As you’ve been planning your wedding, you may have heard the expression “it’s your day, do it your way”. This is true! It’s a time to express your true self, be authentic, and drown out other’s expectations. On the other hand, it’s easy to take this concept too far. A “Dear Abby” letter described a bride who preferred dancing on an empty stomach, so she had guests wait five hours for dinner, and had the dancing first! That’s an example of taking it too far…
Here are a few tips about being a gracious bride:
Understand your guests’ perspective. How does the day’s schedule look from their viewpoint? Awkward gaps of time between the ceremony and reception are difficult for guests; asking them to drive more than 30 minutes between locations is too much. Try to craft your day’s schedule with the guests in mind.
Jump on those thank you notes. Guests are excited to give you a wonderful gift to honor your marriage; they can’t wait to hear not only that you received it, but liked it! Respond by writing a conversational, personalized note as quickly as possible.
Give others grace. Realize weddings are an emotional time for your close relatives, especially parents and siblings. In addition to the joy, there can also be this strange sense of loss, and this can bring up unexpected emotions. As much as possible, when people around you are driving you crazy, give them grace and, maybe, a warm hug. Best wishes to you, gracious bride!
As seen in Premier Bride of Mississippi. For more, visit www.premierbridems.com