Bringing a friend as a +1??

QuiteInterestin

A female friend of mine has just asked me to accompany her to a wedding as her +1 (I'm female too) as she's single. I don't know the bride or groom at all nor would I know anyone else there either while my friend would probably know a few others going. I'm not really sure what to do. While I know my friend doesn't want to go alone, I've always felt that +1's were for boyfriend/girlfriends of invited guests and not just for the sake of asking someone. Also, it would be putting extra expense on the bride and groom as well as having someone there on their special day that they've never actually met.

So for those of you on here getting married, how do ye feel about people asking friends along as their +1s? Do ye mind that there would be people there on your special day that you've never met before and that it means paying for an extra meal? I want to do whats right by the bride and groom as, after all, it is their day. What's the best thing to do?

Sligo1

Hi OP, in my single days I went to a few weddings as my friends +1. And can I just say... They are awesome! It's great fun going to weddings when you are single with a mate. Meet so many people and I meet some really nice guys at the time too .

I had my wedding last year and gave everyone a +1. I encouraged my single friends to bring a +1 (male or female) as IMO in makes the day so much more fun and I knew my most of my friends would've liked to have met someone aswell.

IMO the bride and groom would have known your friend is single... And if they didnt want her bringing a friend as her +1, due to finances or not knowing the +1 etc, they wouldn't have stated + guest on the invite.

Aswell as this, sometimes when people do not have a partner a + 1 can be a really nice gesture so they are not on their own for the day. I'd say go along with your friend, enjoy the food, the drink, the music, the people and have a blast. Hope this helps

littlelulu

I agree with what sligo said.

Also just to mention that I don't know lots of OH's guests and vice versa. I also know some of my own guests very well but haven't a notion of who their husbands/partners are so trust me there will be plenty of strangers there on the day

The bride and groom wouldn't have put plus 1 if they didn't budget for it. I think your friend would be disappointed if you declined. Go and have a ball

I hope all my singles bring a plus 1..... Maybe you're coming to my wedding haha that would be hilarious!

anmhi02

It wouldn't bother me at all who my guests brought. I would prefer they brought someone they could have a good time with, be that make or female.

QuiteInterestin

Thanks for all the replies, wanted to get opinions from both sides. Thinks I'll go so

Milly33

yep there is no problem, sure it would be the same if it was perhaps a boyfriend who the couple had never meet. I went to a few with friends too and it was fine.. go for it and enjoy

SNAKEDOC

I got married last year and there were a few that i didnt know and i was fine with it. I have been to a wedding also where i didnt know the couple i think as long as your going with an invited guest noone likes a gate crasher. As a note for anyone here if your invited to a wedding by a guest as their plus one do you give a card, money, or gift or bring nothing.

Dortilolma

I'm getting married this year and because we're on a pretty tight budget we've had to be quite strict on +1s. That being said if we've assigned a +1 to a guest it's totally up to that guest who they bring. I have a single friend who said she might bring a friend as her +1 and that is totally fine.

Gatica

If the invite for your friend says +1, then it can be anyone she wants. Most of the time it happens to be the significant other, but there's no reason one couldn't bring a friend.
Have a great time!

Milly33

that's a good one with the gift. have to say I didn't give anything as I knew my friends did and really I was doing a favour to my friend by going with her. I would have no problem chipping in with the card but I would be talking 20 euro or something

Sligo1

I don't think the +1 needs to bring a gift or contribute to the gift. I never did as a +1... And likewise, I never expected anyone to contribute if they came as my +1. There's no way I would've let my +1 be out money for something I had asked them to join me as my guest. Just my opinion.

QuiteInterestin

Thanks for all the replies, I had being wondering about the gift as well. I'll offer to contribute towards the gift but I'm hoping they'll offer to cover it.

Gatica

you're not a wedding invitee as such, so wouldn't be "expected" to give anything. Personally I'd either throw in something into the card with my friend, but otherwise probably just get them a couple of drink on the night.

SNAKEDOC

Its a tricky one i only asked cus i didnt know what to do so i stuck some money in a card and gave it to the best man. I put in what i figured the price of my meal would be so i at least paid for myself. I did it cus i know weddings can be very expensive and a lot of pressure is on the bride and groom.
No one remembers a good wedding but go to a bad one and no one will forget it.

A family member had one such day. Unfortunately half the guests got food poisoning from the kitchen including the bride and the hotel was shut down three dyas after the wedding.

Arbiter of Good Taste

A small gift would be appreciated, but certainly not expected. Forget buying the bride and groom a drink. You're not the only person who will do that and it will just go to waste. At my own wedding, other than a few sips of champagne at the beginning I didn't have a drink until about 1:30 that night. There's just too much going on.

Pang

Definitely give a small amount of cash in a card from you or from you and your friend as opposed to buying drinks.

I had no issue with some of my guests bringing a friend as a plus one, especially when they wouldn't have known a lot of people there.

QuiteInterestin

Thanks, I'll see what my friend is giving as a gift closer to the time and see what I can add to it

travellingbid

My cousin and her groom encouraged her friends that were single to bring a friend as a plus one and put all the singles at two tables ........ Two couples that met out of this set up got married