Post # 1
Member
156 posts
Blushing bee
Found out the other day it’s considered rude in some parts of the world to have a ‘tiered reception’ which I had no clue about!
Got me wondering if there’s any other things around the world that some places do/wouldn’t do?
For example, our ceremony is pretty small, we will have 85 people, then a further 30 to the reception which is pretty common in the UK to have a separate guestlist as it were. We’re paying for our bridesmaids dress/shoes/hair/makeup as it was our choice to have them involved. We’re paying for the day ourselves, going halves with my parents on the dress but that’s about it. FI didn’t ask anyones permission to marry me as I asked him not to…. Any others?
Post # 2
Member
2222 posts
Buzzing bee
Yeh it seems that pretty much everyone in the US finds day and evening guests a bit weird/rude. I’ve only been to one wedding in the UK where the couple invited everyone and just had a buffet. Every other wedding has been tiered.
You’ll find that US weddings are a lot shorter than UK weddings. On here I see weddings typically run for like 5 hours, our wedding was 12 hours from start to finish. In the US you can also get married in most places (like your living room) and you choose your officiant. In the UK you choose to get married at the church, registry office or the place where you’re having your reception. You will only be married by a member of the clergy or a registrar. Places to get married in the UK have to be open to the public and have to be done before 6pm. In the UK you can say your own cows during the ceremony but you still need to do the legal binding ones offered by the registrar or member of clergy.
There seems to be a lot more etiquette in the US. Like people will buy a present from a registry (gift list for us) and wrap it and take it with them to the wedding. There also seems to be the expectation that you gift enough to cover your meal, whereas I think for most people it’s just an amount related on how close you are. There’s also a lot of etiquette about when to send your invites and what to put on them. Most US things I’ve read say don’t send your invites until 8 weeks before. If I’d have sent my invites 8 weeks before my grandma would have been having kittens thinking it wasn’t going ahead but if I’d sent save the dates she’d have gone out and bought stationery to RSVP because previously you wouldn’t have a card and you’d reply on your own stationery with a nice letter or something.
Wedding guests seem to expect a certain level of comfort in the US, so I’ve gathered that it’s regional even in the US but for the most part a cash bar is a big no-no.
There’s loads of differences and you might see a thread blow up beacause someone has said they’ll do x tradition and it turns out it’s rude somewhere else.
Post # 3
Member
2127 posts
Buzzing bee
loz24: You can get married at any time in the UK 🙂 The 8am-6pm marriage law was abolished in 2012.
Post # 4
Member
2222 posts
Buzzing bee
BubblesandCupcakes: you still can’t get married in your living room or back garden by your friend, is that still right?
Post # 5
Member
156 posts
Blushing bee
In UK you can get married wherever as long as it’s a permanent structure. Our venue is marquees etc. but the bit you actually get married in is built on foundations so it’s fine 🙂
loz24: thanks, I just thought it was a bit strange to get that strong an opinion on us having a tiered reception haha!
Post # 6
Member
2141 posts
Buzzing bee
you can’t get married any venue that doesnt hold a marriage license in england… scotland has different laws
busybee200717.