Wedding Do’s & Don’ts: 7 Rules for a stress-free nuptial ceremony

If you’re a bride-to-be, your thoughts are probably inundated with bridal gowns, wedding venues, guest lists and goodie-bags. After all, you want the perfect wedding and no minute detail will be spared. Your big day can be whatever you want it to be but there are certain dos and don’ts that must be adhered to. Wedding etiquette can be a little hazy for many but luckily for you, we’ve got you covered. Follow the guidelines below for a smooth-free, fabulous wedding that will be memorable for you and your guests.

Remember, forewarned is forearmed!

DO KEEP YOUR WEDDING CEREMONY BRIEF

By this we don’t mean a Las Vegas quickie. You may be tempted to have a long drawn out wedding ceremony to revel in every minute of your special day (not that you shouldn’t!) but keep in mind that your guests will get restless if anything exceeds 30 minutes. Keep the pomp and circumstance in check.

DO GREET EACH GUEST PERSONALLY

It’s rude if a guest comes to your house and you don’t turn up to greet them. In that same token, it’s polite to personally greet every guest at your wedding. If your wedding guest list is big in number, you could forgo the formal post-ceremony receiving line and circulate among the reception tables during the dinner itself. That would also serve as a great time to hand-deliver the wedding gift-bag as you make your table rounds. Again, be sure to keep it short and simple so you can greet everyone without being held up too long at a particular table.

DO PLAN THE SEATING ARRANGEMENTS ACCORDINGLY

Whether your reception dinner is a buffet or an 8 course meal, it’s essential to go through your guest list and seat your guests according to shared interests and temperament. Mix up familiar faces with new faces so everyone around the table feels comfortable.

DO HAVE A BACKUP PLAN IF YOU HAVE AN OUTDOOR WEDDING

An outdoor wedding can be spectacular but a Plan B is always necessary in case the weather forecast doesn’t go according to plan. Be sure you’ve got a tent or canopy at the ready in case it starts pouring, or if the weather is too hot, as is the case most of the time in Singapore.  Nothing kills the mood of an event quite like guests who are sweating or soaking wet.

DON’T FORGET TO FEED THE WEDDING ENTERTAINERS

They may be on the job but that doesn’t mean they should work throughout the event on an empty stomach –at least not if you’re ok with an unenthusiastic DJ or tired photographer. Work their meals into your wedding budget and be sure they have a decent meal to go. Whether it’s the band or the videographer, the last thing you want is for them to run out of steam just when the party is getting started.

DON’T PICK A RECEPTION PLACE THAT’S FAR AWAY FROM THE WEDDING CEREMONY

Sure you may be head over heels with venue Z but is the 1 hour drive from the wedding ceremony feasible? The last thing you want is for wedding guests to be stuck in traffic or worse still, lose their way to the reception venue. Also, not everyone has a car. Some might have taken public transport to get to your wedding and to make them have to sort out transportation again is not exactly ideal. A venue that’s close by will allow for more photo ops, mingling with guests and a change of outfits.

DON’T ARRIVE LATE TO YOUR WEDDING

We know you’re the star of the show and the party doesn’t start till you show up but try to be considerate to your wedding guests and arrive on time. Anything later than half an hour will really be testing your guests patience. You want people to celebrate your big day, not cuss you out for making them wait 3 hours to watch you walk down the aisle. By then they’ll just be itching for the whole ceremony to be over and you don’t want that do you?

Karen George