Preparing for a Year of Lots of Weddings

Becca Atchison, co-founder and creative director Rebecca Rose EventsWinston-Salem, NC-based, echoed this point. “Like a couple planning a wedding making tough decisions to really prioritize and curate their guest list, sometimes you have to do the same as a guest,” she said. “There has to be a sense of integrity as we all collectively look to prioritize our programs and what’s left of this past year in our own lives.”

Ms Athinson says when deciding whether the RSVP answer is yes, you should ask yourself: How close are you to the couple? Is the location worth the trip? If you leave, will you focus on celebrating or worry about going back to work?

“Setting healthy boundaries and determining what’s important to you” should be at the forefront of all your wedding guest decisions, Ms. Atchison added, adding that it’s not just your guilt about potentially saying no.

There are many ways to show your support from afar. Ms. Bejar recommended sending the couple a “heartfelt” note explaining that you want to join, but the difficulties of the past year have made it impossible for you to say yes to anything you want. “You want them to know that they are cared for and taken care of, and whether you can show up or not, people usually understand that it’s not an easy decision if they know your thought process about it.” said.

“You can also send the couple an early gift or take them out for a little early or belated celebration,” said marriage and family therapist Shontel Cargill. Thriveworks in Cumming, Ga. And on the actual wedding day, if that’s an option, be sure to Zoom in so you can cheer them up anyway. “Support isn’t just about attending the wedding in person,” said Ms. Cargill.

Watch your credit cards.

While it may be tempting to load all the wedding expenses on a credit card, be careful not to take things too far. “It shows up in many places where people want to go to all weddings and so they use credit cards and accrue debt and then you can get stuck with that — in some cases, for years,” Ms Palmer said. said. This is really something we recommend you try to avoid at all costs, as it makes going to weddings even more expensive.”