I Went to Your Wedding

Before The Wedding

1. The invitation is marked RSVP (in French - Respondez S'il Vous Plait) which means 'Please Reply'. Please reply to help the bride and bridegroom have an idea of how many people to expect in church and at the reception.

2. The invitation indicated a dress code which means 'Please do not come to the wedding overdress or under-dress'. Dress properly for the occasion. Color motif is a must if you are a member of the bridal entourage.

3. The invitation is strictly for the name indicated on it. Do not bring an uninvited guest. The etiquette is simple and clear. If you did not receive an invitation, then you are not invited. It is not proper to ask to be invited or to show up without an invitation.

4. Pick a nice, practical but charming gift for the couple. Your gift should come with a card where you can write legibly a short message, sign, and indicate your return address. This is to save the couple time and trouble later on when they write you their thank you card.

In The Church

1. Arrive at the church on time. If a wedding invitation says that the ceremony will begin at 5, be sure to arrive there by 4:45 so as to give yourself time to find a seat and get settled. Punctuality is always a good manner especially at weddings. It is bad manner to attend the wedding reception and skip the church ceremony. On the other hand, it is a bad manner for the bride and bridegroom to 'cheat' their guests by indicating an earlier time on the invitation instead of the scheduled time of the ceremony, just to forcefully gather an ideal number of guests for the celebration.

2. Be aware of the seating arrangement - family and friends of the bride on the left, and family and friends of the bridegroom on the right.

3. Avoid taking photographs during the ceremony. Leave that to the professionals and respect the sanctity of the ritual in front of you.

At The Reception

1. While waiting for the bride and the bridegroom to arrive from the church for the reception, do not take your seat, instead, socialize and exchange tidbits with the other guests.

2. Join the reception line to greet the newlyweds 'Best Wishes' to the bride and 'Congratulations' to the bridegroom. Introduced yourself briefly to those unknown to you in the reception line.

3. Refrain from engaging the couple in a long and tedious conversation.

4. Follow the seating arrangement. Your hosts know where to place you - to be with old friends or to make new friends or it can be both.

5. Although your hosts assigned you to a table, it does not mean that you cannot mix and mingle when its the time to enjoy the festivity.

After The Wedding

1. Thank the couple for the wedding souvenirs. Do not ask for additional.

2. Leave the flower arrangements alone. It is bad manners to take home anything from the reception. It is not your responsibility to clear things. Leave that to the couple's immediate relations.

3. If you are unable to attend the wedding, it is customary to still send a wedding gift.

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When you greet the newlyweds, congratulate the bridegroom, as in Congratulations! Sue is a lovely bride. To the bride you say, Best Wishes! Brides are never to be congratulated. Congratulations' implies hat the bride has just caught herself a husband. To the bride and bridegroom together, you may say something like,

What a romantic couple you make.'

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