Who doesn’t love a good wedding?
The excitement and anticipation of watching two people coming together on their special day to exchange vows and promise to be together ‘till death do they part’ never fails to put a smile on one’s face.
Believe it or not, there is more for you to consider than simply what you are going to wear.
Yes, it’s perfectly normal for specific dress codes to be given, which you will be required to adhere to. However, formalities begin when you first receive your invitation.
Normally there is a requirement to ‘RSVP’ for the occasion.
This is generally due to the expensive nature of weddings and having to factor in several considerations. For example, the cost of seating the guest, feeding the guest, the wedding favor, and sometimes the logistics if the venue requires that guests are conveyed via non-traditional forms of transportation to the wedding venue.
Therefore, contrary to popular belief, RSVPing last minute is unacceptable as it does not allow much time for forward planning and budgeting. In fact, the most polite and considerate time frame to RSVP is at your earliest convenience and this can sometimes mean as soon as you receive the invite. Don’t be surprised if your failure to RSVP will be interpreted as a decline. I would caution against turning up without having confirmed, as you may find yourself excluded from the guest list altogether.
The next item to consider is the wedding gift. This gift is one of the rare presents that allows the recipient to literally spell out exactly what they would like to receive. This is normally done through a registry where the guest can pick from several options that vary in price range. This eliminates the dilemma of not knowing what to buy for the bride and groom; it would also be considered discourteous if you did not attempt to get them anything at all.
In some cases, the newlyweds may prefer a donation to their favourite charity. Either way, complying to their wishes is considered symbolic to wishing them well on their marital journey and helping them to get started on it.
Since the majority of us carry smart phones and are obsessed with capturing moments, I would be amiss if I did not mention that for the majority of people, their wedding day is considered a very sacred and private affair. Seek permission first before posting pictures and videos of the bride and groom, guests at their wedding and even exchanging of their vows. (Yes some people can get carried away). Not all couples are comfortable sharing their special day with complete strangers even if they happen to be on the social media friend list of their guests. Let’s remember to enjoy the day and live in the present moment. Of course, there is nothing wrong with posting images of yourself and videos of you dancing, but spare a second thought for the privacy of others, who by virtue of being a fellow guest at the same wedding, ended up splattered all over the social media account of someone they don’t even know.
Remember to seek out the bride and groom and thank them for a lovely experience, and for making you a part of their special day before you leave.
