Let’s get something very clear: the happy couple is free to plan their wedding however they want… However, they shouldn’t be surprised if their guests are flabbergasted by their bizarre decisions. Some organizational details, like spending more time posing for social media photos than interacting with their guests, are bound to raise a few eyebrows. And, in some cases, the guests finally have enough and take to the internet to call the couple out.
That’s what happened with an internet user, who went online to shame a wedding they recently went to, which was more akin to a four-day-long photo shoot than a celebration of love. Scroll down for the full story. Bored Panda got in touch with the author of the viral story, and they were kind enough to shed some light on what happened. You'll find our full interview with them below, however, they asked to be kept anonymous.
Yes, the wedding should be focused on the happy couple, but you can't completely sideline your guests
Image credits: unsplash (not the actual photo)
One guest spilled the tea about a horrible four-day-long wedding where the couple was more interested in their photo shoots than anything else
Image credits: pexels (not the actual photo)
"I understand photos are important at a wedding, but your guests came because they love and support you and they want to celebrate WITH you"
The author of the post asked us not to mention their username to protect their identity. However, they were otherwise happy to share how they felt about the entire bizarre wedding experience.
They opened up to Bored Panda about how they felt about the four-day wedding. "My partner (I was a +1) was very hurt when they realized they were not invited to everything," they told us.
"We thought we were really close with the couple." The author said that their expectations definitely clashed with reality.
"Once we were there, however, we saw it as a good thing." They said that they were actually quite relieved they weren't there for all four days of the wedding.
"People who were at everything said the timing of the events made it so you couldn’t do anything else during the four days," they explained to Bored Panda.
From the author's perspective, it's very important that the happy couple consider not just their own experience, but also that of their guests.
"I think it’s a good reminder to anyone planning an event to think about the guest experience," they said.
"I understand photos are important at a wedding, but your guests came because they love and support you and they want to celebrate WITH you," they told Bored Panda.
You have to try to get at least the fundamentals right: great food, quality drinks, lively music, and good entertainment
Image credits: unsplash (not the actual photo)
To put it simply, keeping your guests happy is important because they’re supposed to be the people you care about the most in the world.
Naturally, most couples wouldn’t want their family and friends going hungry or being bored. And even though it’s impossible to please everyone (everyone has different tastes and a bit of grumbling is inevitable), you can provide them with a great time. Get the basics right and move on from there.
The Knot explains that if you want to give your guests a memorable experience, you should focus on delicious food, tasty drinks, great music, a beautiful venue, fun entertainment, and reliable transportation.
Other things that leave a positive impression on guests include a well-thought-out wedding website, a smooth wedding ‘show’ with a good timeline, and a happy couple. “You could spend all the money in the world, hire a celebrity performer, and have a 50-yard slip-and-slide—but if you and your partner are unhappy, table-bound, or M.I.A. for the night, no one will have a good time,” the Knot highlights.
“You two, the beaming newlyweds, are the North Star of this party. If you're relaxed, smiling, and dancing, your guests will follow suit and never forget how much fun they had.”
It's perfectly fine to pose for lots of wedding photos, but you shouldn't ignore your guests just to look great in the pics
Image credits: unsplash (not the actual photo)
To be clear, nobody’s making fun of anyone for posing for photos on their wedding day. It’s important to have at least a few snapshots of this day to remember how amazing it was in the future. Not to mention that you want to immortalize an event that you spent (tens of) thousands of dollars on.
That being said, you should not prioritize your photos and the social media impact you’ll have in the future above your living, breathing wedding guests who are right there with you. You’ve invited them to celebrate your union with you, so it only makes sense that you’re present, fully engaged, and smiling and laughing with the crowd.
From our experience, it’s perfectly normal for couples to pose a bit for some photos and videos throughout their wedding. But this is usually a very brief interlude between the speeches, dancing, games, dinner, and other fun things going on. Often, the happy couple is happiest when interacting with their family, friends, and colleagues, not when they’re off on photo shoot number eleven.
Meanwhile, if you focus primarily on your photos and social media presence during your own wedding, it indicates that you might not have your priorities right. Reputation is important, sure. But not when it comes to the cost of authentic, real relationships and friendships.
If you constantly disrespect your guests, you shouldn't be surprised if it affects your relationships with them
Image credits: unsplash (not the actual photo)
The fact that the wedding was a whopping four-day-long event, during which different people were invited, also speaks volumes about the couple’s priorities. It’s bizarre if you don’t invite some of your guests to the actual ceremony.
What’s even weirder is that if your goal is to leave a positive impact on everyone (something we all crave to a greater or lesser extent), it only makes sense to make your guests happy. However, what u/that1guy-Umet1time described sounds like a genuinely abysmal event.
They noted how, aside from the couple behaving very rudely with their guests, there was a lack of drinks, music, and food. Meanwhile, on the last day, the guests were even presented with a bill at the end of the meal.
Simply put, it’s weird to invite people to your wedding and then not provide the absolute basics. And asking everyone to pitch in to pay for their own food is not the best look.
What are your thoughts, dear Pandas? Have you ever been to a wedding that lasted more than a day and night? Have you ever seen the happy couple ignore the guests for the sake of endless posing for photos? Have you ever been to a wedding without music and drinks and where you had to pay for your own food? Feel free to share your experiences in the comments section below.
The author later shared a few more comments about the wedding with their readers
Many internet users who read the story were utterly shocked by the couple's lack of tact
