Wedding is a nerve-wracking time for families, especially the bride and groom, as they prepare to embark on the next phase of their lives. Caught in a whirlwind of traditions, rituals, and practices, the bride and groom are exhausted by the end of it. Friends, family members, and other guests need to be considerate and avoid overdoing things in the name of celebration.
In a recent viral video, wedding guests were seen recklessly spraying champagne, which drenched the bride and groom’s wedding outfits. Infuriated, the bride threw her bouquet at them and stormed off the stage.
While a wedding is indeed a celebratory occasion, it’s important not to get carried away and spoil the moment for the couple. The focus should be on the couple and not on foolish antics. You may attend weddings as a guest countless times, but you only get one chance to enjoy your own wedding. Here are a few nonsensical acts that all must avoid at wedding.
Avoid shoving your phone in everyone’s face
Excitement is in the air and there’s an understandable desire to capture every smile, every moment. But be respectful of boundaries. Do not impose yourself with your phone everywhere. Maybe certain rituals are not meant for the camera. And you don’t get a free pass even if you’re their best friend or related to them. Without consent, incessantly capturing intimate moments can make everyone around uneasy. You have to respect their privacy. Some moments require you to unplug to fully enjoy and be present. And weddings anyway have professional photographers and videographers, you don’t have to do their job.
Limit your alcohol intake
Many weddings serve alcohol. Exercise self-control and drink responsibly. Overconsumption will make you hungover and intoxicated. You are more likely to be a nuisance to everyone around you. Either you’re puking your guts out or misbehaving and fighting. No one’s asking you to refrain from drinking. But moderation is of utmost importance in events like weddings. Rowdy behaviour is disruptive to the wedding. Like a domino effect, even the most trivial misbehaviour can ruin the entire wedding.
Be mindful of your outfit
It’s the bride and groom’s day. You don’t get to steal their thunder. Tone down yourself and do not try to outshine the bride anyhow. There are certain colours which are reserved for the bridal dress, which the wedding guests should preferably avoid. Dress appropriately by following the established dress code. This will make you a respectful wedding guest. Otherwise, you’ll surely draw the attention you crave, but not the kind you hoped for. If you are not from the same culture, brush up on the wedding etiquette before you attend the wedding.
Tame your overexcitement
Wedding makes everyone joyful, but don’t go overboard. Don’t hog the centre stage of the dance floor because you are bursting with love for the newly married, while the couple watches you from the crowd. Similarly, you are excited about the gift, an act of celebration. Remember, it’s not yours, but the couple’s. So any kind of extreme form of prank wrapped as gifts is a big no-no.
Unwanted gifts can stress everyone. For instance, you’re an animal lover, and you decided to gift your best friend a dog. But you don’t know the groom is allergic to dogs and his bride has cynophobia (fear of dogs.) So now out of utmost adoration for animals, you have let loose your ‘gift’ in the wedding venue. The groom is sneezing for over five minutes, the bride is hiding under a table and the caterers, instead of tending to the menu, are trying to catch it. Not everything is about you.
Necessary compromise
A healthy compromise is required to not create unnecessary distractions for the already busy wedding planners, groom and bride, and close family members. Make sure your needs are addressed politely without causing inconvenience, be it your dietary needs or a sudden wardrobe malfunction. At the end of the day, all humans have main character syndrome but put the couple over yourself on the wedding day.