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5 Summer Wedding Etiquette Tips

5 Summer Wedding Etiquette Tips
Written By
Stephanie Lysaght
Photographs By
We Love Weddings for Vogue
@parachutehome
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So you’re going to a summer wedding! Lucky you. Summer weddings tend to be more laid-back, just like the season. Guests show more skin, wear a little less black, and drink a lot more things out of mason jars. You’re going to have fun. Here’s how to embrace summer wedding events – and be an A+ wedding guest while you’re at it.

Wedding RSVP cards
MISS DESIGN BERRY
01

RSVP in a Timely Manner

True, summer weddings might be more relaxed than their cold weather counterparts, but that doesn’t mean you should be casual about your attendance. Planning a wedding can be very stressful, so make things easier on the future newlyweds by returning your response card on time. This way, your friends can focus on what really matters: Sampling cakes and selecting registry gifts.

Couch with a throw blanket
JESSICA SCHRAMM FOR PARACHUTE
02

Gifting 101

If you get an invite to a destination wedding, rest assured that your friends aren’t expecting an over the top gift in addition to traveling for their union. Plane tickets AND Tiffany sporks add up quick! Instead, feel free to shower the couple with something special for their home that they can enjoy together, like a Cotton Throw, Scented Candle or matching bathrobes.

a man dressed in a summer suit
JOS A. BANK
03

Dress the Part

Is there anything cuter than a guy in a seersucker suit? No, no there is not. So gentlemen, if you’re looking to step up your game this season, bid adieu to your go-to black suit and hello to a summer wardrobe guaranteed to turn heads. We’re thinking linen, loafers and no tie. Ladies: Warmer weather fêtes are meant for embracing color and pattern. When in doubt, the floral maxi reigns supreme for a summer soiree.

A card with a wedding hashtag
HANNAH DUFFY FOR ROCK MY WEDDING
04

Silence Your Phone

Chances are the happy couple have hired a professional photographer to document their big day – not you and your iPhoneX. Make sure your phone is on silent and away during the ceremony. However, after the first kiss, feel free to snap away as long as you tag! Most couples have devoted valuable time and creative energy to the perfect wedding hashtag. Your hosts will appreciate the crowdsourced photos capturing all the merriment.

Guests dancing at a wedding reception
WEDDING PLANNING INDIAN
05

Boogie Down

The betrothed may not be auditioning for the next installment of “Step Up,” but chances are they want their wedding to give way to a hot dance floor. “Everyone danced!” is like saying, “Everyone had so much fun.” “Nobody danced,” may lead people to ask, “Was that a wedding or a conference?” Be a team player and shake it for the sake of the newlyweds – nobody ever said you had to dance well

If you’re still unsure on the proper matrimonial etiquette, we recommend skimming The Good Guest’s Pledge. Be the person everyone raves about the next day.

[Ed. note: The Cotton Throw has sold out.]