Anyone Who's Married Although we love to break some traditional rules, it's always best to invite both parties in a married couple, even if you're closer with one person than the other, or if you've never even met someone's spouse. Think about it—would you want to attend a wedding without your spouse?
Sure, if your budget and venue have some wiggle room, it's definitely a nice gesture – but it won't be considered rude or incorrect etiquette if you don't offer one. With this in mind, we'd recommend setting a blanket rule for single guests and plus-ones.
It is perfectly acceptable to go to a wedding without your spouse. If, for example, the invitation comes from someone you are close to, but your spouse doesn't really know, he might want to stay home.
Remember: You're never as awkward as you feel, so let loose and don't take yourself too seriously. "Stick to a few drinks, enjoy yourself, and dance," Stockard says. "You're attending a wedding, so have fun with the couple you're there to celebrate!"
At the end of the day, it's important to remember that you're there to celebrate your friend. Go in with a positive mindset, and give yourself permission to let loose and have fun—after all, the bride and groom want you to have a good time. Remember: There's no shame in attending a wedding solo.
Prepare Yourself
Since being introverted isn't a one-size-fits-all personality, how you prep for the day is completely up to you. Everything from meditation and yoga to sitting alone and reading a book can be a great way for introverts to charge up their batteries and be ready to party!
If you're not close with the couple, you're not obligated to attend a wedding. Here are some situations when it's totally fine to send your regrets. We live in a world of constant social pressure and are practically programmed to say “yes” to pretty much any event that pops up on our calendar.
If you're not having friends at your wedding, you still have several options to fill out your bridal party. Primarily, your bridesmaids and maid of honor will come from the ranks of your female relatives. Consider asking your sisters, cousins, aunts, grandmothers, or mother to stand in for you.
Pressuring your significant other to rush into marriage might make them lose their appreciation for you. On top of that, they might become less attracted to you as they'll see your need for a quick marriage as a sign of desperation.
If you're deciding to not have plus ones at your wedding, it's best to keep one rule throughout. To invite some of your friends partners and not others can be seen as rude, and is also likely to hurt people's feelings. First decide where you want to draw the line.
A. Unfortunately, due to budget and space limitations, we simply can't afford for all of our lovely guests to bring a guest of their own. Therefore, we regretfully our guests to please not bring a plus one, unless they are specifically named on the invitation. Thank you so much for understanding!
Wedding planner Jamie Chang, who teaches couples to mostly plan weddings on their own, tells Bustle essentially the same: that it is pretty much always rude to ask for a plus one when you weren't given one to start. "The couple has worked hard to create their guest list based on their budget and wedding," Chang says.
If you haven't heard the term “plus-one” before, it is a date or additional guest brought to a wedding by a guest. Usually, this refers to a spouse or romantic interest/partner. However, it could include someone who is assisting an older family member or a friend of a guest.
Psychologically, we're inclined to be helpful, to give people what they want, to say yes. So while there are many different reasons someone may not have reached out to invite you, there's no good reason not to ask for the invite.
"While you should never feel obligated to attend a wedding you don't want to be a part of, think carefully if the reason you are using will hold up years later when you look back on it," Gottsman says. Once you decide to decline, you should ideally share the news in person, not through the mail.
A private wedding, or a confidential wedding, is one that is performed without any guests or public attention. This type of wedding is attended only by the couple, the officiant, and if you prefer, a photographer. If you opt for a private wedding, you will still need a witness.
Regardless of how close you are to the couple, no-showing is NEVER appropriate. Brides and grooms pay per head at their wedding, so you ghosting them would cost a couple hundred bucks or more.
You don't respect the religious rituals.
Regardless of your own beliefs, it's important to respect the couple's choices on such a sacred day. "When you refuse to participate in or respect religious rituals during the ceremony it can offend not only the bride and groom, but also their family members," says Swann.
On average, 83 percent of guests indicated that they were coming to our users' weddings while 17 percent of invitees declined their invitation. In other words, if you have a 100-person guest list, you can expect 83 guests on your big day and 17 people to decline.
They thrive on positive energy and love to be around positive people. If you're dating, friends with or married to an introverted person, you already know they're some of the best people in the world. They will change your life, make you better and teach you things you wouldn't have known otherwise.
There can be a lot of pressure, from the wedding industry, from family, from friends, to throw a huge party – but if that just doesn't feel right to you, you can elope, have a small backyard wedding, or just keep the guest list short. That can take a lot of the pressure off, and make you feel a lot more comfortable.