Etiquette Rules to Observe when Sending Out Wedding Invitations and Giving +1s

Once you have set a date for your wedding and reserved a venue, the next step in wedding planning is to send out invitations. You want people to attend your wedding. To make sure more people attend and not just your immediate family members, you will need to send out wedding invitations early; the earlier the better.

All in all, when doing this, it is important that you consider the option of the ‘+1’. This is the option where you allow your single guests to bring a date to your wedding. Although this is a great thing it has its downside; the main one being the fact that you will find strangers at your wedding. Wedding etiquette rules state that guests over the age of 18 are given the permission to bring a date. However, the times are quickly changing. Today, couples want to surround themselves with guests they already know. How can you then ensure that the +1s don’t stress you out?

Invite the people you know

To deal away with the stress of dealing with strangers, you should consider giving the +1 option to the single guests whose girlfriends or boyfriends you already know. Since you will have socialized with them before, their presence at your wedding will not be disturbing. The last thing you want is for your guest to bring a date who makes a scene at your wedding. By only accepting the +1s you have met, you create a boundary that even your single guests cannot argue with when you explain it to them in a polite way.

Needless to say, your longtime couples and the engaged couples should get a +1. It is also great to give a widowed or single senior citizen a +1 so that they can bring their friend or health aide.

One thing you might have noticed is that people are not afraid to attend weddings solo. This is because attending solo gives them the opportunity to mingle with other solo guests at your wedding. Attending solo also gives the opportunity for the single friends to dance, mingle, fine dine and even meet future romantic interests. Most people are even relieved that you did not ask them to bring a date. What is more is that the solo guests don’t feel obligated to give generous gifts to check from 2 guests.

Stand your ground

Not all guests will be happy about your rule of not allowing them to bring a +1. In this case, when they call, don’t be afraid to put your foot down. Explain to them that your wedding committee did not allow for additional invitations and you would not want to offend other guests who had requested to come with a date. Don’t be afraid to turn down parents who want their teenager to bring a friend.

Surrounding yourself with only the people you know and limiting the number of guests that attend will make your wedding even more remarkable. You will not have to worry about food, drinks, and tables being inadequate.