Weddings are joyous occasions, but there are a few things that guests should avoid doing in order to ensure that the day goes smoothly and that the happy couple can enjoy their special day to the fullest.
A user asked the forum, What should you not do at a wedding? Here are the common responses.
JOKING AT WEDDING
“My uncle Rob got married at the same place to two different women about 15 years apart.
My father says, “Hey Rob, after the 3rd time do you get your own parking space or something?” The Brides family were least impressed.”
DRUNK AND LIFTING UP BRIDE’S SKIRT
“Getting stupidly drunk and lifting up the bride’s skirt while the groom is going for the garter thing on her leg. Puking all over the DJ’s soundboard and in his bag. Almost starting a fistfight with childhood friends.
My friend Jorge did all this at my buddy’s wedding. It’s all on tape.”
PLEASE DO NOT TALK ABOUT THEIR PAST
“Do not bring up the subject of the groom’s ex-wife, especially in a speech. I witnessed a terrible best man’s speech where he basically bashed the groom’s prior marriage and said that he hoped this one turned out better. It was a truly painful speech.”
EXPECTING GUESTS TO PAY MUCH
“Have a costly wedding at a resort and expect all guests to front the cost.
My wife and I were invited to a couple’s wedding in Jamaica. During a busy tourist season, the cost per person was $1000 for four days, not including food or airfare.
It was also a themed wedding and not a fun theme like Renaissance garb, but some Italian clothing that everyone had to match. You had to show up to some place, get fitted for the style, and buy the suit or dress. It was about $350 for a guy, but depending on the women’s size, up to $1200 for a dress. I have no idea how much a bridesmaid or usher had to pay; this was to be a guest.
We declined, along with a majority of those invited. The bride gave everyone a hard time, especially because the $1000/person was ONLY if some minimum purchase was reached. The fact we wouldn’t pay meant others would be forced to pay more. I just didn’t have the estimated $5000 plus time off work to go.
They had the wedding anyway, but out of the several hundred they had planned for, 30 came. The groom had to change his best man twice because his first two couldn’t pay the steep fees required. This was flaunted as “well, now we know who our REAL friends are…”
The marriage lasted seven months. I forgot why they split up.”
CURSING AT WEDDING
“My mother-in-law stood up at my wedding reception and said, “This marriage between Henry and what’s her name is never going to last.”
I am “What’s her name.”
Don’t do that. I’m still angry 13 years later.”
INSULTING THE BRIDE OR GROOM
“Give a rude toast insulting the bride* or groom.”
PICKING UP FLOWERS
“Pick up all the flowers the flower girl drops.”
DON’T SAY MEAN THINGS
“When they are exchanging the rings, don’t stand up, dressed as Sauron and say “But they were, all of them, deceived, for another ring was made.” whilst putting on a ring too.”
GIVING BAD TIME TO BRIDE AND GROOM
“Grill the bride and groom about when they have children…
I’m paying for your drinks. Is it that hard to just say congratulations?!”
FIGHTING DURING THE WEDDING
“I once photographed a wedding, and during the family photographs with the bride and groom, the bride’s mother and father were put on opposite sides because they were divorced and not behaving. The mother was drunk, and during the photo, she was yelling over the heads of the bride and groom, insulting her ex-husband. The bride was near tears, and we had to stop taking pictures until they could get the mother to calm down. It was the last wedding I ever photographed.”
DON’T CREATE DRAMA
“Don’t make a scene if you are a bride or groom. It will be what nearly everyone remembers about your wedding if you do.
My wife and I had a small ceremony with our parents, my sister, and her husband. We were in a small dining room for the reception, and the AC had broken earlier in the day. They had repaired it in time for dinner, but it was taking a while to cool down. The parents started getting ornery, but some strong drinks later, we were all laughing, dancing, and sweating up a storm.
Talking with the family later, they were all surprised that my wife or I didn’t pitch a huge fit about the temperature. They were pleased, too, as it would have been the only hitch in an otherwise awesome day.
On the other hand, my sister and her husband were married and had a cousin announce her pregnancy over the microphone after dinner. My sister tried to ask her quietly to leave, but she made a scene before doing so. Then the groom’s best man got into a fight with his fiancee, and she tried to drive off crying but backed into a tree (she was sober). The fiance was belligerently drunk and threatening to fight people to get him outside to cool off, so the groom tossed a bucket of ice water on him.
Despite that rest of the wedding, reception, and day is fine; that is all people remember!”
BEHAVING BADLY
“Drink a quart of whiskey before the ceremony, refuse to put on a shirt during the ceremony, and then sit in your car and blast techno the whole time because you were asked to leave. Someone did this at a wedding I was at on Saturday.”
DON’T STOP THE CEREMONY FOR THE PROPOSAL
“Never stop the ceremony to propose to your girlfriend. Sure, you’ll have free pictures and video of it, but everyone will be angry at you forever.”
“Anything that makes you the center of attention. This is about the couple’s day and NOBODY ELSE’S. Do you want to propose to your girlfriend? Save it for the Jumbotron. Do you want to give a clever jerk speech, strip off your tear-away clothes, and go streaking? Save it for graduation. Dying of a heart attack? Just sit in a corner and at least try to pretend you are British and slip off your mortal coil quietly and with dignity.”
DON’T BE LATE FOR THE WEDDING
“Don’t be late; if you are, don’t get mad if they carry on without you. My boyfriend’s mother told me her wedding had a strict start time. She kept to it; a few aunts were just walking in as she and her husband were leaving.”
LET PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKE OVER
“Get in the photographer’s way, or take your own flash photos during the ceremony.”
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The article was originally published on Mrs Daaku Studio.