What Is the Best Invitation Etiquette for a Wedding Guest?

Once the engagement has been announced, an invitation to the wedding will usually arrive about four months before the wedding (or even earlier if the wedding is out of the country). It is always the guest’s responsibility to respond in a prompt manner. Make sure you don’t commit any of these wedding guest invitation sins.

Thou Shall Not RSVP Late or Not At All

A bride and groom generally work off a strict budget, and that budget can be disrupted if a guest does not make his or her attendance clear. Etiquette dictates that a guest RSVP immediately to ensure that an accurate head count is made available to the bride and groom. It is considered rude to contact your host seeking permission to bring a guest.

Thou Shall Not Bring a Date Without Permission

You should not bring a guest unless a plus-one (usually written "and Guest") is otherwise indicated on the invitation.

Thou Shall Not Bring the Bride or Groom’s Ex as Your Plus-One

No matter what the situation, it’s not appropriate to bring an ex of the bride or groom unless previously discussed.

Thou Shall Not Make Any Specific Food Requests on Your RSVP

Dieting, diabetic, or a vegan? It’s not the bride or groom’s responsibility to make any dietary concessions on your behalf. If you feel that your dietary needs are too important to ignore, it’s best to RSVP that you will not be attending.

Thou Shall Not Complain to the Bride and Groom About the Location

Is the wedding in another county, state, or country? If it’s too far away to attend (or simply out of your budget), simply RSVP your regrets. This is the bride and groom’s special day, and while your presence will most likely be missed, it is probably not as mandatory as you may think.

Thou Shall Not RSVP Yes and Then Not Attend

Like any other formal event, it’s important to follow through when accepting an invitation to someone’s wedding. If you find you are unable to attend after you have already accepted, contact the bride or groom immediately.