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Terry Meadows

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Venue

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September 11, 2023

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Have you ever been at an event where someone got too drunk, and you wished their friends or family would step in to save them from further embarrassment?

Or worse, have you witnessed a couple hijack a wedding celebration to announce their own engagement?

Despite your careful planning, a wedding guest’s behavior can still threaten to ruin your special day. Good manners aren’t guaranteed, but with thoughtful preplanning and a strong support team, you can avoid these nightmare scenarios.

We have seen almost everything at our weddings at Zion Spring weddings, we’re here to share some of the most common challenges and how to handle them effectively.

Further reading

Creating a rough wedding guest list: who to consider?

Who Should be Included in Your Support Team

Assemble a support team of family and friends to handle any issues on your wedding day, keeping you and your partner stress-free.

Wedding Planner
Experienced in managing difficult guests, a wedding planner can calmly and professionally defuse tense situations without involving you.

Your Wingman
Assign someone—whether it’s your maid of honor, best man, or a close friend—as your go-to person for dealing with misbehaving guests. They’ll serve as your shield, keeping things on track.

Maid of Honor & Best Man
Your bridal party already knows your plans and can collaborate with the wedding planner to manage any minor problems that arise.

Family & Friends
Enlist relatives or trusted friends to help smooth out any bumps with tact and diplomacy.

Be sure to discuss a clear action plan with each member of your team so everyone understands their role in keeping the day running smoothly.

Further reading

Wedding Attire Guide: What to Wear for Every Type of Wedding

How to Deal with Drunk Wedding Guests

Drunk guests can be a challenge, ranging from amusing to disruptive. Start by offering them coffee, water, or food, and give them a break in another room to compose themselves.

Ask the bar staff to delay or dilute their drinks. If they become a problem, enlist your more assertive team members.

Have someone ready to take intoxicated guests home if needed, and ensure car keys are confiscated if they plan to drive.

If you anticipate issues, consider speaking with the guest in advance. For party-heavy crowds, provide drink tokens to limit consumption or stick to serving only wine and beer.

How to Handle Gatecrashers at the Reception

Gatecrashers are uninvited guests with no connection to the bridal party—a concept made famous by the 2005 film Wedding Crashers. While it might be entertaining on screen, it’s an unwelcome intrusion at your wedding.

To avoid this, ensure your venue isn’t hosting other events at the same time. If your venue is connected to a public restaurant or hotel, talk to the staff about monitoring for uninvited guests who might wander in.

For large receptions, consider using wristbands or similar identifiers for your guests. In public settings, ask family and friends to keep an eye out for unfamiliar faces and verify if they know the couple or their families.

To reduce the risk of gatecrashers, avoid posting detailed reception information online. Keep social media announcements generic if your profile is public, and consider sending paper invitations that can double as entry cards for large guest lists.

What to Do with Unexpected Wedding Guests

Despite clear invitations, an uninvited plus-one might appear, or a couple who never RSVP’d could show up dressed for your big day.

If there’s room at a table and an extra plate available, you might decide to let it slide. However, if seating and plates are limited, you can politely ask them to join the celebration later when the party starts.

Further reading

How to Write Wedding Invitations and 7 Templates to Copy

How to Deal with Picky Eaters at Your Wedding

With the rise in food allergies and dietary restrictions, it’s crucial to check with your guests before the wedding to accommodate their needs.

Include a note on your invitation asking for any dietary requirements. The reception isn’t the time to discover a severe allergy to the entrée, but if a guest didn’t inform you earlier, consult your caterer for an alternative. Sometimes, you just have to roll with the situation.

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Find this example on www.zazzle.com

How to Handle Wedding Speech Hecklers

Speeches can be a magnet for the guest who fancies themselves a comedian. But this is your wedding, and guests are there to celebrate you, not listen to someone test out their comedy routine.

If you suspect a guest might interrupt with unwanted comments, give your speakers a heads-up so they can be prepared. A quick internet search can offer some humorous comebacks used by professional comedians.

Forewarned is forearmed. If the potential heckler has a history of disrupting events, consider having a conversation with them beforehand, asking for their respect on your special day.

Quick Start Planning Guide Timlines, Checklists, Strategies, Tips

How to Deal with Squabbling Wedding Guests

If you know two guests don’t get along, seat them as far apart as possible. Inform them ahead of time that you expect them to put aside their differences and be respectful for the day—just this once.

During the ceremony and reception, ensure they aren’t seated near each other. This can be challenging, especially if they are close family members, but placing other relatives between them can help. It’s crucial that neither party feels slighted in the process.

Further reading

The ultimate guide to wedding seating

How to Handle Wedding Guests announcing their Engagement

The internet is full of horror stories about couples hijacking a wedding with their own big announcement. If this happens, try to stay calm—even though a strong reaction is understandable. Offer a quick “Congratulations” and move on swiftly.

While some guests might be horrified by the poor timing, others could respond with enthusiasm. Lean on your support network to quickly redirect the attention back to you and your partner.

How to Manage Children at Your Wedding

Children can add a joyful energy to a wedding, but when they’re tired, bored, or overwhelmed, they can quickly dampen the celebration.

If you’re including kids at your wedding, be sure to have activities to keep them entertained. Don’t rely solely on parents to manage their energetic little ones. When several kids of a certain age are together in one space, chaos can easily ensue—just like with a pack of playful pups.

Further reading

Should You Invite Children to Your Wedding?

Managing Difficult Wedding Guests

You came to this article looking for ways to handle challenging guests on your wedding day. We’ve covered strategies to prevent potential issues, from building a strong support network to setting clear expectations with guests who might cause trouble.

With careful planning and the right team in place, you can focus on enjoying your celebration without unnecessary stress. At Zion Springs, we’ve guided countless couples through their wedding journeys since 2010, and educating couples is a key part of our passion.

For more insights and advice, explore the Answers and Advice page on our website.

All images are by our in-house Zion Springs photographer

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