Wedding Guest Etiquette – Do’s & Don’ts

If you’ve ever attended a wedding, you know the expected Wedding Guest Etiquette. It does not matter if it’s your cousin or colleague getting married, if you are a guest then Wedding Guest Etiquette applies.

Over the last 30 years of my life, I have been to my fair share of weddings, from traditional African weddings to White weddings. Each has been different in its own way, but they have all been similar in expectations from their guests. I am due to attend a wedding next month so I thought I’d share a few Wedding Guest Etiquettes in case you have a wedding to attend too.

7 wedding guest etiquette to abide by

The last family wedding I attended was over 5 years ago when my brother got married and we went looking at wedding fairs in Cheshireto get an idea of the wedding theme. I was in absolute awe as wedding fairs are such a great way to meet planners, suppliers and  photographers.

In more recent years I have been invited to a few weddings as a guest and have followed these simple Wedding Guest Etiquettes. As I am due to attend another wedding next week, I figured I should remind myself of the dos and don’ts when attending a wedding.

Buy a gift

Not every bride and groom will explicitly say they want gifts but it’s good manners to bring one – even a monetary gift or gift card is appreciated. I often buy gifts from wedding registries if they have one or something for their new home that is useful.

Don’t bring extras

Unless explicitly stated, don’t bring guests to weddings, if your invite doesn’t include a plus one then you shouldn’t bring extra guests. For most African weddings this is so common it gets annoying when people have to be turned away.

Be on time

It is not only good manners to arrive on time, but it is a big help to the already stressed out bride and groom for everything to start on time. They have spent months if not years to prepare for this time and as a guest, you can make it complete by arriving on time.

Respect the dress code

Certain colours like white, black and any see-through or short attires are not allowed at most weddings. I think it’s important to respect the dress code for the wedding and especially what colours not to wear.

Don’t forget to sign the guestbook

One thing that I have loved doing at weddings is signing the guest book and wishing them happiness. Writing a nice, personal message to the new couple and showing support their marriage is such a great gift.

Don’t get wasted

There is a difference between enjoying yourself by having a few drinks and getting wasted at someone’s wedding. Often, I stay away from drinking at weddings and if I do, it’s the celebratory champagne and nothing more.

Switch off your phone

These days we are all glued to our phones and we can forget to turn them off at important occasions. If you can’t turn it off, please put your phone on silent or on vibrate only and don’t have them on show in photos.

When you are attending a wedding, remember, it’s not your runway or hunting ground, it’s to celebrate the couple. Be mindful of what you wear (no jeans) and ensure you respect the processions. I love attending weddings and celebrating with the happy couple and cannot wait to see my friend get married.