Wedding Etiquette: If You Are Not Attending The Reception

Being considered as an attendee at weddings is wonderful, but at times you’ll find that you won’t be able to make it to a wedding due to some unforeseen problems. It could be due to a sick child or maybe a prior gathering that you must attend. Still, if you are close to the bride or groom and you can’t find a way to attend the wedding, you should always present a gift to the happy pair so that you can still be at the wedding in spirit.

However, one query remains, what is a proper present to give if you won’t manage to attend the wedding? This is a thing people worry about and it is totally up to the non-attendee if he or she opts to buy a wedding gift or not. If you are not attending the wedding, you have your options open - whether you want to give a wedding present or not.

The most suitable gift that can be given rests on the relationship to the bride and groom. If you are a family member of the one of the soon-to-be-spouses and you expect to be unable to attend, then you need to offer a gift to compensate for your absence. But, if you are a distant relative or friend, you can merely respond to the invitation and advise of the fact that you’ll have to miss the wedding.

The most important thing to remember is to let the couple know that you can’t come to the festivities, and to have a plausible reason. It is crucial to have a legitimate reason for not attending the life-altering event in someone’s life.

That explains why people usually put RSVP on a wedding invitation. It spells out "Répondez s'il vous plaît" (‘respond please ’ in French), and enables the planners to make proper plans considering the number of expected guests.

As for the wedding present, usually folks also get gift coupons to the happy couple so that they have the option to celebrate their nuptials at a desired place, whether it is a spa or a hotel.

As an alternative, if you are not able to attend the joyous event, you might consider a video message conveying your wishes to the couple, and give the reason why you are unable to attend the festivities. You can be certain that it will be enjoyed by the couple and they will always remember such a thoughtful gesture.

If you’re planning to send a regular congratulatory card to the happy pair, just make sure that the note you write is sincere and thoughtful. To spice things up, you can employ a local band and have them perform your message like a singing telegram to stand out and be remembered. All this will embellish their special day as well, and your place will be elevated in their hearts. You can also give common wedding presents.

There are many choices to atone for missing the occasion and it is your decision for sure, but be kind and let people know beforehand that you are unable to be there, and the reason for that. You can give many types of gifts like gift cards, greeting cards, or hired out messages, but the basic thing is just letting them know that you are unable to make it to the wedding, and give a valid reason.

By: Criss White

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Criss White is a professional writer on an abundance of topics, including bridal showers, wedding gift ideas, and family topics and has created helpful articles for various websites.