Wedding Guest Categories: Which One Are You In?
Doug Quattrini, CPCE – Event Producer at Sensational Host Events & Catering, (and NACE National Vice President) has shared his expert insight with us when it comes to wedding guests!
Doug breaks wedding guests down into “their categories” which is not only incredibly accurate, but helpful when determining the type of wedding guest you want to be (or don’t want to be!) when you attending a wedding. Thanks Doug!
Weddings are fun. There’s food, bars, dancing, catching up with friends, …bars – you’ve probably all been to at least one, and possibly have hosted your own. Receiving an invitation to one means the hosts value your friendship, and want to share their celebration with you. The best way to say, “Thank You” is to be a good guest.
Sounds silly, right? Not really. As someone who has catered more weddings than I can remember, I can safely divide most guests into the following categories:
- The Photographers. You can find these guests holding up their smartphones over their heads during the ceremony, effectively blocking the professional photographers and videographers that have been hired and paid for by the hosts after an exhaustive search.
- The Passed Hors D’oeuvre Thieves. These are the smarty pants’ that have figured out where the waitstaff holding the hors d’oeuvre trays are entering the room from, and are lurking there so that they can empty the trays before the servers get to any of the other guests.
- The Latecomers. They’ve known about the wedding for months, however, still found a way to arrive 20 minutes into the ceremony and act surprised that it actually started on time. Traffic was bad, you know. They had to park miles away, of course. Sure.
- The Reluctant Family Member. They were forced against their will to attend this wedding, and no matter how hard you try and how nice you are to them, they’re not giving anyone the satisfaction of cracking a smile or enjoying one gosh darn moment. Don’t even try.
- The Over Indulger. Also referred to as the drunken sot. That’s what Open Bars are for, right? These are the easiest guests to spot – they’re either literally hanging onto the bar, inappropriately touching the other guests, yelling nonsense over the music, or they’ve passed out in the restrooms. Thanks for coming.
- The Professional Wedding Guest. They’ve been to so many weddings that they know just what to do. They understand coat check, a gift table, and that there are always restrooms if you just read the signs on the walls. They are quiet and attentive during toasts and introductions, have fun but don’t cause scenes, and are respectful of all the professionals working hard to create a great experience. They get it – the wedding is not about them.
So, what type of guest will YOU be?
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