Getting invited to a wedding can be a lot of fun. This is especially true when you’re particularly close with the happy couple. Still, it is important to stop and take a moment to consider a few basic rules of behavior when attending a wedding. Customs and traditions surrounding marriage might change with each passing season, but there are a few hard and fast rules that guests should always try to keep in mind in order to help the event play out in the smoothest way possible.
Take a look at some of these basic tips before venturing off to any weddings in the near future. Some extra time spent reviewing rules of etiquette can help you avoid making a fool of yourself and help the happy couple feel like their guests are under control.
Invitation Only
To begin, it can be a good idea to think about the first point of contact you have in relation to a wedding: the invitation. This might not seem like the biggest deal on the surface, but plenty of couples lose their minds when guests don’t follow proper protocol for these little mailers. Essentially, you want to make sure you adhere to all of the information on the invitation, especially when it comes to replying with pertinent, time-sensitive information.
Couples only have so long to inform venues of how many guests will be in attendance at their events. When guests don’t follow the date listed next to “RSVP by,” it can be a huge problem. This is even truer when a large number of guests don’t reply in a timely fashion. To keep the happy couple satisfied and ensure you aren’t adding to the stress that comes along with planning a wedding, RSVP as soon as you know if you are able to attend.
Presenting Your Present
Right after you RSVP to the invitation, you need to start thinking about an appropriate gift to get for the couple. Forgetting to get a gift can be a big faux-pas, and one you want to make sure you avoid. Couples might not remember each and every detail of their weddings, but you can bet most of them know who brought a gift and who totally dropped the ball. To stay in good graces, get to work on the right gift as soon as possible.
Typically, couples will inform guests of where they are registered. This makes getting a gift easy, as people tend to use big name stores (or, more recently, Amazon and similar sites) that are easy for most to order from. Some couples don’t opt for registries, however, which means you may need to use your own ingenuity to find a good fit. If all else fails, don’t forget that a cash gift is definitely one of the best possible presents you can give to people who just dropped a fortune on throwing a big party.
Clothes Make the Guest
Finally, you definitely want to put in a good amount of time finding the right outfit for the wedding. While the exact clothing you select will be dependent on the personalities of the people getting married, it never hurts to plan on dressing as nice as possible. Of course, the only rule in that regard is to make sure you don’t outshine the bride or groom!
Being a wedding guest can be a lot of fun. It isn’t every day you get a chance to get together with people you care about and celebrate a new union formed out of love. In order to keep the happy couple satisfied throughout the entire process, be sure to follow the right steps and do your part to make sure the whole ordeal goes off without a hitch.
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