- Chewing Gum – is a no-no for ANY of the bridal party for the whole day
- Smoking – even if you do smoke, do try to abstain on this special day. You probably won’t like to see the images if you or any of the bridal party do smoke on camera
- Vows – be sure to look at each other during the vows, NOT at the presiding official
- Groom – no hands in pockets please whilst awaiting the arrival of the bride down the aisle
- Photoshoot(s) – ensure one of the ushers is made responsible for marshaling the people needed for each planned photo – otherwise this can be a nightmare and a serious time delay
- Seating Plan – make sure all guests are aware, as early as possible, WHERE they can find the seating plan. If you are having a receiving line to greet your guests, don’t have the seating plan positioned where it will cause a line queue to back up
- Wedding Breakfast entrance – often the bride and groom are made to wait outside the reception room entrance whilst guests race to the bar to try to get a drinks top-up before the food gets underway. This is bad for the newlyweds, and bad for the rest of the guests who await their arrival and the commencement of the food (OR the speeches if they are planned to go first). Brief the chief usher ahead of time to watch for this and to ask those at the bar to go and sit down.
- Wedding Breakfast entrance – ensure that the Master of Ceremonies waits for the bride and groom to be seated before asking the guests to also now sit down – it looks like bad manners when the guests start to sit down before the bride especially is seated. Sometimes with a restricted space behind this top table, this can take a few extra moments – especially with the fuller type gowns needing to be sorted.
- Toasts – when about to deliver a toast, make sure anyone who is doing it starts with, “Ladies and gentlemen, please be upstanding, raise your glasses, and join me in a toast to…” You would be surprised how many toasts are just blurted out leaving half the guests still seated whilst some try to quickly stand up – a small thing, but a very big negative impact if not done properly.
- Noise during the Speeches. Too often we see tables and guests having a conversation during the speeches – often loud enough to be picked up by the video camera equipment. It’s human nature but not good manners, and this spoils the event for everyone including the rest of the guests, who have better manners. Brief one of the ushers ahead of time to watch out for this, and ask him to discretely approach the table concerned, asking for their attention (he will only need to do it with one table – the rest will take note).
- RELAX and SMILE. All the planning has been done, everything is in place, so from the moment you wake up on the big day, savour every second and don’t be phased by any last minute hitches OR by weather which looks less than great. You owe it to yourselves to enjoy this day no matter what happens so don’t let ANYTHING spoil it. If YOU smile, everyone will smile with you.
