Westworld Alberta

34 W E S T W O R L D A L B E R T A | S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 Guestiquette 101 A wedding is not about you, it's about the people you're celebrating. Make that your mantra and it's tough to go wrong. For more specifics, read on: Follow instructions. Arrive on time and don't bring anyone who wasn't invited, or didn't RSVP – including kids. Respect the dress code, too. Send a gift. Whether you attend or not. Stick to the registry, or cash, unless you've done some research into what the couple actually needs. Send your gift before, or up to two months after, the wedding, but no later. Consume alcohol in moderation. An open bar isn't an invitation to test the limits of your liver. "A wedding is a celebration, not just a giant party," says Edmonton wedding planner Suzanne Bielert, of Next Step Events. "You have to be respectful of the family and the other guests." Respect social-media requests. It's becoming more common for couples to request a social- media blackout until they can post their own wedding photos on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Remember, they've spent months pulling together this event – they deserve to be the ones to break the story. Conversely, if the bride and groom encourage posting, use any requested hashtags and keep your sentiments positive and centred on them. Tomorrow you can shift the focus back to yourself, #bestguestever. Ask a Wedding Expert I've been invited to a wedding in a different culture than my own – how should I prepare? Whether it's Buddhist or Greek Orthodox, do a little research on expectations. At an Italian wedding, cash gifts are the norm, for example – you'd want to know that going in. During a tradi- tional Sikh ceremony, guests are required to cover their heads, and men and women often sit in dif- ferent areas. At some conservative Christian wed- dings, alcohol isn't available at any point during the day, which may run counter to some guests' expectations of a "traditional" North American wedding. "The thing to keep in mind is that there is no such thing as a traditional wedding anymore," says Edmonton wedding planner Suzanne Bielert. How much should I spend on a wedding gift? First: it's an outdated notion that your gift should cost as much as you think the bride and groom spent on each guest. Instead, come up with an amount that fits your budget, factoring in how well you know the couple, how far you have to travel for the wedding and how much you've spent on pre-wedding activities. "I suggest the 20-20-60 rule," says Bielert. "Twenty per cent goes to the bridal shower, 20 per cent to other wedding activi- ties such as the stagette and 60 per cent to the actual wedding gift." A total amount of $100 per attendee is a good place to start – and you can adjust up or down from there. W

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