Dinner Guest Manners
The art of fine entertaining is not lost. Although most of us rarely host elegant parties, every once in while, it can be a lot of fun to gather around the table with friends for a proper dinner party. Of course, it is not just the efforts of the hosts that make a dinner party a success; the guests have a role to play as well. Brush up on your dinner guest manners with these helpful tips.
R.s.v.p. promptly. Yes, we all lead busy lives, but it is patently unfair to leave your host hanging about whether or not you plan to attend their dinner party. Oftentimes, the hosts are aiming for a certain number of guests around the table, so if you decline, they may well wish to invite another guest to take your spot. Once you have accepted an invitation, you are obligated to keep the date, unless you become very ill or get invited to the White House. “Something better came along” does not qualify as a reason to back out of an invitation to dinner!
Show up on time. By “on time”, I mean not late, but not early either. The host of a party works hard to create a special ambiance, while making it all appear effortless. The guest who arrives twenty minutes early will find the candles unlit, the host walking around with wet hair from his shower, and the hostess frantically searching for those cute little earrings she picked up at her favorite jewelry store in Raleigh. Your hosts will be less than thrilled to have a guest to attend to while they are running around putting the finishing touches on their party. Of course, being late is just as bad.
Offer a small gift. A bottle of wine or a box of fine chocolates can properly be brought to the dinner party, but if you plan to give flowers, it is most polite to have them delivered to the house in advance of the party. That way your host does not have to drop everything to search for a vase when you arrive at the door. It is also fine to think more creatively about a hostess gift. A beautiful hardcover book, a small gift from the jewelry store in Raleigh your hostess likes, or a gift for the kitchen like a handcrafted wooden cutting board all make great dinner party presents. Don’t feel like you have to spend a lot of cash either, just pick a charming little trinket that will make your hosts smile.
Finally, send a thank you note! Let your hosts know how much you enjoyed their party by sending a brief thank you note the next day. And last but not least, plan to reciprocate with an invitation of your own sometime in the near future.
Filed under Uncategorized, crystal bridal jewelry | Tags: dinner party, etiquette, jewelry store Raleigh, manners | Comment (0)Firing a Bridemaid
Presumably, the bride invites certain women to be her bridesmaids because they are her closest friends. Occasionally, though, it just doesn’t work out, and it becomes necessary to fire a bridesmaid.
Before kicking anyone out of the wedding party, ask yourself a few questions. Is your friend really behaving badly, or is she reacting to unreasonable demands being made by the bride (which is frequently the underlying issue)? Is this a person that you are hoping to keep as a friend? If the bridesmaid in question is your sister (or future sister-in-law), you can pretty much forget about firing her, no matter how appalling her behavior may be.
So what are some legitimate reasons for releasing a bridesmaid from service? The most egregious reason would be that she had an affair with the groom (whether it happened recently or in the distant past, either would be cause to fire her at once). A less heinous, but still serious reason, would be if the bride discovered that her friend did not support her choice of husband.
If you have reached the conclusion that one of your bridesmaids does need to be dismissed, let her down as gently and graciously as you can; if you have already handed out the bridesmaid gifts, don’t demand that she return hers. Break the news to her in person (and in private), or in a handwritten letter if you just can’t face her. Don’t dump a bridesmaid by email or by having a third party do it.
Although firing a bridesmaid is not easy, sometimes it is the only way to maintain your sanity and enjoy your wedding. If an attendant is causing the bride to be stressed and miserable, then dismissing her may be the best option. Hopefully, by choosing her bridesmaids thoughtfully after careful deliberation, a bride can avoid having to take that difficult step.
Filed under Bridesmaid Gifts, Uncategorized, Wedding Planning | Tags: Bridesmaid Gifts, bridesmaids, etiquette, Wedding Planning | Comment (0)Dealing with Wedding Advice
People love weddings! They also love giving their opinions on weddings. Every couple getting married knows that unsolicited advice comes with the territory.
The first thing to do is consider the source. Sometimes the advice might be good, especially if it comes from someone who is in the wedding business. But beware of anyone telling you that you “must” do something because everyone else is doing it. After all, isn’t the point to have a wedding that is uniquely your own?
Sometimes you receive advice from a person that you don’t dare offend, like your future mother-in-law. If the suggestion is one that you disagree with, you must politely change the subject instead of starting an argument. Try something like, “Hmm…that’s interesting. Say, how is your search for a rehearsal dinner dress going?”. Most people love to talk about themselves, so this tactic usually works quite well!
Just remember, your family and friends only give you advice because they care about you and want your wedding to be perfect. In the end though, it is up to the bride and groom to decide what will make their wedding a dream come true.
Filed under Uncategorized, Wedding Planning | Tags: etiquette, wedding advice | Comment (0)