You act tired or bored
You might not be in the best mood for another wedding party, especially since you’ve been doing it all summer long, but that doesn’t give you the right to act bored and disinterested all throughout the reception. Once you’ve RSVPed and arrived at the wedding venue, put on your best face and give it your all, suggests Spiegel. The last thing a couple needs is for their wedding guests to spend the entire night checking their watches every ten minutes.
You start feeling sad about your romantic life
If your love life is not all rainbows and sunshine, it’s understandable that weddings may not bring out the best of you. Add a couple of glasses into the equation and you’ve got yourself an emotional disaster waiting to happen.
To avoid becoming too emotional and possibly embarrass yourself in front of complete strangers, “remove yourself from the situation until you can gain your composure,” recommends Gottsman. And if you know a wedding will make you feel unhappy and sad because of a certain situation you went or are currently going through, just decline the invitation.
You ignore the dress code
Wedding dress codes are there for a reason. So, if you see “black tie optional” on the invitation, don’t take it as your cue to wear your comfortable sandals and sundress or Hawaiian shirt. The best thing you can do to avoid standing out from the crowd in a negative way, is to stick to the dress code, especially if you are attending a religious ceremony. “If the ceremony is in a house of worship that requires covered shoulders,” says Chertoff.
You don’t take your wedding favor
You might not like or find any use for the wedding favor but that’s not reason enough to leave it behind. Even if the newlyweds won’t actually know who left it behind, they’ll still be sad that someone didn’t appreciate it enough to take it home with them.
On the other hand, if you’ve accidentally forgotten it, don’t go asking for it after the party. “It’s possible that the couple has a few extra favors at home that a guest could pick up, but in most instances, a guest shouldn’t attempt to track one down,” says Chertoff.
You don’t inform anyone that you can’t make it
Even if you regret RSVPing “yes” to a wedding invitation, there’s nothing you can do about it but go. On the other hand, if you have a serious reason for not attending, don’t just skip the event without informing anyone about your absence. If you know you can no longer attend before the wedding day, talk directly to the couple; if it’s on the wedding day, get in touch with a family member or close friend of the couple and let them know instead. Whatever you do, don’t go MIA!
You don’t try to acknowledge the happy couple
It’s understandable at large weddings that the happy couple doesn’t get the chance to speak with all their guests, between all the toasts, dances and emotional moments. But it is your duty somehow, as a guest, to say at least hello, congratulations and goodbye. If you didn’t have time at the wedding to extend your congratulations and praises about the wedding ceremony, reception and so on, call the next day and tell them what a lovely time you had. It’s the least you can do, says Chertoff.
