If you’re a bride planning your wedding, you already know how difficult and stressful it can be. The last thing you need on your beautiful wedding day is poor etiquette from your wedding guests that you so carefully chose to celebrate your special day with. If you’re a wedding guest, this post is a great way to be sure you are an awesome guest. Maybe this is your first wedding you’ve ever attended, or maybe you’ve been to dozens. Either way, here are eight basic wedding etiquette tips to help you out.

RSVP EARLY OR AT LEAST ON TIME

The couple has A LOT to do. From planning and budget making, to making decisions, choosing the right vendors, and the rest of the seemingly never-ending list of things to do. Wedding planning is basically like a full time job! Even with an amazing wedding planner, there are still a lot of decisions and deadlines. As a wedding guest, you can help the couple out just by simply RSVPing early or at the least, on-time.

In order to properly determine the number of seats, meals, wedding favors, and other aspects, a proper head count is important. By not RSVPing on time, you could hold up wedding planning or cause a shortage of something. If you must cancel your RSVP after you have accepted, do so as early as possible.

DRESS APPROPRIATELY

We have shot a lot of weddings and most often everyone is dressed perfectly for the couple’s wedding. Occasionally, there are those few who just stick out due to underdressing or over the top attire. You are not the focus of attention, unless of course you are the bride or groom, so respecting the couple’s decision on attire is important. If the invitation did not specify, be sure to ask before the wedding. Sometimes things like “casual” or “beach” is kind of broad, so ask or use really good judgement.

DON’T BE LATE!

This seems like common sense, but you’d be surprised how often someone is late to a wedding. Sure, things come up that are out of your control, but you should plan to always arrive fifteen minutes early to whatever the start time on the invitation is. This will help make sure you are not “that guy” or girl, arriving late.

FORGET YOUR DATE

If your invitation doesn’t mention anything about bringing a “plus one”, well then…don’t. It’s really that simple. It may not seem like a big deal, but each guest typically costs the bride and groom a good amount of money. If twenty other people decide to just add a date, that’s a lot more people to feed and care for. This would include your children as well.

AVOID TAKING TOO MANY PICTURES

We live in a digital age where everyone has a camera in their pocket and they shoot photos and videos of everything from their shoelaces to natural disasters. Some people (some photographers, wedding planners, or random people writing wedding articles) like to say not to take any photos, especially during the wedding ceremony. Being a photographer, I understand the want and need to take photos, but do it with respect. There is no reason to take 100s of photos during the ceremony, standing up, walking around, shooting photos with an iPad or tablet, ect.

More than likely, the couple has spent a good amount of money hiring a professional wedding photographer that takes amazing wedding photos for a living. Be courteous, not only to the couple, but also to their hired photographers and videographers. Trust me when I say that no wedding couple has ever wanted a ton of ceremony photos with you in the background or your iPad filling half of the photos. If the bride and groom specifically ask you not to take any photos or video during their ceremony, then just don’t.

Of course if you are attending an unplugged wedding, then respect that as well, and don’t take any photos during the ceremony.

YOUR FROZEN AND HAPPY RINGTONES ARE AWESOME

Although your Frozen and Pharrell Williams Happy ringtones are awesome, be sure to put your phone on silent or turn it off completely during the ceremony and special moments like toasts. There’s nothing worse than the couple being pronounced man and wife while someone’s Turn Down For What ringtone is blaring in the background.

BE SOCIAL

If you didn’t already know, weddings are supposed to be fun! They are celebrations of a couple’s love, as well as, the love they have for their family and friends. Avoid being the person just sitting at your table all night long. Get up, dance, talk, and have fun with everyone else! Even if you have assigned seating, that doesn’t mean you can’t mingle around. You never know what new person you might meet or where new love will bloom!

DRINK RESPONSIBLY

Open bar does not mean you should relive your college drinking days and try to get as hammered as possible as quickly as you can. What it does mean is that the bride and groom have offered to pay for your drinks while you enjoy your evening. Be awesome and enjoy, but within reason. They still have to pay for it and you don’t want to have any regrets the next day.

My name is Matt Druin and I’m an Atlanta wedding photographer that specializes in unique, offbeat weddings for all awesome people! Not only do I shoot amazing Atlanta weddings, but I also travel frequently for destination weddings, and weddings all over, with no travel fees in the US for amazing wedding photography. I also shoot Atlanta engagement sessions for newly engaged couples. I’ve even been known to travel, and far, for engagement sessions too! Plus, we have our amazing photo booth, Booth Riot!

Contact Atlanta Wedding Photographer Matthew Druin

Email [email protected]

Phone 678-551-0115

Address 225 Parkway 575 #66 Woodstock, Georgia 30188

Portfolios www.matthewdruin.com

 

 

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