5 Wedding Etiquette Tips for Guests

Exercise tactful camera use - If the couple requests an unplugged ceremony, that means no camera use, whether film or photo, during the ceremony. They want their photographer to capture the moment professionally without anyone’s phones standing out in photos or distracting guests from the moment. Unless requested otherwise, feel free to take photos during the social hour and reception. If the couple has a hashtag, make sure to add that in any posts you make using the photos, so everyone’s pictures from the event can be found in one place on social media.

Arrive 10-30 minutes prior to the ceremony - not too early, not too late. If you are too early, wait to enter unless you were expected to help behind the scenes because the event may not be completely set up yet. If you are too late, wait until the processional is complete before taking a quiet seat in the back of the ceremony.

RSVP timely and accurately. Invitations are typically sent 6-8 weeks in advance of the event date and a common RSVP deadline is one-month prior. The couple is working to create a seating chart with a seat for you. They will pre-pay for your meal, the centerpiece and linens on your table, and account for you for desserts, beverages, favors, programs, etc. If you were not offered a plus-one, do not bring an extra guest. An exception to this would be if you have a spouse, fiancé, or long-term partner. In that case you may politely request with the couple to bring your partner and get it cleared before RSVPing.

Stick to your commitments. If you RSVPed yes, show up and engage in all of the ways the couple planned for you to participate. Sign the guest book, do the photo booth, try the signature cocktail, enjoy the dinner. The event is essentially non-existent without the guests, so you are a crucial part of the couple’s careful plans coming to life. Out of your love for the couple, bring a positive spirit.

Gift the couple. Find the couple’s wedding registry (most likely on their website) to fulfill a requested gift and have it shipped to the couple or bring it to their wedding. Alternatively, gifting cash or a check in a card is appropriate and sometimes even preferred.

5 Wedding Etiquette Tips for Couples

1. Tell your closest friends and family about your engagement news before making an online announcement. A phone call or video chat is appropriate if getting together in person is not possible. Your VIPs will feel valued knowing they were given the priority of a private conversation and the ability to share their genuine congratulatory reaction with you before learning with the rest of the world.

2. Tactfully notify guests about your gift registry. Being over-zealous about receiving gifts from your guests as a wedding attendance requisite lacks refinement. Guests may be eager to shower your with gifts as a love language in this celebratory season, and the purpose of a registry is for the guest’s convenience of knowing the best gifts to meet your needs. It is best seen as a guidance tool, not a precondition of their RSVP. Do not include your registry on your wedding invitations. Adding it to your wedding website or, if asked, letting people know by word of mouth where you are registered is a better way to communicate this information. Other friends and family will likely spread the word for you as well.

3. Send thank you notes within 3 months after the wedding, but even if you miss that “deadline,” send them anyways. Acknowledge the gift and personalize the note. It is not necessary to acknowledge the value of the gift or how you plan to use it, but expressing sincere thankfulness is courteous.

4. Greet your guests. Your guests came to celebrate WITH you in the joy of your new beginning and will appreciate your acknowledgement of their presence. They spent time planning to be at your event, getting ready, and purchasing you a gift. Perhaps they took time off work, traveled, and booked a hotel. The wedding day can be full of preparations and activities, but be sure to strategically factor in time to say at least a quick hello to each guest. Hold a receiving line, make your way around social hour, visit each guest table during the dinner reception, dismiss each row from the ceremony, or less traditionally, greet guests at the door upon arrival. Keep in mind that the more guests you have, the longer this process will take, so time for greeting guests should be calculated and incorporated in a way that also keeps the day flowing smoothly.

5. Feed your vendors. Vendors are at the wedding longer than guests, on their feet working, and pouring a lot of energy into your day behind the scenes. Having a vendors table at the reception for your photographers, videographers, DJ, and planner is ideal so they can still be close to the action and attend to wedding needs, but also have a chance to sit and refuel before their work continues into the evening.

Top 9 Reasons To Have A Winter Wedding In Minnesota

In Minnesota, we are no strangers to a long winter season. The colder months seem to linger for almost half of the year. Most hearty Minnesotans have learned to embrace the winters, seizing the snowy activities, holiday cheer, and the indoor lifestyle. It makes the warmer months that much sweeter for being outdoors.

The spring, summer, and fall dominate the wedding industry in the midwest, but with months under snowy skies, the midwest also provides beauty and benefits for winter weddings in their own right. Read up on these 9 benefits of winter weddings in Minnesota (or the midwest at large):

Lower Rates - Winter weddings typically equate to cost savings compared with weddings in the spring, summer, and fall. In Minnesota, venues often charge peak-season rates May through October and winter-season rates November-April. There is typically a 20-30% cost savings for winter season rates. For instance, at The Charleston Event Center a wedding booked on a Saturday in November - April offers a $1300 savings (approximately 20%) versus a wedding booked on a Saturday in May - October. Besides venues, vendors like your photographer, DJ, or planner may offer lower rates for winter-season events as well. Don’t be afraid to ask a vendor what they may be willing to offer for a winter-season discount. Imagine compounding savings with each vendor!

More Availability - Due to less weddings taking place overall in the winter, there is typically less competition for dates among venues and vendors. This means more availability for finding your favorite places and professionals. This could also make it easier to plan a small wedding and/or a wedding in a short timeframe if desired.

Plan A is a Go! - A common fret for weddings in the spring, summer, and fall is inclement weather and a last-minute Plan B set up. In the winter, we already plan around the weather from the start, so your Plan A option will be a go! No need to stress there.

Winter Warmth - While the outdoors may be frigid and require some bundling up, midwesterners know how to create warm vibes in the winter like no other season has to offer. Think twinkle lights, evergreens, glowing candles, comfort food, fireplaces, classic movies, cozy blankets, cocoa and cider, and bonding over your favorite teams. If these are your vibes, perhaps a winter wedding is the season for you! At The Charleston our veranda is always shoveled, string lights brighten up the outdoor space, and the fireplace can be lit for warmth if guests would like to venture outside.

Festive Spirits - The holiday spirit lingers throughout the season and can lend a joyous spirit to your celebration. In the winter there is always something to look forward to from Thanksgiving to Christmas to New Years to the Super Bowl to Valentine’s Day to March Madness. Winter has its various moments of uniting people. Add your wedding to that list for your friends and family next year.

RSVPs - Summer weekends see frequent weddings and your guests may be receiving multiple invitations to fill their summer Saturdays, but summer is also the time of year that midwesterners most enjoy spending their weekends relaxing at the cabin, getting out on the lake, or barbecuing in the backyard. Your guests may appreciate keeping their summer Saturdays and be more eager to attend your winter wedding, thanking you for giving them a good reason to shake off some cabin fever.

Wedding White - What better way to illuminate a classy white wedding than with a pure, snowy backdrop. It also photographs like magic! If you are lucky, your day may give you some delicate snowflakes.

Honeymoon & Anniversaries - Minnesotans know that they best time of year to escape somewhere warm is during a winter lull. If your anniversary date is in the winter, you will have an excuse to get away and gain a sunny travel refresh for years to come.

Winter Attire - Elegant long sleeve dresses, cozy furs, capes, hats and ear muffs, ice skates, white boots, and all of the other winter accessories can come out to play.

We love winter weddings at The Charleston Event Center. They are easily accommodated with ceremonies and receptions in our lower level ballroom and a quick “flip” of the space while guests enjoy socializing on our first floor parlor. Winter weddings at The Charleston best accommodate group sizes of 25-175.

CONTACT US for more information and ask about our Winter Special Rates!