Weddings are a cause for celebration, but for some reason a small number of guests can turn a time of joy into a tricky situation. Here are our top tips on handling some of the trickiest of those situations. Before the wedding
The guest who wants to bring their child to your child-free wedding
Having a child-free wedding can save money and many parents are thankful for a night of responsibility-free fun. But not everyone will be happy with this news. If you receive any complaints the best course of action is to politely stick to your guns.
It might help to share your reasoning. For example, perhaps your venue has a limited capacity or maybe there are lots of children in your family and it would be unfair to invite some and not all of them. Of course, the exception here is parents with nursing newborns.
The guest who wants a plus-one
Generally speaking, plus-ones should be given to guests who are married or in long-term relationships and you are familiar with them. If somebody is unhappy that they haven’t been granted a plus-one, again, politely remain firm. To avoid any confusion in the first place, consider including a line in your invitation along the lines of ‘we have kindly reserved one seat in your honour.’
The guest who isn’t a guest but assumes otherwise
This is a difficult one and should be approached sensitively, particularly if it’s a close friend or family member. Explain that your numbers are limited and arrange a time to catch up after the wedding.
At the wedding
The guest that has one too many
There is always one that gets a little too merry! You can either laugh it off or, if it becomes distracting, ask someone they are comfortable with to have a tactful word with them.
The guests that don’t get on
Most guests should respect the day and put any petty behaviour to one side in the name of celebrating your marriage. If you’re worried about any guests not getting on at the wedding, plan your seating plan accordingly and perhaps have a quiet word with them to quell any concerns.
The guest dressed inappropriately
Perhaps your cousin has turned up in a white lace maxi dress or your uncle mistook ‘smart casual’ for ‘Friday night down the pub’. Whatever the weather, it’s too late to amend on the day so your best bet is to grin and bear it.
Post-wedding
The guest that posts photos on social media
If you’d rather your guests don’t post photos on social media, you need to make that very clear. In this day and age, everyone is always updating their Instagram/Facebook/Twitter with the day’s happenings and a wedding is big news! So make a sign and pop a note on the order of service. No excuses then.
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Also, if you know of any awkward wedding situations that we haven’t covered here, we would love to hear from you!
Love Janie x