Uh oh.
Sorry, but someone's gotta say it. Guess that's going to be me today.
Dear Wedding Guest,
Yay! Your friend, cousin, co-worker, or anyone else that you might be close to just got engaged and you know you'll be invited! Now here's some things that you might want to think about.
That couple thought long and hard about who to invite. Weddings are expensive. Some were 'have-to's' and some were 'want-to's'. Either way, you made the list and that's a big deal. They spent time a lot of time on those 'save the date' cards you got too, so mark it on the calendar, ok? The invitation comes and there's this little card in there that wants to know if you're coming or not. It's called an RSVP and it's important. It means that you need to let them know YES or NO. Unless it's a 'Regrets Only' invitation, then you would let them know only if you are NOT going. There is a date on that card and that's important too, the couple needs to let the venue know how many meals to prepare. Keep in mind, these meals are not cheap, ok? Please do not wait until the bride, groom, mom etc have to call you to find out, they have a lot to do and that is just not a nice thing to do to them, it's really stressful too.
So now what do you wear? Here's a thought... unless it's a pig roast out on the farm, please DO NOT show up in a t-shirt and jeans. (Yes, we've seen that at some amazing high end venues) Something classy would be nice, but if that's asking too much, clean and well fitting would be the good. Oh, and if you know that the couple have selected a certain color and you show up in a "I can wear it again" bridesmaids dress in that same color from another cousin's wedding, it's not cool, ok?
Now, here's comes the amazing part. Show up on time. You had the save the date. You got the invitation. You got directions. You probably have a computer and can use Mapquest and Google to find out how to get there and how long it might take. My guess is you have a GPS too. Use it. There is really no good excuse to show up halfway through the ceremony. Traffic is another story, but it doesn't happen that often and if you think it might be bad, leave early. If you don't want to go to the ceremony, we'll see you at the reception.
We love guests, we really do!! And we are more than happy to make sure you get that shot you want, that you will treasure forever but we really want you to think about something. Your friends spent a lot of money to hire professional photographers to capture their day and when you stand in the middle of the aisle taking a picture with your camera phone of the bride as she starts to walk down that aisle, hoping to see her beloved waiting for her, do you really think she wants that view blocked? Do you really think that they are going to love the shot I get of your behinds right in front of the camera?
Open bar? That is courtesy of the bridal couple and/or their family and they are paying for every single drink poured. It doesn't mean that it's an "all you can drink buffet" of alcohol. We can't even begin to tell you of the horror stories we've heard... don't think your drunken state goes unnoticed, from the broken windows (seriously), the spilled drinks, the obnoxious behavior, some things that can't even be written here....it's all becomes a reflection of the bridal couple and sometimes, it costs them even more money for damages. If you know any of the fabulous wedding coordinators that put their heart and soul into making sure everything is perfect, they can tell you stories I can't begin to tell you here.
We are observers at a wedding, we stay in the background, we document the day, it's our job and we love it. You might not even know that we are there, but we are and we see more than you can imagine.
Thanks for reading my extra long rant today. Now that I got that off my mind, I can focus on some awesome raves and the incredible weddings I'll be posting soon.
~Val
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