COMMENT: Since when did weddings become overrun by rules?

Laura Holland

At the weekend we heard about a bride who had a very specific rule on her invites. She asked that her guests refrain from wearing ‘recycled dresses’. As in, they had to buy a new one and not wear one they had already worn.

The cheek, I know.

Weddings are expensive enough as they are without the added pressure of having to buy a new dress.

If you want to get a new dress and can afford to do so, then great, but it shouldn’t be a stipulation before the day even begins.

Going to a wedding can add up – between giving a present, paying for accommodation, transport, and then having money for the evening. You’d be hitting close to €500 before you know it.

A survey conducted by Bank of Ireland found that the average cost of a wedding guest is €800. That includes the likes of the Stag or Hen Party, transport to and from the wedding, accommodation, a gift, an outfit and the cost of the actual day.

If something has to be cut from this list to bring down the cost, the logical thing to do is to wear something you already own, but you wouldn’t be able to in the case of the ‘no recycled dresses’ rule.

The frightening thing is that more and more rules are being incorporated into the wedding invites leaving a very bad taste in people’s mouths before they have even sent their RSVP.

Since when did invites involve so many rules? From the ‘no ring, no bring’ rule that Pippa Middleton implemented, to the ‘no Coast or Karen Millen dresses’ rule, it’s taking the fun out of the wedding before it even happens.

Brides and grooms are showing their Bridezilla tendencies for all to see and are coming across as very controlling. It would make you not even want to go to the wedding. As a matter of principle over anything else.

And it’s not just limited to wedding guests. Let’s not forget the bride who gave her bridesmaids TEN rules in the run up to the wedding, including one instructing them to seek approval prior to getting any haircuts and another about frequent weigh-ins.

Or the bride who asked her friend to dye her hair a specific colour for her wedding day.

Again, the cheek.

Either way, all of these “rules” need to stop. Since when did you get a rule book before a wedding? It’s sucking the fun and enjoyment out of the day.

Brides and grooms need to take a step back and realise that it should just be about the two of them getting married in front of friends and family and not over complicate it with controversial rules.