Giving Good Guest: Surviving Wedding Planning
Good guests are game for anything a wedding throws at them and aim to make things as easy as possible for the couple planning their wedding. These guests from a Hamilton Hall Wedding in Salem, MA were especially good.
A big part of this series is about helping couples throw a great party for their guests, so I'd like to take a little diversion and talk about how guests can make the wedding a little easier on the couple. So without much preamble, here are a few ways that you can be a better guest at the next wedding from your humble Boston wedding photographer...
4. Read the Manual: If you have a question about the wedding, before you text the couple make sure that you've checked your invitation and the wedding website. It might not seem like much to ask one little question, but with a big event those "little" questions can start to pile up. This also goes for picking up items on the registry - if they asked for a specific style or pattern then stick to the brief even if it is a demonstrable crime against fashion (also, if you find a registry item at a different store or site, most lists will let you mark something off as purchased).
3. Gifts: Sometimes your presence is present enough (people tell that to your favorite Boston Wedding photographer all the time) but usually it's nice to bring a gift or card. A well constructed registry should have items at every price point so that guests can feel comfortable contributing to the new household and not like they're being wrung out for every drop. If things are tight, you might talk to the couple and ask if there are ways you could help with the wedding (especially if you're aces with a hot glue gun).
2. Be Game: A lot of effort goes into planning a wedding, so when you're at one try and give a little of your own effort back. Dance a bit, even if you're bad at it. Get excited for the ltitle games and traditions. Enjoy the photo-booth props and maybe take an extra slice of cake (though after everyone else has had a chance to get theirs). Sure, some of it is super corny but you're not too cool to enjoy celebrating with people you care about
1. RSVP: To be the best guest, read your RSVP carefully and return it promptly. If you're unsure of the number of people covered by your invite, err on the side of caution rather than on the principle of inclusion (for example, if there's no mention of a guest or +1, then just bring yourself).
What makes a great wedding guest to you? What behaviors are you hoping not to see from the people at your wedding?
Ryan Richardson is a wedding and engagement photographer serving Boston and beyond; including Cape Cod Weddings, New England Weddings, Massachusetts Weddings and Rhode Island Weddings.