Etiquette Q&A: "Who Gets a Plus One?"

Editor-in-chief Diane Forden answers one reader's biggest etiquette question.

babys breath escort cards
Photo Credit: Erin Johnson Photography

Q: My fiancé and his family think we should invite everyone to the wedding with a guest. What's the rule?

A: You needn't invite every single person to your wedding with a guest. In fact, most couples today don't —  unless they have an unlimited budget. You should, however, include partners of the following people:

► Everyone who is married (even if you don't know their spouse)
► Couples who are engaged
► Couples who are living together
► Guests who have had a steady significant other for so long that it would seem awkward not to include their partners.

The last instance is a judgment call, but in most cases, your gut will tell you what to do.

—Diane Forden

5 Wedding Tasks for Grooms

events by natasha Guest Blogger: Natasha Scaramuzzo, Head Planner and Owner of Events by Natasha, has experience planning, consulting, directing, and coordinating events for weddings, social events, and corporate functions. Her passion truly lies in planning weddings. Weddings allow Natasha to provide her brides with the “worry-free planning” that they deserve, and it also allows her the opportunity to use her creative ideas in re-creating a bride’s dream into a reality. No event is big or small; brides on a budget seeking a lavish affair can count on Natasha’s passion and creativity to create a spectacular experience. She has hand-selected each vendor that she works with who have proven to be thorough and knowledgeable in the industry.groom puttimg wedding band on bride's finger

Wedding advice is always given to the bride, but what about the groom? He is the reason you're walking down the aisle, after all. In my experience, most grooms tend to just agree with everything the bride wants to keep her happy, but what the groom should be doing is getting more involved with the planning — your wedding is for both of you, not just the bride! Here, some tips for the handsome grooms:

The Latest Crazy Brangelina Wedding Rumors

We've heard at least five versions of the story of how Brad proposed to Angelina, so it comes as no surprise that there are new rumors about their wedding plans practically every week. But the latest crazy ideas are just too good not to share.

Several reports have stated that the couple will get married at their Chateau Miraval estate in the South of France at the end of May. Though previously reported that it'll be an "intimate and informal" affair, the couple's (now former?!) florist apparently spilled to U.K.'s Grazia magazine that the wedding has some seriously elaborate plans.

“Guests will travel past water fountains and Shetland ponies leaping as they go up the two-mile long drive to the house," said Michel.

And ponies won't be the only animal guests — the couple's kids requested eight elephants, one to represent each member of the family. “When the guests park, they'll see the family of elephants. Brad hopes it will make them smile."

X

Wedding Ideas by Color: Red

From bouquets to bridesmaids dresses, centerpieces to cakes, get tons of inspiration for a red wedding. Plus, see more color palettes here.

By: Kristen O'Gorman Klein

Enter Slideshow

Wedding Ideas by Color: Red

X

Wacky Wedding Nightmares: What They REALLY Mean

Have you ever had a nightmare so terrifying, it took a good five minutes to realize it didn’t actually happen? I’ve always had a colorful imagination (even in waking life), but with only six months left until my wedding, so many movie-like plots have interrupted my slumber that I’d love to arrange a meeting with Mr. Spielberg. Among the most bizarre: I’m “outside” myself, watching my body walk into a house I’ve never seen before. Up the stairs, there’s a door with glowing red script. In a trance, as if possessed, I turn the knob against my will, even though every part of my body is screaming, “Don’t do it!” Then, I wake up.

Professional dream analyst Patricia Garfield, the author of The Universal Dream Key and Women’s Bodies, Women’s Dreams, explained to me that dreaming is like grand opera: it exaggerates and dramatizes in order to get our attention. Every dream has a purpose, whether it’s to warn us, inspire us, encourage us to slow down or get moving, and so forth. Dreaming is a biological rhythm that is triggered by REM (rapid eye movement) and it uses a deeper layer of the brain than the cortex (what we use most of the time when we’re awake), which is why dreams are highly emotional. “By coming to understand the images and messages within them, we become more aware of what matters to us,” said Garfield.

I’m not the only bride who tosses and turns 50 times a night—below, some of the most common nightmares our Facebook readers have had.

February 25th

Photo Credit: Justin Alexander

Tip of the Day: Obsessed with the glam wavy hairstyles from last night's Oscars? Here's how to recreate the look, courtesy of Pantene Pro-V:

  • Prep hair with the Repair & Protect system. Then, give your hair the star treatment with Overnight Miracle Serum.
  • Apply Heat Protection Spray to guard against temps up to 450 degrees. Curl one-inch sections around a large-barrel curling iron. Starting a few inches from the crown, twist away from the face. Unwrap section from iron and pull gently to create glamorous waves. Spray a flat boar brush with Pro-V Flexible Hold Hairspray and smooth through hair.
  • If you need a touch-up during the wedding, lightly mist hairspray on an eye shadow brush to tame fly-aways.
  • Practice acceptance speech.

Plus, check out more wedding-worthy trends from the 85th annual Academy Awards!

Pages

Subscribe to BridalGuide RSS