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Key Takeaways
- Prioritize your guests’ comfort by ensuring they’re well-fed, warm, and accommodated, including dietary needs and ADA compliance.
- Avoid timeline gaps between the ceremony and reception, or provide activities like a hospitality lounge to keep guests entertained.
- Show gratitude to your wedding party with thoughtful gifts and meals, like monogrammed keepsakes and a catered lunch.
While it’s certainly true that wedding traditions are being redefined as couples plan more personalized, creative celebrations, there are some “old-school” pieces of etiquette that can’t be forgotten today. In general, experts agree that good wedding etiquette is less about knowing which fork to use at dinner and more about how you show respect for people. Mariah Grumet, founder of Old Soul Etiquette and author of What Do I Do? Every Wedding Etiquette Question Answered (which is set to be released in 2024), says embracing individuality on the big day is her biggest wedding etiquette “do.” “Do respect everyone’s cultural, religious, financial, family, or personal differences. There are many unique types of weddings that we see today, and we should be respectful of people’s choices, visions, and preferences,” she says.
According to Fallon Carter of Fallon Carter Events, the one etiquette rule modern couples cannot forget is that they should “lead with generosity and compassion.” It’s important to acknowledge the effort guests have made to come to the wedding, some traveling from far and wide, and to be a gracious host. “Communicate gratefulness; make time to say hi to people and love on them as much as you can. There’s so much beauty that comes out of that,” Carter adds.
Meet the Expert
- Mariah Grumet is an etiquette expert and the founder of Old Soul Etiquette. She is also the author of the forthcoming book What Do I Do? Every Wedding Etiquette Question Answered.
- Fallon Carter is a luxury wedding planner and founder of Fallon Carter Events.
To help couples avoid committing any major wedding faux pas, we asked Grumet and Carter for their top 10 biggest wedding etiquette don’ts. Here they are, in no particular order.
