become the best guest at your next wedding.
Mail Your Gift
The couple does not want to be hauling home 5-foot art pieces and vitamix blenders, as generous as those gifts are. Make sure you send gifts to their home address instead of lugging them with you to the wedding. Wedding registries make gift giving a no-frills task, as they give you the option to mail gifts directly to the couple’s home. If gift giving is a source of stress for you, registries are a lifesaver. Simply choose something off of the wedding registry in the price range you want to spend. You can find where they are registered through a quick search on Google. You can also look at Zola, Bed Bath & Beyond, Etsy, Bloomingdales, Sur La Table, and Amazon, just to name a few. If you want to bring a gift to the wedding, a check or cash is best.
Dress to Impress
The dress code is listed on the wedding invitation for a reason. Couples are very specific about how they want their guests to dress. Whether it’s a black tie event or casual, don’t be afraid to add your own personal flair to your outfit. Just don’t show up to a beach wedding in stilettos or in ripped jeans when every other guest is in a wedding gown or tuxedo. And that white dress that you’re dying to show off? We’re sure it makes you feel like a million bucks but you’d better save it for your labor day barbeque. The bride is the one that needs to stand out, not you.
Arrive On Time
You may be able to get by arriving fashionably late to a cocktail party, but stumbling into the wedding hall while the bride is walking down the aisle is downright shameful. If you have an emergency that causes you to be late, you better find a seat in the back or wait until the “I do’s” are said. Our rule of thumb on when you should arrive: Arrive no later than 10 minutes before the ceremony start time. If there is a cocktail hour before the ceremony, you can arrive 10 minutes late, but anything over that is inconsiderate. Also, we hope you don’t have the audacity to skip the ceremony and come for the drinks and dinner. The couple has invited you to come see them get married and that’s an honor that you should appreciate.
Eat the Steak You Ordered
If the baked salmon is suddenly sounding more appealing than the steak you ordered, we’re sorry to say but suck it up. Good wedding etiquette means sticking to what you ordered when you RSVPed (only if you were asked to send in your protein option on the RSVP card). The best thing you can do at this point is find somebody at your table who wants to switch with you or share.
Speaking of RSVPs, make sure you send yours in on time! There is nothing more aggravating for the couple getting married than having to reach out to guests who have yet to RSVP. Trust us, the couple will be knee-deep in a lot of other things. So next time you receive a wedding invitation, instead of stashing it in a desk drawer, hang it on the fridge as a reminder to take care of it as soon as possible.
Dance the Night Away
Did somebody say foot massage? The ultimate wedding guest knows exactly what they need after a long night of breaking it down on the dance floor. The wedding couple has spent countless hours planning this special event and they want nothing more than for their guests to have a good time. An empty dance floor is the dread of all couples getting married. Show them some love and support by bringing good energy to the dance floor. Go with the flow whether that involves belting out old school Britney or doing the Macarena. The more people filling up the dance floor, the merrier!
Drink to Remember, Not to Forget
This is not a night you’ll want to forget. You may have gotten away with getting sloppy drunk in your fraternity house in college, but that behavior is inappropriate at a wedding. You’re here to celebrate one of the most special moments in two people’s lives. You don’t want to ruin it for them! Plus, how much of a bummer would it be to not remember a single thing or even worse, to spend the night with your head above the toilet bowl? While trying out the specialty cocktails and having shots with the bride and groom are a must, know your limits. We know the open bar can be very tempting, especially if there is a lot to offer. Pace yourself and drink plenty of water for the best balance. If you know limiting yourself is going to be difficult, think of a game plan before the wedding to monitor your intake.
Sign the Guest Book!
You might get carried away by all the fun you’re having and forget to sign the guest book. Definitely be sure to sign it! The guest book is a great place to tell the couple how much you love them and wish them a long life of happiness together. It is a memorabilia of the wedding that they’ll have for years to come. Give them a kind blessing, write about a good memory you have of them and how beautiful they look. They will love reading all their guests’ thoughts and wishes afterwards.
Take Your Bad Mood Home
Nobody wants a Debbie Downer hanging around! The couple has poured their heart and soul into this event. If you aren’t able to show your excitement and join in on the fun, wait at least until the cake has been cut and take yourself home. Try and find the wedding couple to squeeze in a last hug on your way out. Of course, stick around for a long time if you’re having fun and adding to the party!
Getting invited to a wedding is an honor and not something that you should take for granted. At the end of the day, all the couple really wants is for you to enjoy and to celebrate this special day with them. They’ve put so much time and energy into planning this event. Now that you’ve read our tips, you’re ready to be the best wedding guest ever.
