Each Wednesday, we tackle wedding etiquette. At times, it’s a reader question or one from a colleague, friend or family member and other times we’ll cover a popular issue. (Note: Questions may be edited for clarity and brevity.)
Question: A good friend of my family is getting married in a few weeks. This will be the first wedding I’ve attended as an adult. (Meaning that I’m not going with my parents.) I’m usually way too early for meetings and gatherings, because I get anxious about showing up late. How early is too early for guests to arrive at a wedding?
Answer: It’s thoughtful of you to always try to arrive on time. (But don’t be too hard on yourself about occasional lateness. It happens to all of us.) Your instincts about there being a “too early” arrival time are correct, so kudos for planning in advance. For weddings, it’s best to avoid arriving too far ahead of the start time, because there are often last-minute preparations being wrapped up and early guests can cause undue stress on the planner, event or venue staff, couple or friend and family helpers. The rule of thumb is to get there no more than 10 minutes early. If you overshoot it and get there any earlier than that, just chill in your car for a bit. Have fun getting this “first” under your belt!
Do you have a solution to share or a wedding etiquette question? Respond in the comments or email Melanie@MyNewOrleans.com.
