Guest Post- Do Your Guests Care?

Greetings, Tart Deco readers. Steph has kindly invited me along to talk about whatever takes my fancy (very brave of her, I reckon). I thought I'd take some time today to talk about some of the people who make our weddings special - our guests.

I frequent a lot of online wedding forums and discussion boards, and guests come up frequently in conversation. Do any of these questions sound familiar?

What will my guests think if we do this?
How will I make my guests comfortable?
What if the guests don't understand the significance of this?
How do I please everyone when choosing food/music/favors/ceremony readings/seating plans?


To all these brides I have one question to ask in return:

Will my guests care?

Brides have this horrible habit of stressing themselves to the point of snapping over unnecessary stuff. The online wedding community doesn't help – now there are hundreds of blogs, forums and discussion groups full of brides stressing together, like a gigantic multi-national PMS party.

Do Your Guests Care?

That word "guests" brings a shower of terror upon any bride. A swarm of people descending upon your perfect day, casting judgement over your carefully-coordinated decorations, personalized ceremony, and handmade favors. Under the scrutinizing eye of your guests, your funky candy buffet will seem tacky and childish, your Day of the Dead cake topper morbid and your red wedding dress an affront to everything marriage stands for.

Couples forget their wedding "guests" are actually their dearly beloved family and friends, whom they've known and loved for years, and who have endured their offbeat, out-of-the-box fashion, ideas and choices for years. Your guests know your wedding won't be a white taffeta extravaganza, because they know you.

Stop worrying how your guests will react to every wedding decision. Your guests aren't there for themselves. They don't come to your wedding to stuff themselves with free food, slosh about the free booze, snarf down the free cake, delight in your free entertainment and come away with free presents for their trouble. While all that stuff open happens at weddings, it's secondary to the real purpose for the event. Your guests attend your wedding for you, to celebrate with you and eat and drink and be merry with you.

So stop worrying that your guests won't be happy if the dress is odd or the decorations are odd or the music isn't to their taste or the wine is too lukewarm or the favour boxes don't match the chair covers. Give your guests cold cuts and orange juice and a happy bride who delights in their presence, and I guarantee every guest will walk away saying yours was the best wedding they'd ever attended.


Stephanie Green- Wedding Skulls Blog