Being a wedding guest SUPERSTAR

You have been invited to share the most special day of someone’s life with them and of course you want to do anything you can to ensure their day goes off without a hitch! Here are a few hints and tips on how to be a Wedding Guest Superstar.

RSVP as soon as possible

When you are invited to someone’s wedding RSVP as soon as you possibly can – don’t leave it until the deadline or even thereafter! The bride and groom are so excited after all their planning to receive the first RSVPs, so why not be the guests to give them that joy? Also, the couple need to make a seating plan and organise the number of meals – the sooner they can make these arrangements the easier for them. Also, RSVP for all the people on the invitation. Only if it says your name “and guest” is it polite to RSVP for a +1. If it says “and family” your reply should make it clear which of your family members will be attending.

Be on time

Never be fashionably late to someone else’s wedding. Only the bride-to-be is allowed to make a show stopping entrance at her wedding. Everyone else should arrive early for the ceremony and be seated by the time the ceremony starts and the bride walks down the aisle.

Avoid wearing white

This is especially important for female wedding guests. Don’t wear white. Just don’t. And please don’t ask the bride if it’s fine to wear white (“because you’ll be beautiful anyway so it’s not like I’ll draw attention from you”…). The bride might feel pressured to say yes but then feel awkward and resentful. Put yourself in her position – asking her just wouldn’t be fair. Similarly, avoid wearing black. If a number of guests make the same move, the event might quickly look like a funeral. And, unless the couple specifies otherwise, it's best to leave your ripped jeans, T-shirt and flip-flops at home.

Don’t take pictures during the ceremony

Having loads of cameras thrust in your face during the ceremony is very distracting and something most venues will even ask you to refrain from. This is such a special moment – take the time to treasure it with the couple. Remember, there is a hired photographer who knows how and when to take the best pictures without distracting the couple or the wedding officials. Before you know it, the ceremony will be over and during the signing of the wedding book, you can take those treasured images.

Be careful when throwing confetti

When throwing confetti ensure you stand back far enough and throw it up and over the couple. If standing too close it is easy enough to hit the couple in the face – something which does happen and if the confetti goes straight into their eyes it will ruin any beautiful pictures the photographer might be able to take.

Monitor your alcohol intake

This probably goes without saying but with alcohol flowing freely on these joyous occasions, it is very easy to have one too many. Whilst there is nothing wrong in having a good time, no one wants to be that guest who makes a complete fool of themselves and no wedding couple wants to deal with a friend or relative who is disrupting their big day because of alcohol.