I’ve got weddings on my mind.
This May is a month of weddings for me and mine. My husband’s brother is getting married on the 15th and one of my husband’s college roommates is getting married on the 21st. PLUS! I start helping our Event Coordinator plan for the Abilene Scene’s Bridal event. You’re going to want to put that down in your calendar as September 25, because I’m working on the Style Show and you won’t want to miss it.
I love all of these people and I love weddings in general. I guess this might be my happy place. *sigh*
That being said, since it is wedding season, there are a few things you might need to prepare yourself for this year’s onslaught of sappy ceremonies. Here’s what I’ve learned in the past few years of post-college weddings (including mine).
- Take a good look at the invitation.
Wondering what to wear? Here’s a tip. Brides plan their wedding to a T, the invitation is a great guide to know how casual (or fancy) the attire is going to be. Even if the invitation doesn’t say explicitly what attire is expected (and some do), look up the location and study the design of the card. You should be able to glean a few ideas of how not to stand out as a guest.
- RSVP
Seriously. Of all the things that you can do to make your friend’s wedding planning easier, a timely RSVP is the easiest and most helpful gesture you can provide. Especially if you know that dinner will be served. Please RSVP.
- When offering to help, be specific.
People planning weddings are overwhelmed. Offering to help is a sweet gesture but a vague offer is hard to take advantage of. The happy couple might wonder if you have any experience with such-and-such task, or wonder what tasks they can trust you with. In the end your friends may find it easier to just do it themselves. However, if you accompany your offer with a suggestion of things that you are good at, it’s definitely more helpful on the receiving end. Good at cutting cake? Let your friends know. Talented with calligraphy? Offer to address the invitations. If they already have someone in mind for a particular task, they will let you know.
- De-escalate.
Everyone involved with the wedding is stressed enough as it is. De-escalate everything. Wedding days are not the time for expressing your true feelings about the bridesmaid dresses, or getting into an argument with the mother-of-the-groom about where to set up the guestbook. Wedding days are the perfect opportunity to practice being a diplomat. Tensions are running high at even the happiest of weddings, any moment could be taken out of context. Be aware and be willing to take the bullet to keep the peace.
- Show up.
And if that’s what it takes to show your love, don’t be afraid to shed a few happy smiley tears. Being there, being happy and having fun is the single best way to show your support to the happy couple.
My wedding experience is far from comprehensive. If you have any tips you’d like to share, I’d love to hear them! Check out Scene’s Bridal magazine for even more local weddings and advice from local brides. Don’t forget to mark your calendars for September 25 and the #SceneInLove Boutique Bridal event. We connect local brides to local vendors. #SupportYourLocalBusiness
Follow Bailey LeRoux and Scene on Instagram and Twitter. Stay up to date on your local Abilene activities with our #EventsToBeScene series.
@bajaelsol and @AbileneScene
Leave a Reply