Do You Follow These Wedding Guest Rules When You Go For a Wedding?

Okay, so you got a wedding invite and the first thing you think of - ooh what am I going to wear, and does this place serve yummy food? Well, you should also remember that as a wedding guest you're a representation of the bride and the groom and of course, yourself as an individual. To ensure that you are crowned the wedding guest of the century, we put together a handy little list of to dos. 1. Do RSVP: Most of the weddings now days have RSVP, so make it a point to do so. It’s a blessing when people plan their wedding. They will know exactly how many people are coming in. It might just be a western concept but Indian weddings are waking up to this now. It's rude to not RSVP and thank them for inviting you. 2. Don’t be late: While arriving fashionably late may be acceptable at a friend’s party, it’s not cool on the wedding day. You should be there when they are exchanging garlands or during the mahurat! Come in 30 minutes before the actual ceremony. 3. Don’t wear the bride’s colours: If you are close to the bride –just check in with her and don’t wear the same colour lehenga as hers. Let the bride stand out from the rest of the crowd. Besides, over-dressed and upstaging the bride with all that crazy jewellery is a bad idea. Stay stylish, be you. 4. Do drink responsibly: An open bar is not a good excuse to drink more than you usually would. Make sure you’re not that guy – the one who drank way too much and became loud and obnoxious. It’s not a good look and certainly not acceptable wedding guest etiquette. Drinking should be an aside - having fun should be your primary motive. 5. Do be on good behaviour: This goes hand-in- hand with drinking responsibly for many. But the bottom line is, don't do anything that would draw attention away from the couple. Any loud, obnoxious, or attention-seeking behaviour is a major no. Just stop calling attention onto yourself all the time! 6. Don’t get large gifts at the venue: If you are getting the bride and groom a gift that is large in size, it is best to ship it directly to their home ahead of time. It's perfectly fine to bring envelopes and smaller boxes on the wedding day. That small desk or that big cutlery set can stay. 7. Don’t become an iPhone paparazzo: It has become quite common for guests to snap photos on their camera phones. But make sure that you're still present and in the moment during the ceremony, and that you're not blocking anyone else's view when you strain to get the perfect shot. And if the bride and groom do ask you to refrain from taking photographs or posting on social media, you must respect their wishes completely. 8. Don’t skip the wedding: Yes, it’s rude to show up to a cocktail event and not for the wedding or the reception. Unless you have a genuine reason that you cannot make it.

Picture Courtesy: Chayanika & Aditya's Wedding 

9. Do keep the chitchat with the couple brief: Of course you are excited to congratulate your newly married loved ones on their union. But keep in mind that your bride and groom have many guests to greet in their receiving line. So, keep the congratulatory chitchat to a minimum and don’t hog all their time. 10. Don’t stay hooked on your phone: Put your phone down and enjoy the wedding. Even if you don't know anybody there, sitting alone with your phone in your hand –it’s rude. 11. Don’t bring an uninvited plus one: Pay attention to the wedding invitation to see if it’s addressed to you alone or your partner too or your full family. Don’t just assume you can bring a couple of extra people to the wedding, even if they are family. 12. Don’t text the Bride or the Groom: Don’t call the bride or the groom if you can’t find the directions to the venue! Check with another guest or maybe a relative. 13. Don’t take over the dance floor: If you're pretending that the dance floor is yours and only yours, you'll scare other guests away. You can break out the only dance move you know and give others space to dance too. Also, don't hog the stage, ever! 14. Don’t take more than one party favor: If you want to see if there are extras, wait until the end of the night before grabbing another. Or you can ask the couple after their wedding if they have an extra to send you. But don't be greedy and grab more than one. 15. Do be a gracious guest: At the end of the evening before heading out, make sure to thank either the bride and groom or their families for being included in the festivities and let them know how much you enjoyed everything. They’ll love hearing that things went well and that the guests had a great time celebrating with them. 16. Follow the dress code: If it says cocktail casual, then that's what it is. Don't think that you're special and skip the rules - they are there for a reason. -Apoorva Pagar