Weddings are such a special time for friends and families to come and celebrate a couple taking a huge step in their lives together. If you are invited to a wedding it means that the couple considers you to be an important part of their lives and a part of their future together as spouses. The job of the wedding guest is not hard, but it does have a few boundaries that you should be careful not to cross. We have listed some of the most important rules of (general) guest etiquette for you so there’s no guessing involved!

No white/ivory/cream

If I see one more TikTok with a wedding guest asking if her all white dress with a single black flower is wedding appropriate I might just become an internet troll. The rule of thumb is, if you have any doubt that your outfit isn’t appropriate, change outfits.

Always refer to the wedding website

Don’t know what to wear? Check the website! Don’t know where the couple is registered? The website has it! Don’t know where to stay for the wedding weekend? It’s on the website! I guarantee you, 95% of your questions will be answered on the wedding website. It’s literally what it was made for.

RSVP as soon as possible

From the second a couple sends out their invites they check DAILY to see who has responded. The sooner you can give them an answer the better. I know it can be hard if you think you cannot make it, but just know… there is a mini celebration every time a notification comes through saying someone cannot attend the wedding. Not responding doesn’t immediately mean a no, it means anxiety for everyone involved. So always respond and respond well before the deadline.

If the invite says "adults only" don't ask to bring your kid

Again, check the website. The general rule is always that the only people invited to the wedding will be listed on your invitation. Other than that your kids, auntie, and dog are not invited (sharing this from personal experience, not as a joke!)

Don't get in the photographer's way

The soon to be newlyweds have most likely spent thousands of dollars to photograph their big day. Your view is important, but not as important as the photographer's view! They are also not there to find your good side, so there’s no need for you to try to get into every photo possible.

If the couple says "unplugged ceremony", don't take photos

Again, thousands of dollars have been spent to memorialize the ceremony. Your iPhone photos are never going to be the photos that get printed and hung above the mantle. If the couple has asked for an unplugged ceremony it’s because they want you to be in the moment with them (and their ceremony photos to be devoid of hands with phones in the air). Let the professionals do the job they were hired for.

If you are married or are getting married soon, what are some pet peeves you have of wedding guests that we might have missed??

Samantha Shammas, Author and Owner of SamiaLynn

As the world learned of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s longest reigning monarch, it got me thinking about royal weddings.

(Fun fact: when Queen Elizabeth married Prince Philip, they had a 9 foot tall wedding cake that weighed 500 POUNDS!)

British royal weddings are not only seeped in tradition, but there’s also quite a few rules that the engaged couple must abide by for their big day. Little by little these have been adapted to the times over the years (see: being allowed to marry non royals, being allowed to marry divorced persons, etc), but these 6 major ones have seemed to have stayed around a while:

1. You need the Queen or King’s approval

This rule applies to many things, beginning with the engagement. The Royal Marriages Act of 1772 requires approval of the couple before the groom can propose. This act was actually appealed in 2013 by the Succession to The Crown Act which states only the first 6 royals in line to the throne need permission. The Queen/King also must approve the bride’s dress, the final guest list, and the tiaras (only married women are allowed to wear them).

2. The rings are made from Welsh gold

It’s tradition that the wedding rings are gifted from the Queen/King (since 1911!). Since the original Welsh gold mine has shut down, that gold is now in limited supply, making it even more exclusive and expensive.

3. The wedding party is made up of children

Royal British weddings don’t do “wedding parties” of groomsmen and bridesmaids. Instead they have a gaggle of little flower girls and page boys participating in the wedding ceremony. The old rule was all the kids must also be royals, but recently weddings have incorporated kids from both sides if the bride or groom is not of royalty.

4. The wedding dress designer must be British

A nod to the monarchy, brides having a royal wedding will get their dress designed by a British designer. See: Megan Markle’s dress by Claire Waight Keller, Kate Middleton’s dress by Sarah Burton, and Sarah Ferguson’s dress by Linda Cierach.

5. Royalty training is a must

If a royal is marrying a non-royal (or a “commoner”), they must go through training. This prepares them for their new life as a “working royal”; learning expectations, social traditions, and even security protocols for their own safety.

6. Rules for Guests

Just because they’re guests, doesn’t mean they’re exempt. A couple examples being: 1) Female guests must wear a hat (not too big), 2) Only married women can wear a tiara, and 3) Men are not allowed to wear a tuxedo.

As much as everyone loves a good royal wedding, knowing these tidbits (and these are just a few of a many) of what they go through is almost exhausting. If you enjoy following traditions, that’s wonderful! But hopefully a bit more flexibility will be available for future couples down the line.

Samantha Shammas, Author and Owner of SamiaLynn