Experts reveal the guest etiquette that annoys British couples the most
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Almost 70% of couples say that asking to bring a plus one or a child is the most annoying question a guest can ask ahead of a wedding
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More than half (53%) of couples say that questions around the seating plan and who they will be sat with are the most annoying, followed by asking if they can give a speech on the day (38%)
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Being the centre of attention on the day (38%), getting too drunk too soon (32%) and getting in the way of the photographer (17%) are the most annoying things a guest can do on the day of a wedding
Wedding planning is often regarded as one of the most stressful things a person can do, made no less stressful by the guests themselves once the invitations have been sent out.
Wedding planning experts at the leading free wedding planning site Hitched.co.uk have surveyed their community of wedding planners and nearlyweds to understand just what annoys them the most about their guests’ reactions to being invited to their big day.
Invitation Etiquette
According to the latest National Wedding Survey by Hitched, which polled more than 2,400 newlyweds who tied the knot in 2022, a third of couples used a free wedding website to communicate details about their big days with their guests.
These free sites are designed to house all the information needed about the wedding day, from who specifically is invited, the venue address and gift list details, to menu options and details about how to RSVP – which explains why almost 70% of those surveyed by Hitched in a recent poll* said that the most annoying question a guest could ask them once they have received their invitation and access to the couple’s wedding website, is if they could bring a plus one or a child.
The second-most annoying question a guest can ask the couple after receiving all the information needed to attend their wedding, is how to RSVP to the big day, with almost a fifth (18%) of respondents saying this question (or RSVP-ing late) saying this was the most frustrating question.
Additional bugbears included asking for a special menu (8%) and asking for the details of the venue (5%), despite these all being covered on the wedding website.
Do Not Ask These Questions!
In the lead up to the wedding day, Hitched revealed that the most annoying question a guest could ask is around the seating plan, with more than half (53%) of respondents saying that asking the couple who a guest will be sat with annoyed them the most.
Following this, questioning the couple about whether or not a guest could make a speech on the day was the most annoying question, with 38% of respondents saying this would really irk them.
Leading wedding expert and editor of Hitched.co.uk, Zoe Burke, says: “Couples put a lot of time and effort into making their wedding websites – and it shows! We see so many beautiful, detailed wedding websites created by couples at Hitched – they match the wedding theme, have cute stories about the couple and the wedding party, and they have that all-important wedding FAQs page!
“It’s really the perfect way to anticipate your guests’ questions, and make sure that no one bothers you in the run up to their wedding asking if they can bring little Tommy, give a speech or if you can make sure they’re not sat next to Aunt Susan.
“Our wedding websites are free to make at Hitched, and you can even link your RSVPs to them, so your table plan tool is pre-populated with everyone who has ticked ‘yes’ to attending on your website. Truly, we are living in the future.”
Wedding Day Rules
When it comes to the wedding day itself, there are additional rules that guests should follow to avoid frustrating the happy couple.
More than a third of respondents (38%) said the most annoying thing a guest can do on the day of the wedding is to be the centre of attention, when the wedding day is supposed to be about the couple. A further third (32%) said that getting too drunk too soon was what irked them the most about guest behaviour on their big day, while almost a fifth (17%) said that getting in the way of the photographer was the most annoying thing to them.
Other irksome behaviours include guests using their phones too much at the wedding, with 13% citing this as the most annoying thing a guest can do on their big day.
For more information on free wedding planning websites, please visit: https://www.hitched.co.uk/wedding-planning/fun/best-wedding-websites/
