If you're attending your first wedding, it can feel overwhelming to keep up with all of the things you should and shouldn't do. But it turns out, even seasoned wedding guests sometimes get the etiquette rules wrong.
Whether you eagerly look forward to every wedding you're invited to, or those embossed, calligraphy-laden envelopes fill you with a sense of unease, here’s what you need to know about staying in the couple's good graces and being a model guest.
Always RSVP on time
You might think that this sounds like a total no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how often people don’t follow this basic credo.
“Always send your RSVP in and make sure it's on time,” Elizabeth Tulipana, founder of Anticipation Events, told INSIDER. “Once you plan a wedding and realize how much every additional guest costs and the annoyance of tracking down guests who haven't responded, you realized this is a huge wedding guest faux pas.”
Save your friends the stress and trouble and just send in your RSVP card as soon as you know if you’ll be attending. They’ll be grateful and you won’t have to worry about it hanging over your head.
Don’t bring a plus one if you didn’t get a plus one
Again, you might think you’d never be that person that shows up at an event with a plus one if you didn’t get one on your invitation, but it can happen even accidentally.
“Read the envelope to know who was invited,” Kerline Docteur, lead planner and designer at Joie de Vie Weddings & Events, said. “Unless the person’s name and guest are listed, don't assume you have a plus one, or ask to bring an additional guest. The envelope (and often RSVP card) gives you an indication as to who was invited.”
Make sure you’re on time
There’s no such thing as fashionably late when it comes to attending a wedding. There will, almost always, be an exact time listed on the invitation you receive. Make sure you show up a little bit before that time so that you can find your seat and not be rushed or running behind.
“Yes, weddings are usually designed to start later than the invitation says, but the last thing you want is to have to stand at the back of the venue so you aren't accidentally part of the processional,” Allison Davis, founder and principal producer at Davis Row, told INSIDER. “And no matter when you show up, don't walk down the aisle!”
Stick to the side aisles or entrances to get to your seat without interfering with the wedding party’s walk down the aisle, especially if you’re cutting it close, despite your best intentions.
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