Wedding Etiquette

A wedding is a beautiful and special occasion not just for the bride and groom but also for their family and friends. There exist some basic etiquettes for every wedding ceremony and there is always a well-defined role for everyone who is a part of the wedding starting from the couple, their families, to the bridesmaids, groomsmen as well as the guests. Here are some of the commonly followed wedding etiquettes.

Wedding Etiquette for the Couple and their Family

In spite of the fact that nowadays the expenses of the wedding are equally shared of by the couple, with or without financial contribution from their parents, there have always been certain set norms regarding who pays for certain specific expenses incurred in the wedding. Although most of the modern couples wouldn’t follow this traditional wedding etiquette, there are some who prefer to abide by it. Generally the bride’s side takes care of the groom’s wedding ring, gifts and accommodation for the attendants, the wedding gift for the groom, the bride's trousseau, the invitations, the ceremony costs, arrangement and accessories for bridesmaids, flower girl and the ring bearer. On the other hand the groom takes responsibilities for the bride’s wedding band as well as the engagement ring, the honeymoon bookings, bridal gift, marriage license, accommodation and gifts for groomsmen, flowers for the bride, the going-away corsage, boutonnières for the men, fee for clergy person, wedding gifts for the newly weds and also the costs for the rehearsal dinner and the travel and lodging expenses.

Wedding Etiquette for the Maid of Honor, Best Man, Bridesmaids and Groomsmen

The maid of honor and the best man play a major role in helping the bride and the groom with the planning and arrangements for the wedding and also have a part to play at the wedding ceremony. If you have been offered to be someone’s maid of honor or the best-man, then remember that being a maid of honor or the best man at the wedding is a responsible role. The maid of honor has to carry the groom’s ring while walking down the aisle. Most often the maid of honor is involved in the wedding planning and pre-wedding activities planning as well, be it the invitations, decorations, the bridal shower or helping the bride to get dressed on the wedding day. The best man has to take care of the arrangements and accessories of the groomsmen and ushers at the wedding. The bridesmaids, groomsmen and ushers also have a role in the wedding ceremony and are expected to provide help during and before the wedding as required by the couple.

Wedding Etiquette for Guests

Weddings are special occasions and being invited by someone to be a part of their big day is a thing to be grateful for. Once you receive an invitation for the wedding make sure that you respond to the invitation and confirm whether or not you will be attending the wedding. In case the invitation says you are allowed to get a date with you, you can happily do so however if there is no clear indication about getting a date along, it is better not to. Get the couple a gift, find out if they’ve subscribed to a specific gift registry and accordingly get them an appropriate present. Preferably pick a gift that can be useful for the couple while they are about to embark upon their beautiful journey together. While you are at the wedding make sure you personally go and congratulate the happy couple and interact with their families. Before leaving the wedding venue, make sure you tell the couple and their family members that you were happy to be a part of their celebrations and that all the arrangements were done well.

Wedding Etiquette for Invitations, Thank-you Notes and Wedding Favors

Make sure you send out the wedding invitations well before the wedding. Avoid inviting people over the phone or via email only since some guests might misunderstand. Mention all the essential information and details on the wedding invitations so that it is convenient for the guests to comprehend all the information from the invitations. Please mention in case you are planning to have a dress code at the wedding. Your job doesn't end with the end of the wedding ceremony, being grateful to your guests is one of the important wedding etiquettes. Generally the couple and their families express their gratitude with the help of wedding favors and thank you notes. Arrange for the wedding favors well in advance as well, and make sure you choose identical wedding favors for all the guests at the wedding so that nobody feels that someone else got a gift better than theirs. Sending out thank-you notes is also a healthy gesture to express your gratitude for all the guests who have graced the auspicious occasion in your life.

If you likes this article and are looking for more wedding related article, here is an article about Wedding Speeches.