6 Things Every Guest Shouldn’t Bring to a Wedding

Your packing list for a wedding should be relatively small. Before you freak out, I’m not counting the luggage you packed to stay overnight, I’m talking about what you’re bringing to the actual event. While you may be tempted to stock your bag with extra bits and bobs, you definitely don’t need to. If you’ve tried to squeeze any of these items into your clutch, now’s the time to ditch ‘em.

Here’s what you shouldn’t bring to a wedding.

Big presents
Did you buy the happy couple something amazing off their wedding egistry, like a brand new Vitamix or KitchenAid blender? Amazing! You’ll probably be showered with love when they receive it. While you may want them to unwrap your glorious gift ASAP, their wedding is not the time for you to give it to them. Think about it, if every friend and relative brought along a present, they’d have to spend most of their big day going through gifts (not ideal). So, send it directly to their home so they can open it later. This will also save them the hassle of trying to fit it into their getaway car (which will probably be jam-packed with leftovers, luggage and more).

Luggage
Clutches and purses are A-OK, but you’ll want to avoid bringing large bags along with you to the ceremony. If the guest list is lengthy, there’s a good chance that it won’t be able to be stashed in the coat check area, leaving you up a creek without a paddle. The last thing you want to do is be wheeling your suitcase around while you look for your table at the reception, so leave it at home (or at the hotel). If you don’t have time to check into your room before the ceremony, ask the front desk to hold it until you get back (they’re usually pretty accommodating).

Distractions
This isn’t your morning commute, so you probably won’t need any extra activities to get you through the evening. Leave your novels, sudoku puzzles and Mad Libs behind and take advantage of all the wedding’s fun extras. Bust a move on the dance floor, play giant jenga with other guests or just socialize. You’ll have plenty of fun not being a pencil-wielding wallflower.

The invitation
By this point in the game, the invitation has already served its purpose. You know when to leave, where to go and all the other essential details. If you need a refresher, pull the couple’s wedding website up on your phone, you’ll be able to find all the info there without shuffling through cards and enclosures.

Anyone who’s not on the guest list
If your invitation didn’t say you could bring a guest, don’t surprise the happy couple with one on their big day. They probably put a lot of thought into their guest list and decided against extra invites for a reason (be it space, money or something else). Respect their wishes and fly solo - Who knows? You may make a few new friends on the dance floor.

Any electronics bigger than a phone
You’re not going to a tech convention, you’re going to a wedding, so leave all your big gadgets at home. Trust me, at no point in the night will you need a laptop, tablet or camera (there’s a professional photographer for that), so you’ll be fine spending the evening without them. If you want to show a fellow table mate a hilarious meme, take a cute selfie or check the evening’s itinerary, you can do it on your phone.