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If you are lucky enough to be invited to a wedding, always try to be a good wedding guest. After all, the bride and groom only get one special day, and it’s important to help make it special for them.

Weddings are such a joyous occasion. A couple coming together to declare their love and commitment to one another. While we hope we only experience a wedding day ourselves just once, being a part of someone else’s special day is such a privilege. You get to enjoy the atmosphere, the fun, the love, and the laughter and have a great time in the process. But, is there an etiquette you need to follow when it comes to being a wedding day guest?

What is the wedding etiquette as a guest?

There is a certain etiquette that you do need to follow as a wedding guest. Some things you must do, and things you will want to avoid. While attending a wedding is such a fun day and evening, you also don’t want to but a dampener on the day for the special couple. So I wanted to share with you some of the things to consider and wedding day etiquette as a guest.

Replying to the invitation is important

When you receive an invitation to a wedding, don’t forget to reply by leaving it to get lost on the coffee table. As soon as the invite arrives, have a read of it, check the date, and decide whether you will be able to attend. Most modern wedding invitations come with a printed response card, so all you will need to do is fill in the blanks. Whether you can attend the wedding or not, it’s crucial that your response as soon as possible. The bride and groom will be under enough pressure as it is, don’t make things worse for them by not letting them know whether you will be attending.

Send a gift either way

Whether you can attend or not, it’s still a nice gesture to send the happy couple a gift. If you don’t feel that sending a gift is necessary, at least send a card of congratulations, instead. When it comes to choosing a present for the couple, it’s always best to check if they have a gift list registered somewhere, so that you get them something that they actually, want. That may be an older tradition but some couples still do it. Alternatively, they may have mentioned something in the invite such as vouchers towards their honeymoon.

Be choosy about what you wear

When it comes to choosing your outfit for the wedding, there are a few things that you need to remember. It’s only natural that you want to look beautiful when attending a wedding. However, what you don’t want to do is go for a look that will upset anyone, most importantly, the bride. Never wear white – this is a big wedding no-no, it’s inconsiderate to turn up to a wedding in the same colour as the bride.

Don’t go for a look that’s too over the top, as you don’t want to outdo her, either. It’s also important to make sure that you wear an outfit that’s not only appropriate for the season but also for the style of the event.

Don’t be late

If you have been invited to both the ceremony and reception, you should feel honoured. Out of all of the couple’s friends and family, they want you to be with them when they say I do. So whatever you do, don’t be late. It’s a good idea to aim to arrive at the wedding ceremony venue at least 20 minutes before the service is due to start. So that you can get parked and seated with plenty of time to spare before the bride makes her big entrance.

Don’t overdo it at the reception

We can all get a little giddy when we are at a wedding. You may be child-free, be staying over, or have arrangements where you don’t need to drive home. But that isn’t an excuse to drink too much. Make sure you pace yourself so that you can enjoy the reception without acting drunk or suffering from a terrible hangover the next day.

Make conversation with other guests

You may be seated on a table with people you don’t know, or find yourself close by with other members of the family from the other side. Don’t be too shy or standoffish. Weddings are the perfect time to make conversation with new people. Ask them general open-ended questions and get the whole table involved in the conversation. It is a lovely way to get to know people and helps break the ice, especially if you don’t know many people attending.