Wedding etiquette is something that everyone should know. Whether you're invited or not, these are the rules you need to follow.
1. Don't ask questions about the bride's nails/hair/dress/accessories, let her have her day.
Just tell her she looks beautiful and move on. Take your picture, give her a hug, laugh a little and let her have her moment. There's no need to make her feel insecure by asking if her lashes are real or not... for the day, they are. No questions asked.
2. Do NOT take photos during the ceremony
Most weddings have a hired photographer, so there is no need to be the A-hole that’s blocking someone else’s view because you need to post it to your snap story. Just don’t.
3. DO. NOT. WEAR. WHITE.
Surprisingly, wedding attire IS getting more casual and laid back... you’re right. But casually dressed still should not include more than 50% of your outfit being white.
4. Don't take excessive advantage of the open bar.
Yes, it’s paid for. Yes, it’s right there. So close. You could just drink your heart away.... but you won’t. Not only is it rude to the Bride and Groom to be overly drunk at THEIR wedding, it represents them poorly as well because their friends are then thinking “wow, this guy can’t control himself” and “wow, they invited this guy to the wedding.
5. Don't seek out the Bride and Groom if there are any problems.
It is their special day. They should not be worrying about the guy above that is too drunk. If a toilet is clogged, cool! Not their problem. If someone stole a wedding gift, chase that A-hole down and show them the door (after retrieving the gift of course). Oh, and don’t make a scene because then the Bride and Groom really will notice.
6. Don’t just assume you can bring a guest.
Unless your invitation specifically says that you can bring a guest, you should probably get it cleared first. The Bride and Groom are most likely dropping between $50-$500 a person for a seat/meal/spot at the wedding. Don’t show up with extra people unless you know *for sure* that they’re okay with it.
7. Just like the open bar, if it’s a buffet, let it stay.
Get your plate setup and don’t go in for seconds until everyone has had a first. It’s incredibly rude to be the guest that acts as if they’ve never had food before... don’t be that guest.
8. Get the Bride and Groom a gift they can BOTH use.
It’s nice of you to find something that the Bride or Groom might want individually, but get that for them at their individual parties. A wedding gift should be for both of them.
9. Respond to your invitation as soon as possible.
The couple needs to have an accurate reservation/meal count, otherwise, they’ll be wasting money on food/a spot for you! They want you to be there and are going to assume you won’t be if you don’t RSVP... meaning you won’t get food or a spot. So do it ASAP.
10. Do not show up at the start time listed on the invite.
It’s best to show up 15-20 minutes early. The time listed on the invite should be the time the bride is scheduled to walk down the aisle... It’s most definitely not the time for you to shuffle your late butt in and distract everyone from their big day.