A wedding may be the most memorable day for the bride and groom, but for guests a day spent celebrating their friend or family members matrimony isn’t always filled with joy.
Yes, it seems that love isn’t always in the air for guests as they’ve revealed what they dislike the most about attending a wedding. A smile may be plastered across their face, but if you want to make your guests truly happy, it may be time to bin these wedding traditions and new trends or risk a divorce from everyone but your new husband or wife!
Candyking Parties recently conducted a survey to find out once and for all what guests hate the most about attending a wedding.
Don’t Give Your Guests a Reason to Be Grumpy
No-one likes being hangry, and leaving your guests with an empty stomach isn’t recommended if you want to keep them happy. As 26% revealed that waiting ages between the ceremony and the wedding breakfast without food was annoying – the top tip? Canapes or a pic and mix stand should tide guests over in-between.
With the cost of weddings rising for those planning their big day, the purse strings are also being stretched for guests as 18% said that the overall cost of attendance is simply too much.
Tying into the rising cost of saying yes to attending, 13% said that remote locations were annoying. With hotels and travel costs to pay for on top of the usual wedding costs, it seems that guests would prefer a wedding in the local church and reception in a nearby hotel.
Avoid This Happening in the Wedding Ceremony
When it comes to the wedding ceremony, 45% of guests said that their biggest annoyance was crying babies. While even the adult guests may have a cry during the ceremony, when little ones have a whimper, it seems that guests are unable to tolerate a few tears.
For 18%, not being able to hear the bride and groom is their biggest bug-bear, whether it’s due to crying babies, a tearful soon-to-be married couple who are unable to get through their vows or great aunty-so-and-so snoring during the ceremony, guests are calling for the happy couple to speak up loud and clear.
Just like you would in the cinema, wedding ceremonies should also come with an advert asking attendees to turn their phone on silent as 15% said that phones going off was a wedding offence.
Ban These Wedding Traditions
Weddings are steeped in tradition, but many guests are fed-up of these customs and want to see them banned from weddings.
23% said top-tables were outdated and should be banned. Rather than a strict seating plan which you no doubt spend hours of lost sleep spent worrying trying to get it just right, why not let everyone find a seat themselves – problem aborted and guests will be happy that there is no top-table too.
Being walked down the aisle by your Father or someone who has had great importance in your life is something that many brides look forward to, but 21% said that being given-away is a tradition they don’t want to see.
Flowers are one of the most important wedding elements, and with couples spending large amounts of their budget on getting their bouquets and centre pieces just right, it seems that guests aren’t fussed about taking the brides bouquet home, as 19% said that they would happily see this tradition disappear.
Wedding Trends Guests Are Over
You don’t want to look back on your wedding with any regrets, and just like that outfit you wore in the 90s, you may want to forgo these wedding trends.
We live in a hashtag obsessed world where nothing is safe from the pesky hash sign – not even a wedding. While many couples have asked guests to share photos using their custom wedding hashtag, 30% of guests said that it was a trend they would like to see the back of.
Light-up letters aren’t lighting up guest’s life either, as 29% said that this trend isn’t something they want to see at a wedding anytime soon. It may be time to ditch those initials and instead invest in those canapes or sweet stands!
Cake makes most things better, and for guests who are sick of all of the above annoyances that come with attending a wedding, a slice of sponge may be just the trick to put a smile back on their faces. Except you’ve opted for a stack of your favourite cheeses or cupcakes instead – well, 18% said that this is a trend they are sick off, so it may be time to stick to a good, old-fashioned cheesecake.