Wedding Etiquette 101

Weddings are usually full of traditional events, and surrounded by the values of the couple to be married. It can be difficult to know how to act at certain weddings. Some couples are more laid back, whilst others want everything to be absolutely perfect (or god help you). If you’re worried about an upcoming wedding, read on for wedding etiquette 101:

The Bride

It’s the bride’s job to arrange almost everything, from the caterer to the flowers. It isn’t unusual for a bride to start planning months, and even years in advance. While it can be very stressful planning a wedding, the best thing a bride can do is try not to offend anybody in the process. Friends and family can get upset if a bride becomes ‘bridezilla’.

The Groom

The groom is usually viewed as the one who doesn’t do anything in the planning, but he is supposed to do more than you might think. Along with selecting the engagement rings, he should help put together the guest list and make decisions regarding the photographer and venue. The groom should arrive early at the wedding venue, ready to await the bride on the big day. Later on, it’s up to him to introduce the bride to family members that may not have previously met her.

The Best Man

In some cases, the best man actually does more than the groom. He takes a lot of responsibility, so this role should not be accepted lightly. The best man famously organises the stag do, so you’ll probably already be aware of that. However, it’s also the best man’s job to keep the groom sober before the wedding, hand out things such as buttonholes, escort the chief bridesmaid down the aisle, and make a great speech at the reception.

The Bridesmaids

The majority of the bridesmaid’s roles will be just to stand there and look presentable, but the chief bridesmaid has a similar role to the best man. It’s her job to help organise the other bridesmaids, calm the bride down when she seems to be getting nervous, and helps to make sure everything goes to plan in general. She also has the all important task of organising a fabulous hen night so the bride can say goodbye to single life!

The Ushers

The ushers help the ceremony along by showing people to their seats, distributing orders of service, and introducing other guests to one another.

The Parents

There was a time when the bride’s parents would be expected to fork out the entire cost of the wedding, but nowadays it’s split between both sets of parents and the couple. In fact, the couple usually pay for the majority of their wedding! All the parents must do on this day is meet one another if they haven’t already, and make an effort to get along with other guests.

The Guests

If you’re a guest at the wedding, your only obligation is to reply to your wedding invite, turn up, enjoy your food, congratulate the happy couple, mingle, and have fun!

Now you know your role in the wedding, you don’t have to worry. Simply attend and enjoy!