5 Wedding Traditions That Your Guests Hate

While your wedding day is ultimately about you and your partner, your ceremony and reception will benefit greatly from everyone having a good time! As you choose which traditions to include in your big day, learn a little more about wedding traditions that many guests hate. What elements are wise to skip as you plan your wedding?

Forced Participation

If your single friends don’t want to be part of the bouquet toss, don’t drag them into it for your sake. Likewise, a pushy emcee who forces people onto the dance floor is a recipe for a bad time. Encourage your guests to participate in wedding fun, but avoid strong-arming them.

Cash Bars

Wedding guests don’t love having to fish out their wallets to pay for drinks at the reception. While an open bar can be an extra expense for you, consider it an investment in your guests’ good time! Cash bars can give the impression that you and your partner are stingy.

Lengthy Speeches

As you, your partner, your families, and your guests enjoy your gorgeous wedding ceremony and reception venue, your guests will expect a few speeches. The couple’s parents, the best man, and the maid of honor traditionally give short speeches at the reception—but ask them to keep it to five minutes or less. In addition, try to limit the number of additional people who give speeches. People want to party at the reception!

Long Lines

While photo booths and dessert stations are unique additions to a wedding reception, consider the amount of time your guests will spend in line. When food and entertainment are a free-for-all, guests often get stuck waiting in long lines. Try staggering times for different tables to go up and get food or take photos so those lines don’t get too long.

Sitting With Strangers

As you and your partner create seating charts for your reception, put some thought into the groups you’re seating together. Wedding guests often dread being stuck at a table full of strangers! When you brainstorm your seating arrangements, aim to create groups of people who know each other or at least have something in common.

To plan a wedding ceremony and reception that your guests will enjoy, keep in mind these wedding traditions that your guests may hate. Knowing what to avoid is just as important as knowing what to include!