Wedding Etiquette 101: Is Looking Foolish Your Area of Specialty?

Getting married is as stressful as a first date. Because of this, understanding wedding etiquette is the key. Weddings are special and a faux pas made by the happy couple (or some guest) will be remembered. So, make sure you behave.

Many of the wedding traditions and points of etiquette are held over from previous centuries, when world was a much different, i.e. happier place. Most things have changed through the years.

Walking Down the Aisle

Wedding etiquette plays a huge role in almost every part of the wedding planning process, starting with the walk down the aisle itself. In previous generations it was unheard of for the bride to make the walk with anyone other than her father. However the dynamics of the 21st century living have changed this age old tradition completely. If for some reason the bride’s father is not available for the wedding, his place can be taken by the grandfather, or a close friend.

Invitations

Under the old rules it was traditional to list only the names of the bride’s mom and dad. If you ask me, that’s just silly. Luckily, this rule is no longer in force. It’s quite common and totally okay to name both sets of parents when sending out invites.

Gift Table

My grandmother once told me that there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Your guests probably know this, so it’s a smart thing to set up a special table at the reception. You shouldn’t feel bad about this because your wedding is your day. And that means (among other stuff) gifts, lots of gifts. The table should be set up in a spot that’s convenient for guests to give their gifts before embarking on the fun of the reception.

Bridesmaids and Groomsmen

Many brides spend a lot of time worrying about having an even number of bridesmaids and groomsmen. Well, they shouldn’t.

Dress Up

Don’t you just love themed weddings; I certainly do. However weddings are usually formal affairs, meaning that suits and nice dresses are appropriate.