It is unfortunate that weddings are decreasing every day as divorce cases increase. It is has become more a privilege to get a wedding invite instead of the norm that happened in the past. Many people who are invited to weddings get anxious especially if they don’t know lots of people on the guest list.
Everybody deals with such anxiety differently, but you can have fun at a friend’s wedding according to how you conduct yourself. There is a guest etiquette for every occasion and familiarizing yourself with what is expected of you will make it easy for you. This is where you start.
Reply to your invite
Weddings are fun, but the long list of invitations can be fun be exhausting to the couple. Reply the request early enough to give them less work of guessing the headcount. It will help them plan according to how many replies they get to avoid a shortage of items such as food or seats.
Bring one more person
If you are not the best at socializing, the couple can accommodate one more guest as long as you inform them in advance. Do not bring lots of people such as children if you can get a caregiver to babysit them. Bringing many people to an invite-only occasion is rude.
Choose a gift
Don’t assume that the couple will get enough gifts. The fact that they invited you means that you are important to them. You can reciprocate this by choosing even if it is a small gift to present to them during the occasion. If you can’t find something appropriate, cash is still a gift since it can buy what they may desire.
Arrive early
If you only know a few people or even the groom and bride alone, you cannot afford to be late. Arriving early to the wedding reduces the confusion and puts you at ease. You also get to secure a comfortable seat at a strategic position not to miss out on something important. Don’t seat at the first row since this is usually secluded for the family of the couple. An usher can help you find a good seating position.
Observe proper dressing
Every wedding has a theme color, but white is mostly secluded for the bride. Give her that chance to look her best in that white gown. You can always get something flashy in any other color. Shop early and confirm the theme before the wedding day. Choose comfortable shoes that can match every situation such as during dancing or get stuck in the mud.
Show respect to the bridal suite
Some people out of curiosity try to get into the bridal suite before the occasion. This room is off-limits to anyone since the bride needs time to prepare. Give her that time since you will be with her during the entire ceremony.
Give compliments more than critics
Weddings have a lot of imperfections but criticizing everything will not make you enjoy the occasion. Keep those negative thoughts to yourself and just have fun without obsessing over some weird fashion style. If you have diet restrictions, inform the couple early enough to avoid criticizing the food or even getting allergies from it.
Give the groom or bride space
Some people want more attention from the married couple and spend too much time congratulating them. They may be the only people you know, but you can make friends in the congregation. Remember that they have so many people to talk to and they are probably exhausted from all the work.
Avoid excessive drinks
Many people love free drinks at a party, but excess alcohol can ruin the moment. What we fail to realize is that the open bar in such an occasion comes with courtesy. You can show your gratitude by drinking responsibly or staying away from it if you can control this habit.
Don’t draw attention to yourself from drinking excessively, but get help if you are feeling too drunk to drive home. The less you drink, the more time you have to get to know people from the crowd.
Don’t let your phone distract you
Capturing every moment of this auspicious occasion is tempting. Your photo can distract you as you try to take pictures even when there is a hired photographer to do the job. You can always get the bright images of each moment later after the show. Be patient and use this time to socialize with people.
Keep the occasion offline
Remember that this is not your wedding. It would be rude to start posting videos or photos for the whole world to see without the consent from the couple. Some people cherish privacy and keeping it offline can reduce the publicity. If they want it public, they will post these images later on their own.
Be the team player
You can reduce the anxiety by acting as the team player. By accepting that invitation, the couple expects you to be corporative in making their day a success. Therefore, join the dance lane and have fun. Maintain a positive attitude and play along even when there are a few hindrances. It will make them happy.
Don’t give a long speech
You may be among the special guests required to speak at the wedding. This calls for you to be humble in realizing that it is not your day. People get bored with long speeches quickly. Give a short speech that is witty, inspiring and profound, and people will look for you after the occasion. It is not the number of words that matter but the quality. Do more of informing the mass more than entertaining them. There is a group for that.
Final thoughts
We wish that the rate of people getting married would stop decreasing. If you get an invite to one, feel lucky and familiarize yourself with the dos and don’ts of the occasion. It may be the day for the couple, but you can meet someone interesting at such a party. It all starts with your behavior and attitude. Have fun!
