Weddings do something to people. These common events get into people’s heads and can completely influence their behavior. Some individuals may become bitten with the love bug. Others are not able to hold back the tears. And still others will go completely out of control.
There is no one to blame for this odd phenomenon. Many times, guests cannot control how they react to the beautiful event that is your wedding. But their behavior can have a serious impact on your day. While the exuberant joy of your guests can make you glow from the inside out, unruly guests can really damper your wedding day bliss.
Thankfully, you can make your wedding day a little less stressful by taking steps to prevent unruliness even before your big day.
- Carefully consider who you invite to your wedding. While your best friend in college was a close pal back in the day, he might not be the most appropriate guest to include in your wedding. Your wedding is supposed to be a celebration, but remember that it will include family and friends that you love and respect. Your wedding celebrations should be joyful, but under control. Make sure you invite guests that will be able to commemorate the occasion accordingly.
- Identify potentially unruly guests. While you can try to eliminate some of the troublemakers during the invitation stage, you will need to let some slip through. Whether they be family members, members of a friend group, or significant others, you cannot completely restrict all recklessness. Make a mental or physical note of the individuals who are most likely to get out of control, and alert bartenders, staff, and trusted friends to keep an eye on them.
- Make wise seating chart choices. The fun reality of weddings is that you know every single person invited to this once-in-a-lifetime affair. Take advantage of that knowledge and situate those guests in a seating arrangement that has the best chance of averting undesirable behavior. Avoid arrangements that may lead to conflict or immaturity.
- Limit the alcohol. Even if you don’t want to admit it, alcohol is often at the center of wedding day mayhem. Consider options other than a open bar — which only encourages guests to get drunk. A cash bar or limited service could serve as alternatives if you don’t want a completely dry wedding. Reducing the amount of alcohol served at your wedding will also save you a lot of money!
- Prepare for the worst. While one can hope that after these preparations, the likelihood of wedding day unruliness is slim to none, don’t be so sure. Talk to your wedding venue beforehand about the plan for out of control guests. Ask a group of friends or family members to be on the lookout for such individuals and to step in when necessary. You can stay positive that all will go smoothly on your big day, but pair that optimism with a dose of realism.
Once your wedding day arrives, the last thing you will want to think about is taking care of unruly guests. But if you have a plan of action, you can approach any mayhem calmly and dissolve any issues quickly.
- Alert venue staff. If your wedding is taking place at a professional facility, the staff and attendants have seen their fair share of out of control wedding festivities. They have been trained how to take care of such issues in order to protect the venue. If you see a guest who needs taken care of, alert a staff member and let them resolve the issue.
- Signal to your designated group. If you would rather keep the resolution of wedding day drama in house, or if your wedding is located at a nontraditional venue, now is the time to call upon that trusted group of friends or family members. Come up with some sort of signal so that they know when it is their time to act.
- Skip the shots. No matter how old you are at your wedding, you should never strive to get drunk. This day will be one of the most memorable of your life, and you want to be able to remember it! Set the example for your guests by abstaining from shots or anything that resembles a drinking game. You can also ask your bartender not to serve beverages in this fashion.
On your wedding day, you and your spouse should not have a care in the world, much less have to worry about guests becoming unruly. Take the steps of preparation beforehand in order to reduce the possibility of such mayhem. Stick to your plan when your big day rolls around, letting others resolve any issues. Enjoy your day, enjoy your friends, enjoy your family and don’t allow little mishaps to take away from the bliss of your big day!
How to address the un-invitable wedding guest you have to invite!
