In our previous article on this topic, we took a look at two types of wedding crashers who could turn up at your wedding uninvited and how to deal with them in a fuss free manner. In this article, we take a look at two more types of wedding crashers who you could end up meeting face to face. However, we do warn you- getting rid of these two types will possibly be anything but easy:
Image Courtesy Fotoskarma
Wedding Crashers: Children
How: Invited guests neatly ignored the handwritten request asking that children not be present at the ceremony, on the wedding invitation
What To Do: What’s an Indian wedding without children screaming, running around and making merry just when the saath pheras are happening and you are experiencing a new kind of emotion. Weddings without children is not a new concept as far as the West is concerned, but in India this is a new trend that is still to be fully accepted. On one hand there is always the added anxiety that if children are asked to be left behind, then invited adult guests may take offence and not turn up for the wedding or reception at all. That is why it is always a good idea to have children kept busy in a separate kids area at the wedding venue itself. This serves a wonderful two fold purpose- the parents get time to socialise and enjoy themselves and the children get their own play area to just be themselves.
However, if you and your partner have firmly decided that babies and children and a big N O at your wedding. Then here’s what you need to do. Ensure that you write the names of only the invited guests in a family on the wedding invitation. When you address the card as ‘Mr Kapoor & Family’, it is interpreted as Mr Kapoor, his wife, his children and any other family member who may be staying with him are all invited. Giving each guest a personal call and talking about your request will help to prepare the guests in advance. If any guest does end up bringing children along, ask the wedding planner or organiser to politely request the families to move to one of the rows at the back while the ceremony is taking place. It will be taken in a better spirit if this request is made before the guests actually seat themselves.
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Wedding Crashers: Guests bringing other guests
How: Guests who are single don’t think twice about bringing along a date or a friend just so that they have company.
What To Do: Let’s be honest- attending a wedding or even a reception all on your own can be daunting and the same goes for guests who are still single too. Having company instantly becomes a good conversation starter and is also a great way to introduce a friend or a special somebody to other friends and relatives. However, this is one detail that needs to be formally addressed on the wedding invitation card itself. If the person you are inviting is single and you would prefer not to invite a ‘plus-one’, then make sure that the card is addressed as such. It is important that your guests respect your sentiments in this regard without taking it otherwise. In case, you don’t mind your cousin or a close friend bringing along a date to your wedding reception, make the effort to find out their names so that they have name cards at the venue as well.
All said and done, you cant rule out the possibility that uninvited guests will still turn up claiming to know an actual guest who was invited by you. Being a gracious host, it is important to extend your hospitality even to people you don’t know at all. After all, it is your special day. But do ask your wedding planner to make sure that the actual invited guests are given top priority at the reception in terms of seating.
