1,830 total views, 2 views today
You have dreamt about your wedding ever since you were a kid. Now, the biggest day of your life is here! And obviously, you want it to be flawless. First things first; forewarned is forearmed. So take a look at these 7 wedding etiquette don’ts (Psstt..they are all avoidable).
1. Don’t include pledge cards in your invitation cards
Times may be hard, and yes! you need the money but coercing your guests to give you money under the disguise of inviting them to your wedding is rude and outright impolite. The polite way to ask for contributions is to invite people to your wedding meetings or launch.
Wedding invitations are put in place to invite guests but not to ask for gifts or any contribution, they are a way of letting your guests know how much you treasure their presence on this important day of your life. It sounds so rude to ask for what each invited member should put to the table, let guests be part of this day and let them enjoy the day. Any contribution is ok but it should not feel like they have to pay a fee to attend your wedding or introduction. Let people give freely without any restrictions.
2. Don’t keep guests waiting for so long to start the party
Have you been at a wedding where you have to wait for the couple to come until your throats dry? There is really no fun in that. When there is a big gap between your timeline and the starting time, you may begin the ceremony and everyone is already tired and hungry to enjoy whatever is scheduled on the wedding day. They may even leave early, or start buying snacks instead of eating your wedding food. If a longer break is unavoidable [say between a late-morning ceremony and evening reception], give your guests the option of being entertained with music, drinks, and snacks as they wait. Time it so that the bar opens and appetizers get passed as soon as your guests leave your ceremony site(church) to the reception. This will keep the guests less bored forgetting about the delay and focusing on the entertainment. The best part is: by the time you get to your reception, they’ll have shaken off the nerves will cheer you on throughout the evening.
3. Don’t make guests pay for their drinks
Of course, the bar bill will be one of the biggest expenses at your reception [if in any case drinking part of your party], you may not afford hours upon hours of open bar boozing but you can find an appropriate way of doing it. If your venue allows you to buy drinks out [most gardens do but hotels may not] buy the booze yourself. If a hotel allows corkage, pay it and bring in your own drinks.
Alternatively, hire a cocktail mixologist. You can find some in our vendor listing directory If you are working under a tight budget, buy your drinks, and give a mixologist labor fee.
Another alternative is to skip the expensive hard drinks [think Johnie walker, Jamesons, Hennesy, Ciroc, etc]. Instead, choose a few beers and wines that will pair well with your menu, and make those the evening’s only choices.
4. Don’t ignore feeding your vendors
This is a very important part of a wedding that you should never look down on, in fact, they should be included on the list of the guests given to the caterer so they never miss out on food services. These are the people working all day to make your wedding happen, so take care of them. The wedding planner, photographer, videographer, DJ, or band, and any assistants are basically part of this day’s perfection so, never leave them out of the meals of the day even if you paid them. Feed the band or DJ and photographer before your guests sit for dinner so they can cue big moments, and so they don’t miss toasts or the first dance.
6. Don’t wait months to send out Thank-you notes
You do not have to wait a year to send thank you notes to your guests, this is so impolite and it will seem like someone just pushed you into doing it. You need to keep a running list of who sent you what and send them a “thank you” note within a week or two. Do not forget to check it off your list once the note is sent. By keeping good records and sending notes early, it shows the care you have and appreciation for all their efforts. With thank you notes you help guests understand how their presence meant a lot to you on your wedding day. Avoid the possibility of forgetting who the giver was or whether or not you sent the thank you note by keeping a record.
7. Don’t forget to greet all your guests
It can get exhausting having to greet all 700 guests – even considering we are in a COVID-19 pandemic era but you don’t have to shake or hug every one of your guests over the course of your wedding. Instead, during the cocktail hour or when everyone is on the dance floor, hop from group to group and boogie with different sets of friends or share a few hugs (if you are reading this after COVID-19) with your friends. Guests will understand that you’re trying to make the rounds, so don’t worry about keeping it short. But don’t stress: Try to see everyone if you can.
When you nail all ideas brought to light, you will surely be pleased with the results. Many of these and other numerous issues may seem so easy to handle but are equally easy to forget. If you need help planning a perfect wedding but don’t have extra time or emotional muscle for it you can hire a planner and let them worry about the nitty gritties of pulling off a flawless event. Call/WhatsApp us +256779118148 or email info@partiesenevents.com