Wedding Etiquette

As a tradition steeped in our society’s culture with different roots in religion, region and family, weddings come with a lot of history. With all that history, tradition and various cultural significance, there are bound to be more than a few rules of engagement, so to speak. But how important are all of these rules still today? Very. Avoid making significant wedding faux pas and follow along with some of the older, but still current, etiquette rules.

Wearing White

One obvious no-no, but still a significant rule to follow, it’s next to never appropriate to wear white to a wedding. Unless the invitation states specific instructions asking the guests to wear white or the wedding party is wearing white, the only person in the hue should be the bride.

This etiquette 101 rule is more about not drawing too much attention away from the happy couple in general and extends beyond just upstaging the bride or groom.

The Gift Registry

Whether or not you’re able to attend the wedding, invited guests are typically expected to send a gift. The gift registry is definitely the preferred resource for guests; it’s also acceptable to send a check or thoughtful gift of your own. Generally, everyone buys from the gift registry, but for those much closer friends and family that have a thoughtful gift in mind, the registry becomes just a suggestion.

Bringing Kids

While there may be a flower girl and ring bearer in the ceremony, kids are generally not invited to wedding receptions. They may be part of the family, but guests should never just assume the bride and groom would be okay with additional guests, no matter what size.

Sending Invitations

Just because someone invited you to their wedding doesn’t mean you have to invite them to yours and vice versa. Also, even if you know the guests can’t make your wedding, send an invitation anyway. It may seem like a waste of money and resources, but in the long run it’s a nice thought to make them still feel included.

RSVPs

These are not a suggestion; it’s a helpful tool for the couple in planning their wedding. Deciding and planning whether or not you can attend a wedding should be done as soon as possible — send the RSVP and let the couple get on with their plans.