wedding guest etiquette

holyhead

If a friend accompanies you to a wedding are they free to pursue encounters with other wedding guests or should they keep you company for the evening.

Esoteric_

You're kind of supposed to mingle at a wedding. I'd be a bit peeved if a friend invited me to a wedding and expected me to stay by their side for the whole night.

holyhead

I should add that the guest was of the opposite sex. If the two were of the same sex and straight I would see no problem with them going off seeking engagement with a potential partner/mate etc.

ongarboy

Are you inviting the guest as a date with a potential chance to move things further on relationship wise or are you inviting them purely as a platonic opposite sex friend?

Either way, you don't own them for the day, so yes, technically, I think they'd be entitled to make new acquaintances or friends on the day or even score with someone if the situation arose exactly the same way you would be able to too. However, I would think, for good manners, you would mention it to each other that there was someone that took your fancy and let them know if it was OK to spend some additional time with this new person and importantly, make sure there were other guests who you or your guest could keep company with so as not to be by themselves (eg whoever shared your table etc)

It sounds like you are already suspecting your guest may ditch you during the wedding which comes across as slightly paranoid. If you fancy your invited guest, you should make this clear prior to the wedding to avoid the scenario you raise. Perhaps you chose the wrong guest as I don't think this is something you should be worrying about in advance, otherwise it will take away any enjoyment of the wedding for you.

Chips Lovell

Their gender shouldn't really matter. If you invited them as a friend, they should be free to do their own thing. If you invited them as a date, then no, they shouldn't.

Meauldsegosha

I don't think their sex matters. Unless you specifically as them to the wedding as your date they should be allowed chat to, and pursue, whomever they want.

If you've brought a "friend to accompany" you, then yes, they can go off and do what they want. Their gender is entirely irrelevant.

If you've brought a date, and called it a date, then they shouldn't.
If you suffer from social anxiety and have explained to them that you need them for company throughout the evening then maybe that would entitle you to keep them around too.

holyhead

Thanks for the replies.

Citycap

There has to be a happy medium. Clearly you want company at the wedding so your friend shouldn't abandon you completely but as one poster says you are supposed to mingle at a wedding. I think if he/she stays in your company for the formal part, ceremony and dinner then you will have done allright