How do you picture your wedding day? Does it include beautiful weather, an exciting day getting ready with your bridesmaids, hearing your bride’s/groom’s vows, spending the entire evening on the dance floor with your family and friends, and the perfect cake cutting? If you nodded your head, you’re like most brides/grooms who have nothing but a picture perfect vision for the big day, and you should expect nothing less!
Unfortunately, things don’t always go as planned, especially when you plan an event like a wedding far in advance. It’s hard to predict the weather and know exactly who will attend your ceremony and reception until the actual day.
When things don’t go exactly as planned or how you had envisioned it’s called a faux pas, or an embarrassing error or mistake in a social situation. Luckily, there are ways to avoid them so you can enjoy your wedding to the fullest. Keep reading for tips on how to avoid some common wedding faux pas!
Faux Pas #1 – Inclement Weather
In the event you wake up to rain instead of beautiful sunny weather, don’t let it ruin your big day. Chance of thunderstorms? No problem. Threat of severe weather? No big deal. If your ceremony and/or reception are taking place outdoors, plan to have a backup location just in case. Most venues will already include this in their contract, but make sure that there is a backup plan in the event of inclement weather, whether it be tents with rain guards or moving the ceremony indoors. Click here to learn more about how to deal with inclement weather on your wedding day.
Faux Pas #2 – Running Behind Schedule
About a month before your wedding, make sure you have a detailed list of everything you’ll need to accomplish the day of: hair appointment, makeup appointment, steaming your dress, etc. Make sure your list has the times of each appointment listed so you stay on track. For the wedding day, set an alarm the night before – make sure to choose a time that’ll give you plenty of time to get ready and gather everything you need before all of your appointments. Don’t be afraid to ask your bridesmaids and family members to help you out if you find yourself running behind schedule – after all, that’s what they’re there for!
Faux Pas #3 – Guests Bring a Plus One at the Last Minute
Chances are you’ll be sending out RSVPs to each guest – some RSVPs include the option to pencil in a plus one and select an entrée, while others don’t include the option to bring a plus one. Before the wedding you’ll give your final headcount to your caterer or venue so they know how many seats and plates will be needed, but what do you do when someone brings a plus one at the last minute? Don’t sweat it. Your caterer/venue will usually make extra food in the event this does happen, as it’s relatively common.
To avoid confusion on whether a guest is permitted to bring a plus one or not, address their invitation as “Their Name and Guest” or just “Their Name” if they’re not permitted to bring a plus one.
Faux Pas #4 – Guests Leaving The Reception Too Early
Ever been to a wedding and realize as the night progresses more and more people disappear from the dance floor and reception hall? It’s understandable that guests with small children or those who have to work early the next morning may have to leave your reception early, but what about those that don’t have an excuse? Guests should stay at a reception at least through dinner being served and your cake cutting. After all, you did pay for their plate and planned on them staying for the entire reception. However, some people won’t know many other attendees and may feel uncomfortable and want to leave early. To avoid this, plan some activities to keep your guests engaged with one another. Some ideas include a cocktail hour for your guests to mingle while you’re taking photos, or seating singles with other singles at your reception.
Faux Pas #5- Excessive Drinking
Odds are you’ve been to a wedding where it’s clear that someone has had one too many drinks. It happens, and while you can’t completely avoid it, there are some measures you can take to help make sure your guests don’t over drink. Here are a few ides:
- Serve food throughout the night so no one has an empty stomach
- Choose to have a cash bar instead of an open bar
- Plan to have your venue close the bar before the reception is over
You could choose to serve mocktails instead of alcohol – doing so will save you money and will prevent your guests from drinking in excess.
By following the tips above, you’ll be able to avoid common wedding faux pas. Your wedding day should be nothing but perfect and we want you to enjoy your special day.
When you book wedding day transportation through Overland, our chauffeurs handle every aspect of transportation for the brides and grooms we service. We put your and your guests’ safety first, so you never have to worry about everyone making it home safely after the reception. We have a wide range of vehicle options and packages available so you can enjoy the day/evening for a stress-free wedding day regardless of budget. To book wedding day transportation, call Overland at (913) 381-3504 or request a FREE quote online.