I just heard a story about bad wedding etiquette that made my jaw drop. A friend and his wife had their wedding over the summer, and, like most couples, they sent guests an RSVP card in which they could list any dietary requirements.
Some people responded that they were vegetarian, some were vegan, and one family revealed that, for religious reasons, they kept a vegan diet that did not include onion or garlic. The couple were happy to accommodate everyone, but it meant challenging the chef to create one vegan menu that revolved around this family’s diet. It was impractical and costly to offer two vegan options, so all vegan guests had to abstain from onion and garlic as well.
And that might not have been a big deal had the family in question actually shown up. After all that, they didn’t even bother coming to the wedding or sending their regrets! Being a no-show at an event in which people have paid for you to dine is already a huge etiquette no-no, but to do so after the bride and groom had taken extra steps to accommodate them seems extremely rude. Perhaps there was an emergency, but they have yet to explain their absence, and it’s been a few months since the wedding.
If you have dietary restrictions, you should of course make those known. But any guest should respect that time and money have been invested in their attendance. To skip an event like that shows a huge lack of respect and consideration.
The family could have tried to smooth things over by apologizing and explaining their sudden absence, then offering to take the bride and groom to dinner. To say nothing suggests that it wasn’t important to them, and it’s no wonder that the newlyweds still feel slighted. We should all aim to do better.