Most bridezillas know who pays for what and how to handle out-of-control bridesmaids (tongue lashing, followed by firing). Despite every brides’ best efforts, sometimes bridal etiquette emergencies come up that turn the most well-mannered bride into a foot-stomping, tantrum-having, full-blown bridezilla (also known as a hot mess).
To maintain a dignified mystique on your big day, study up on Bridal Guide’s bridal etiquette. Is bridal registry information on a wedding invitation tacky or thoughtful? How do you tell your cousin not to bring her four kids to your reception? Should you ask your pierced, tattooed bridesmaid to tone down her look? Here are some likely scenarios, followed by BridalGuide’s advice.
Etiquette Emergency 1: “Oh no she didn’t,” you wail, tears streaming down your face. Yes, she did. Your monster-in-law wore a tight white pants suit to your wedding, the worst wedding fashion faux pas since black veils. What do you do?
a.) Smile, suck it up and tell her she looks beautiful.
b.) Storm out of the room after telling her that she looks like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever
c.) Demand that the photographer not include her in the group shots and try to erase the clothing catastrophe from your memory
Solution: Get a sneak pre-view of your Mother-In-Law’s dress well before the Big Day. In BridalGuide’s I Do Dilemmas, one couple faced this etiquette emergency. Luckily, the bride knew about the mother-in-law’s bejeweled copper-colored dress ahead of time. Rather than calling the fashion police or nicknaming her “penny,” she simply asked the groom to take his mother shopping for a new dress.
Etiquette Emergency 2: You’re finally finished sending out all those invites and then your fiance drops the big one, “Should I invite my ex- girlfriend?” Before you end up watching her nibble on your wedding cake or worse, dancing with your new husband, you need a game plan. What should you do?
a.) Let her come, but only for the opportunity to throw a drink in her face
b.) Run screaming from your groom-to-be. He’s obviously still in love with her
c.) Send her an invitation…. to go to hell
d.) Fix her up with your fiance’s obnoxious best man
Solution: The ex-invite is a common conundrum in the wedding world. BridalGuide recommends that you discuss ex-invites early, before you receive an unexpected rsvp. One bride learns this the hard way. Unknowingly to her fiance, she invites her ex and the fiance serves her with the ultimate ultimatum – “if he shows up, I’m not.” A tricky situation, since the ex already reserved plane tickets and a rental car. What’s a girl to do? As the old saying goes, when in doubt, leave them out. Disappointing your ex is better than making your fiance uncomfortable on his wedding day or worse, him not showing up at all.
For more etiquette advice and true bridal confessions check BridalGuide, the Miss Manners for marriage. Next time you’re faced with an etiquette emergency, you’ll know just what to do.
