We reveal top tips to help you be the perfect guest
TURNING up late for a wedding, asking to bring a guest and texting the bride or groom to find out what time the ceremony starts are the biggest “sins” guests commit on a couple’s big day.
RSVP-ING on Facebook rather than by post and getting in the photographer’s way also gets under newlyweds’ skin.
The data was collected by Irish online wedding mag Onefabday.com.
Deputy editor Celina Murphy said: “I think most of us would like to believe we’re the perfect wedding guest but there are lots of seemingly harmless actions that can cause big headaches for the couple.
“Things like RSVPING via Facebook when you’ve received a postal invitation, or texting the couple on the day of the wedding to ask what time the ceremony starts are big no-nos.
“Getting in a professional photographer’s sightline to take blurry snaps on your smartphone is another one we hear about all the time.”
Turning up late, asking to bring a plus one and posting to social media without the couple’s consent are among the other wedding guest faux pas on the list.
Celina added: “A lot of these errors are surprisingly easy to make.
“I’ve definitely committed the sin of not mingling with guests outside of my own crew.
“I didn’t give it a second thought at the time, but now I know it’s something couples really worry about.”
The site is offering advice on how to minimise stress for the couple on their big day.
Here are the things to avoid:
Obstructing the photographers
When a couple have paid for professional photographers to capture their day, it can be really frustrating when parts of those pictures are obscured with guests’ smartphones and ipads.
If you want to take your own photos on the day, be subtle about it and whatever you do, don’t come between the photographer and the couple!
Asking to bring a plus one/your kids
If you’ve been invited to a wedding without a plus one, or your children, it’s because the couple have made a deliberate decision and, more than likely, they can’t make their guest list work any other way. This can cause issues for guests, but asking the bride and groom to make an exception for you is putting them in a really awkward position.
There’s nothing wrong with sending an excited text to your pal the day before the wedding, but bugging them for information that was clearly printed on your invitation, or that you could find via Google, is far from ideal. Think twice before you call or text them on the busiest weekend of their lives. Check if another guest or bridal party member can give you the information instead.
It’s quite natural these days to post a picture of whatever is in your eyeline, but take extra care if it’s a couple on their wedding day.
Chances are they’d prefer to be seen in a professional image as opposed to your smartphone shot. And it’s possible they don’t want any images appearing online at all.
Bothering the couple in the run-up to the big day
Posting pictures to social media without the couple’s permission
Ignoring other guests
It’s tempting to only spend time with your pals or close family members at a wedding, but the couple will really appreciate it if you make an effort to mingle with other guests, particularly those who don’t know many people in attendance.
Make sure to chat to whoever you’re seated beside at the meal – the couple probably seated you there because they thought you’d hit it off.