weirdiscomplimentary
New member
Are the bride and groom "celebrities" who you're excited to even see? Or are they your hosts who you expect to have exclusive time with? Somewhere in the middle?
When I've gone to weddings, I've thought of myself as privileged to attend the bride and groom's wedding. I've recognized how busy and stressed they were and considered myself lucky if they wanted to hang out with me before the ceremony, during the reception, during other moments when I would have expected them to be spending time with closer friends or family, etc. I've always stayed out of their way because I figure they have a lot on their plate. I recognize that the bride and groom will try to get a chance to talk to all their guests, but that they are busy and I might not get much face time with them. I always wait for them to come to me, unless they are standing with a close friend or relative of mine and I know that my presence will be welcome if I join in the conversation.
At my own wedding, though, I was a little appalled at how many guests made demands on my time. Once, when I was going to find the MC to let him know that my sister wanted to start her toast, a guest of my groom's jumped up, cornered me, and started giving me all kinds of details about how she knew my new husband. It wasn't even like she was congratulating me -- she was just telling me who she was. All I could say was, "Okay, nice to meet you" and "Yes, I've heard about you" but she kept on talking. I tried to politely excuse myself several times because my sister was anxious to start her toast, but I couldn't seem to get away.
Later, when my groom and I went out on the balcony to take a break from all the excitement, a friend of the groom's parents came up to us and started making uncomfortable small talk with us. He ended up giving me an awkward kiss which made me doubly uncomfortable because I had never met him before.
I also found that, throughout the evening, even close friends of mine who I really wanted to hang out with, simply didn't seem to have my same sense of "leave the bride alone and wait for her to come to you" etiquette. I ripped my bustle loop and was off to a back room to get it fixed by my aunt. A whole crowd of my friends kept vehemently gesturing to me from across the room to join them -- but I was busy!
Is this normal and I'm just crazy? When you go to a wedding do you wait for the bride and groom to approach you? Is it just me that feels this way? If the bride or groom is in the middle of a conversation are you allowed to pull him/her onto the dance floor just because you want to dance to a particular song? Are there actual rules of etiquette regarding when it is appropriate to talk to the bride and groom and when it is best to leave them alone?
Another time, when I got up to go greet some of my family, when I came back to my table one of my family friends was sitting in my seat chatting with my husband -- who was a little confused! It was totally bizarre. You're not supposed to steal the bride's seat next to the groom -- right?
Am I full of myself or are these pretty common guidelines? Were my guests weird or am I just overly sensitive?
When I've gone to weddings, I've thought of myself as privileged to attend the bride and groom's wedding. I've recognized how busy and stressed they were and considered myself lucky if they wanted to hang out with me before the ceremony, during the reception, during other moments when I would have expected them to be spending time with closer friends or family, etc. I've always stayed out of their way because I figure they have a lot on their plate. I recognize that the bride and groom will try to get a chance to talk to all their guests, but that they are busy and I might not get much face time with them. I always wait for them to come to me, unless they are standing with a close friend or relative of mine and I know that my presence will be welcome if I join in the conversation.
At my own wedding, though, I was a little appalled at how many guests made demands on my time. Once, when I was going to find the MC to let him know that my sister wanted to start her toast, a guest of my groom's jumped up, cornered me, and started giving me all kinds of details about how she knew my new husband. It wasn't even like she was congratulating me -- she was just telling me who she was. All I could say was, "Okay, nice to meet you" and "Yes, I've heard about you" but she kept on talking. I tried to politely excuse myself several times because my sister was anxious to start her toast, but I couldn't seem to get away.
Later, when my groom and I went out on the balcony to take a break from all the excitement, a friend of the groom's parents came up to us and started making uncomfortable small talk with us. He ended up giving me an awkward kiss which made me doubly uncomfortable because I had never met him before.
I also found that, throughout the evening, even close friends of mine who I really wanted to hang out with, simply didn't seem to have my same sense of "leave the bride alone and wait for her to come to you" etiquette. I ripped my bustle loop and was off to a back room to get it fixed by my aunt. A whole crowd of my friends kept vehemently gesturing to me from across the room to join them -- but I was busy!
Is this normal and I'm just crazy? When you go to a wedding do you wait for the bride and groom to approach you? Is it just me that feels this way? If the bride or groom is in the middle of a conversation are you allowed to pull him/her onto the dance floor just because you want to dance to a particular song? Are there actual rules of etiquette regarding when it is appropriate to talk to the bride and groom and when it is best to leave them alone?
Another time, when I got up to go greet some of my family, when I came back to my table one of my family friends was sitting in my seat chatting with my husband -- who was a little confused! It was totally bizarre. You're not supposed to steal the bride's seat next to the groom -- right?
Am I full of myself or are these pretty common guidelines? Were my guests weird or am I just overly sensitive?