Archive for the ‘Social’ Category
Thursday, December 1st, 2011
 Among the infinite reasons and occasions people go out to eat at restaurants the holiday season is among the top three times of year people enjoy treating others—and themselves—to a nice meal. Yet diners and staff alike can be terrible at adhering to appropriate etiquette and behavior. The following is a list of my friend’s “Sally’s Top 20 Restaurant Gripes” I couldn’t have put together any better myself. As a result, Sally Bernstein has graciously given me permission to reprint her list to share with you.
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Sally’s Top Twenty Restaurant Gripes
by Sally Bernstein at www.SallyBernstein.com
1. Reservations That Aren’t Honored
When I go to the trouble to make a restaurant reservation, I expect the restaurant to be reasonably on time. I don’t expect to wait more than 10-15 minutes and I’d hope the host or hostess would be pleasant and try to accommodate my fellow diners and me.
Sally’s Right Etiquette: It is important the restaurant owners, managers, and staff all collectively work on establishing their own systems to help insure reservations are honored on time. If this means not turning over a table one more time in order to hold it open for the reserved party… you should do it!
2. Noisy Restaurants
When I dine out I want to be able to visit with those at my table. The majority of restaurants today are so noisy that is often hard to do. Much of the problem is due to the acoustics, such as bare floors (often stone), glass walls, no tablecloths, in other words, nothing to “soak up” the noise. Soundproofing foam can be added under tables, seats, or to walls. I know owners think a loud, bustling spot means a popular spot but if you can’t visit with others, what’s the use in going out?
Sally’s Right Etiquette: If your goal is for diners to gobble up your food and leave fast because of the noise level, fine.
3. Non-Printed Menus
Although chalkboard menus seem quaint and fun, too often they are placed in a spot that makes them hard to read, the writing is not always legible and sometimes prices are not listed. These menus are acceptable for pub grub, a diner or a place where you order your food at a bar or counter but not a “real” restaurant.
4. Verbal Specials Recited Without Prices
When servers tell me the daily specials, I want to know the prices so I won’t be unpleasantly surprised when the bill arrives.
Syndi’s Right Etiquette: I agree prices should always be shared. If not, don’t be shy to ask. A suggestion might be to state the price before describing the dish. Example: At $14.95 is our signature dish is… By the time the waiter finishes their mouth-watering description you’ll forget all about the price and will want the dish anyway. Another pet peeve is when the daily special board doesn’t show prices… no excuses here, it should.
5. Up Selling
I dine out to relax and I don’t want to constantly be on guard to make sure I am not going to have to pay more for my meal than I planned. Rolls, appetizers, daily specials, side dishes and desserts are a few of the culprits in this category.
Sally’s Right Etiquette: To me, I don’t mind waiters telling me about Specials of the Day, or trying to up-sell me, as long as it is done tastefully and without sounding like a sales pitch. Always keep in mind, “It’s not what you do, but how you do it” that counts.
6. Iceless Table Water
The up selling to get you to buy bottled water is bad enough but even worse are restaurants that don’t even offer ice in that water.
Sally’s Right Etiquette: Reality is, ice is not an item used in fine dining. I agree, however, in many restaurants they could offer ice as an option. On an aside, in San Francisco we have an ordinance that requires the availability of regular tap water, disallowing restaurants to only “sell” water.
7. Servings That Are Too Large or Too Small
I don’t eat like a pig nor do I eat like a bird. I want to try different foods and not leave the table stuffed. Restaurants know they can charge more if they give you more food but this doesn’t work for me.
Sally’s Right Etiquette: I agree with this one. When will restaurants learn to give appropriate portions of food for the funds invested to dine in their restaurant.
8. Dirty Restrooms
Another indication of a quality restaurant is a clean restroom.
Need I say more?
9. Clearing of Plates
At upscale restaurants all finished plates should be cleared at the same time. If my plate is cleared before someone else, it could make that diner feel rushed and uncomfortable. Dining out is an event and the atmosphere should be relaxed. At a less expensive diner, those rules change.
10. No Cell Phone Use
This is just plain rude and you see it more and more today. If you must take a call, leave the dining room. But your cell phone should be turned off or on vibrate when you dine out.
11. Spreading Germs
Menus, which are not sanitized between uses (and this includes 99.9% of all restaurants). Think about those back-woods-bumpkins who flipped those same plastic surfaced pages and/or binder covers 10 minutes ago or less, yeah the same ones responsible for making escalator hand grips the most ecoli infested surfaces around…
12. More Germs
Waiters who fill water glasses by touching the water container to the rim of the glass. Picture in your mind how many others have been similarly touched before yours…including the guy across the restaurant with the runny reddened nose. Microbiology dictates that his kooties become yours as soon as you have your first sip.
13. Too Cozy Tables
Restaurants with tables an inch away from your table. Nothing like sharing your intimate conversations with the adjacent couple, or worse yet, hearing theirs.
14. Servers Invading Your Space
Servers, yours as well as random servers passing by, invading your table space and pouring wine or bottled water without first asking. Not everyone wants a refill. Regarding bottled water, not everyone at the table is drinking it. Regarding wine, the bottomless glass gives you no way of gauging how much you are drinking. They seem to forget that you are paying for the item and that it is not theirs to distribute without first asking. Doing so is bad manners not to mention invasive and disruptive, although it does seem to be common practice.
15. Loud Music
I CANNOT stand the loud, sometimes awful music restaurants play, and even worse, it is LOUDER in the LADIES’ ROOM!!!!!!!!!! I can’t even carry on a conversation in most restaurants, from chains to luxury restaurants, anymore.
16. Comment on Loud Music
As regards the ladies comment on loud music in the Ladies’ Room, I want to say that it was probably a man’s idea, designed to get them out of there quicker…
17. Kids
When you have children in your party, their food should be served as soon as possible.
18. Hard Butter
Restaurants that serve hard butter should know better. Butter should be served at room temperature so that it is spreadable.
19. Bread
Most diners expect bread to be served at a quality restaurant and are not happy when they have to ask for it or when it arrives late.
20. Gratuity Scam (twice)
Restaurants that add gratuity to the bill without disclosing it. And restaurants that then try to trick you into giving an even larger tip by having a blank line on the credit card slip for even more gratuity, again without disclosing that they already added it into the bill.
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QUESTION: Do you have other grips/pet peeves to add to this list? Let us hear from you by posting your comments below. We’d love to hear from you.
Tags: restaurant dining, restaurant etiquette, restaurant manners
Posted in Social | 8 Comments »
Wednesday, September 1st, 2010
 One of the worst things a host or guest can do at an event is to drink too much. In addition to my 8 tips, I’ve added the definition of what it means to be a drunk, and how to tell if you or someone you know may be an alcoholic and how to help the person.
1. Don’t drink if it makes the difference between success and failure. I enjoy drinking alcohol in moderation, so I am not talking about giving it up all together. Rather, practice abstinence when the risk is too high. For example, if you have a major client meeting in the morning, why chance drinking the night before? Or if you have a major presentation to make in the afternoon, why have a drink at lunch?
It’s best to have an overall “no drinking policy” for business lunches. Make an exception for a special celebratory situation where one glass of wine might be allowed
2. Know your limit. Maintaining your own self-control is the key to keeping yourself from becoming drunk. The goal is always to keep your blood alcohol content (BAC) below the legal limit and to be able to drive safely, not to mention avoiding embarrassing behavior at events.
One way to learn your own constitution is to keep a drinking diary for at least one to three months, depending on how often you drink. Write down each time you have a drink, listing when, where, how much you drank, and the results. Make note of the patterns shown and what you must do to achieve the best results every time you drink, such as:
Date # of drinks Type of drinks Place consumed/type of event Results
If you drink at home, add the days of the week to the journal, so you can see how often you are drinking at home and the effects.
3. Eat plenty of food. Eating solid food is the best way to soak up alcohol in your stomach. It slows the rate of alcohol absorption in your body. Throughout the event, snack and munch on what’s available while drinking. High protein and high fat foods like cheese are especially good at keeping your blood alcohol content low. Avoid items with lots of salt—like salted nuts—as they will dehydrate you.
4. Keep yourself hydrated. Alcohol is a dehydrator, so always drink one or two glasses of water, juice or other non‑alcoholic beverages between each alcoholic drink to keep properly hydrated. Add a squeeze of lime or lemon to mimic an alcoholic beverage to stay more social. Drinks that work particularly well are:
— Tomato juice with a squeeze of lime and celery stick
— Lemonade over ice
— Iced tea
— Water with ice cubes
— Club soda with orange juice
— Tonic water with a twist or wedge of lime, and
— Either orange juice or 7‑Up with grenadine.
My favorites are grapefruit juice or plain water with lime, over ice.
5. Sip your drink slowly. It’s easy to feel nervous at social events, and you might end up guzzling your drink instead of sipping. Pay attention. Enjoy the taste rather than the effect.
6. Never drink on an empty stomach. Make a point to eat before attending any event where alcohol is served. Even at the last minute, while driving to the event, make a pit stop somewhere to get a fast sandwich. That’s better than showing up on an empty stomach, where the alcohol takes effect faster. Upon arrival, make the buffet table your first stop, before having a drink.
7. Use the one-drink-per-hour guideline: Especially at business related events, where the focus should be on mingling, meeting and greeting, have only one drink per hour, or a at most two drinks when accompanied with lots of food.
8. “Just say no.” Learn to say “no” when you don’t want a drink. In most instances you don’t have to take a drink just because it has been offered. If it would be considered impolite to refuse, take the drink, but then quietly and discreetly place it on a table and walk away. Saying “no” becomes easier the more you practice it. Here are a few phrases to keep in mind:
— No thanks, I don’t need or want any more
— Thanks, but I must be alert tomorrow for an early meeting with our biggest client
— Or simply say, “No, thank you.”
If people keep trying to force drinks on you, I would avoid them in the future. Also avoid hanging around people who drink more than you and the places and situations that encourage this kind of behavior.
BONUSES:
1. MISPERCEPTION AND MYTH: Beware of drinking coffee to help sober up. A blog posted two years ago by “MackTheKnife” submitted an interesting observation: “Coffee can make some people feel more awake, but it is a common misconception that giving a drunk person coffee will make them sober. In fact, coffee is probably one of the worst things that a drunk person can drink. Not only will it make them feel more awake (which might encourage them to do things they shouldn’t – like drive) it will probably make their hangover worse. Alcohol causes the body to dehydrate, and that contributes to the headache and bad feeling of a hangover. Coffee is a diuretic (ie it stimulates the body to get rid of liquids) so it should be avoided if you want to keep your hangover to a minimum.” I also read some place that although you feel alert, your reflex time is still dimished due to the alcohol. Conclusion: You truly aren’t in a better position by drinking coffee. My opinion is to avoid and forget drinking coffee as a remedy.
2. DEFINITION OF A DRUNK. When a person is called a drunk it implies the person suffers from alcoholism. It means the person overindulges and becomes inebriated on a regular basis. Often the person doesn’t even know he or she is a drunk, which also means they have a dependency on alcohol. Be careful when you call someone a drunk.
Do you know someone who drinks too much? Here’s a link for lots of great information. To view the entire article, please see www.alcoholscreening.org. In it you will see:
— Take a quick test to learn if you (or someone you know) drink too much and are at risk of alcoholism.
— Why drink less… Writing down the reasons for drinking less and keeping that list visible at all times
— How to…
- Set drinking goals for yourself
- get the support you or your friend needs
- foretell-tail signs you or a friend has a drinking problem
- Dos and don’t to helping yourself and a friend
- Tons of additional resources to get the help you need
Changing behavior is never easy. Be understanding and patient. Don’t accept any responsibility or guilt for the behavior of another person. You are responsible only for your own behavior. Whether you decide to help a friend or for yourself to cut down or to abstain entirely from alcohol, DON’T GIVE UP!
More resources on alcoholism:
www.soberforever.net ‑ The Jude Thaddeus Program.
www.moderation.org ‑ Moderation Management stresses balance, moderation, self‑management, and personal responsibility.
www.med.umich.edu/drinkwise ‑ Drink Wise is a brief, confidential educational program for people with mild to moderate alcohol problems who want to eliminate the negative consequences of their drinking.
www.habitsmart.com ‑ Habit Smart promotes the reduction of harmful behaviors and harm through habit change and wise choices.
www.alcoholics-anonytmous.org (212‑817‑3400 or consult your local telephone directory) ‑ The oldest and best‑known “twelve‑step” program of self‑help for alcoholics.
www.al-anon.org (888‑4AL‑ANON) ‑ Al‑anon’s purpose is to help families and friends of alcoholics recover from the effects of living with a problem drinker. Alateen is the recovery program for young people sponsored by Al‑anon members.
www.rational.org/recovery (1‑800‑303‑2873) ‑ Established as an alternative to the spiritual nature of AA.
www.secularhumanism.org/sos (310‑821‑8430) ‑ Secular Organizations For Sobriety (SOS), also known as Save Our Selves.
http://smartrecovery.org (216‑292‑0220) ‑ Self‑Management and Recovery Training (SMART Recovery).
www.womenforsobriety.org (1‑800‑333‑1606) ‑ The mutual support groups of Women for Sobriety
Question of the month: Do you have remedies to staying sober you would like to share or situations that will be helpful to other viewers? Please let us hear from you.
Happy practicing!
Tags: avoid drunkenness, drunk guests, not being a drunk, prevent drunken guests, staying sober
Posted in Social | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, August 31st, 2010
Some years ago my husband Ron attended a backyard barbeque. A man seated at a nearby picnic table was enjoying the meal of ratatouille prepared on a grill. (Until the recent animated movie by the same name was released,  most people would not know that ratatouille is a delectable combination of tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, onion, and herbs de Provence.)
Soon a woman joined the man’s table and began the conversation by saying, “Oh, isn’t this ratatouille delicious?” The man agreed with much enthusiasm, as he continued to stuff his face. The woman then added, “I especially like the eggplant.”
Suddenly, the man came to a screeching halt to ask, “Eggplant, where’s the eggplant?” The woman replied politely, “Oh, they are the little white squares with the purple skin.” The man ceased all further eating and said, “Oh, I hate eggplant!” And with that, he pushed his plate away and didn’t eat another bite of that delicious dish.
Now, I ask you, does that make sense? Ron certainly didn’t think so, which is why he came home to tell me all about it.
We all have pre-conceived notions about what we like and don’t like. A regular question I get in my seminars is, “What should I do if I’m served something I don’t like? Do I have to eat it?
Think back to a time you were three, four, and five years old… Do you remember a food that made you scream to high heaven that you would never eat again in your entire life because you hated it so much?
For me it was canned peas. I gagged and choked on every bite my parents forced me to eat. I warned them I would die if forced to eat another pea. Then years later I tried fresh peas and peas from a frozen package. I discovered peas weren’t so bad. In fact, I now count peas among the top vegetables I like the most. I still avoid canned peas, however.
Etiquette dictates you must taste at least one bite of all foods served to you. To do otherwise would be rude, particularly if you are a guest at someone else’s table. Don’t insult your host further by saying you don’t like it or by drawing attention to the situation.
Keep an open mind and try bites of all foods you are served. Unless the food item is against your religion, you are allergic to it, or it’s poisonous, try it… you may like it!
It is said that prior to the age of seven, children develop eating habits for life. If you are a parent, get beyond your own food preferences. Encourage your children to try new and different foods. Even if at first you must “make” your child taste something. I promise, over time your child will develop a palate more accepting of new and different foods.
your child will also have more awareness of the many cultures from which foods were created. In our global economy, native products and food items reach us in our own communities, and we must keep an open mind towards them. And as it becomes easier to travel the world, those who embrace, adapt to, and enjoy the cuisines of the world will become the true cosmopolitans of the 21st century.
Besides, when dining with others for business or social reasons, isn’t it always all about whether you like the food and are willing to eat it?… Not! Your focus should be on the friendship and rapport you are building with your friends, family, or business associates.
Happy Practicing!
Tags: don't like foods, food bias, food taboos, hated foods, picky eaters
Posted in Social | 1 Comment »
Sunday, August 1st, 2010
 In the past month I received two inquiries on how to handle staff members who become drunk at company events, and how to handle guests who get inebriated. These inquiries led me to writing this month’s tip.
In my mind “it takes two to tango.” As the host, you should do all you can to prevent guests from over-indulging. As a guest, it is your responsibility not to get drunk. This month, Part 1 of a two-part series discusses how to prevent guests from getting inebriated. In our next issue, Part 2 will discuss “8 Ways to Stay Sober at Social Events” and prevent being called “a drunk.” See www.AdvancedEtiquette.com/blog
1. Provide ample food throughout the event. Have plenty of appetizers during the reception, followed by a hearty meal. If the event lasts more than an hour after the meal, put out extra nibbles to continue filling guests’ stomachs to soak up the alcohol. By “food,” I don’t mean salty snacks such as bowls of peanuts and pretzels. A nice meat and cheese platter with fresh vegetables and fruits is best.
2. Serve non-alcoholic drinks. For events such as weddings and dances where guests are at their tables for a long period, have plenty of water pitchers on the tables throughout the event. Create a specialty non-alcoholic drink or punch that will have a choice of having no alcohol or some alcohol in it. This way you can control the amount of liquor in the punch and no one will know if someone is a non-drinker.
3. Limit the time alcohol is served. One of the best ways to help control the amount of alcohol consumed is to limit the overall time alcohol is served. Here are some tips:
— Close the bar during the meal service and serve only wine. Either have it poured by servers or have a limited number of bottles of wine on each table. Typically one bottle of white and red wine is placed at each table. When asked for more bottles, instruct waiters to say they are only allowed to serve at most three bottles per table.
— For shorter receptions where a presentation takes place, close the bar during the presentation time. Have a sign posted at the bar that reads: “This bar will be closed during the event presentation.” This helps to ease disappointed guests.
— At a truly elegant affair, announce the bar will be reopened after dinner for an additional 30 minutes for after-dinner drinks. Have a coffee station set up for additional coffee before the event ends. When the 30 minutes are up, announce last call and the event closing time.
4. Limit the variety of alcohol served. Having a fully-stocked bar invites trouble by those who love trying one of everything. Limit the choices to only one or two specialty drinks, or have a limited number of liquors, such as vodka and bourbon.
For a unique and elegant touch, have bartender stations that only serve soft drinks, juices and water. For wine and other alcohol, have wine pourers and cocktail servers to take drink orders… well brands only.
5. Have a last call. For dances and other longer entertainment events, make an announcement that the bar will close 30 minutes before the event ends. This also helps to end the event on time. Having coffee stations available after dinner until the end of the event is a nice touch. [More about coffee and its true affects in next month’s newsletter.]
6. Issue drink tickets. For some events, it’s acceptable to issue two drink tickets per person, allowing guests to purchase additional drinks on their own.
7. Use smaller glasses: Instead of serving drinks in large 8+ ounce glassware, use ones that only hold a maximum of 6 ounces so when you fill them to three-quarters full, even less alcohol will be served in each drink.
8. Designate a Guest Monitor, Drunk Monitor, or Event Watchdog. Whatever you choose to name this person, it is their job to keep a watchful eye over all guests to monitor their alcohol consumption. For weddings, choose someone close to the bride and groom, perhaps a relative or close friend of some authoritativeness, but not someone within the wedding party. They should relax and enjoy. For corporate events, choose someone of authority who will be well respected when the tough decisions need to be made.
If this person is you, your duties include:
— Introduce yourself to the banquet manager, bartenders, and waiters at the event. They will be great extra eyes and ears.
— Make sure the entire event team knows who you are so they can find you when a situation arises.
— Find one or two friends willing to help be designated drivers to the hotel, or home, as needed.
— Have on hand the telephone number to the local taxicab company.
— Jot down all nearby hotels, motels, and other places where a guest can choose to stay the night… their rates and whether they will accept last-minute reservations the night of your event.
— When a guest is attending alone, accompany the guest to the hotel by driving the guest’s car. You may need a friend to follow to drive you back.
— When a guest show signs of being drunk and becoming a troublemaker, intervene as quickly as possible. Do not discuss the situation in front of others in the event room. Take the guest (and a sober companion/witness) to a quiet area away from the event to discuss the situation.
— For home parties, have arrangements set for guests to stay over in a guest room, sofa, blow-up bed, or neighbors home, within walking distance.
BONUS: Providing for your own committee members. To prevent co-hosts and attending staff from becoming inebriated and from hovering over the food tables during the time they should be mingling with guests, invite them to arrive at the event 30 minutes ahead of time. Announce it as the time important final details for the event will be shared and a time they can enjoy some food ahead of guests arriving. You will not, however, open the bar until the event begins. Make it clear that during the event, their primary focus should be on meeting and greeting guests, not on stuffing their faces and drinking too much. The results: Staff members show up on time, they get their stomachs filled; and everyone receives valuable last-minute information.
Question of the Month: What else have you done or experienced at events to help prevent guests from becoming inebriated? I’d love to hear from you. Insert your comments in the area below.
Happy Practicing!
Tags: avoid drunkenness, drunk guests, inebrieated guests, party etiquette, prevent drunken guests
Posted in Social | 3 Comments »
Thursday, April 1st, 2010
 Spring is upon us, Easter is coming soon, and baseball season is about to begin here in the U.S. It is the time of year many people wear all sorts of hats, until winter hats are again needed. Actually, this topic has been on my mind for months, waiting for just the right month to do it, and here it is!
Indoors: So… how can I say this nicely without yelling in all capital letters: No man or woman, young or old, should ever, ever, ever, ever wear a sports hat — especially a baseball cap—indoors. Not in restaurants, in someone’s home, at the dining table, at church, a funeral, in a classroom, in a museum, at a movie or performance theatre… on and on. There is absolutely no purpose to keeping your hat on… not even when you are having a bad hair day or need to cover up a bald spot on your head. It’s all about when it’s proper or not proper to wear a hat. It’s purely out of laziness and a false sense of looking cool and in fashion… not! There is equally nothing cool about wearing your baseball cap backwards… again especially indoors.
Except In Public Places: You may wear a hat indoors (yeh… even a baseball cap if you absolutely must) in public buildings, such as airports, public lobbies, and crowded public elevators. However, historically a gentleman will always remove his hat when a lady enters or is in the same elevator. We don’t see this much anymore. When in an apartment building, even though somewhat public, gentlemen will take off their hats while in the company of ladies… another dying art.
[SIDE BAR: A foreign visitor kept seeing Americans wearing their baseball caps indoors, and at times backwards. He determined this style indicated a direct correlation to the wearer’s apparent I.Q (intelligence quotient). Wearing a baseball cap indoors meant an I.Q. was reduced by 50%. Wearing the cap backwards meant an I.Q. was reduced by another 50%... so what’s left? These findings make total sense to me.]
During a Pledge or National Anthem: Another major peeve of mine is how men and women don’t take off their hats and caps during the playing of a national anthem. Regardless of which country’s anthem is played, hats must come off, period. Parents… please train your kids!
During a Prayer at a Ceremony or Event: Display your respect and take off your hat.
In Places of Worship: Some places of worship require head coverings for both men and women, such as Muslim mosques and Sikh temples. Do your research or ask someone before entering such places of worship. Women should always pack one large scarf and one long skirt when traveling internationally for such a need to cover your head. I sure needed them in both Mexico and Greece.
At a Church: Historically churches required women to wear hats or scarves. Now, it is not as required. However, some churches encourage women to wear hats, and in some places it has become quite a lovely display across the entire sanctuary. It is considered disrespectful for men to wear hats in a Christian church.
At a Jewish Synagogue or Temple: Men are required to cover their heads with a “yarmulke,” a small round skullcap, also called a “kippah,” meaning dome or cupola. There is great symbolism and deep meaning behind wearing a yarmulke. Observant men wear theirs during all waking hours, except when bathing and swimming. Doing so bears witness to their faith. It’s a constant reminder of their humility before God and strong belief in something greater than themselves.
How to Take off a Hat: When taking off your hat, hold it so only the outside of the hat shows, not the inside and lining. Hold it in your right hand across your chest and heart, or place it on your seat while standing tall and respectfully.
Exceptions
People in Uniform: People in the military, Boy Scouts, police and people in other uniformed organizations keep their hats on during “full dress.” Many other interesting regulations about hat wearing in the military exist, so hat etiquette is a required course in the military.
Women’s Fashion Hats: Traditionally, women wearing fashion hats are not required to take them off. That said, unless they are small and tight around the head, they too should be removed when at a dining table or in a theatre, sporting event, or other places where they may hamper someone’s view or be disruptive to others. Large hats are generally for the outdoors, not indoors. Think hat civility!
Question of the month: Have you ever been the subject of or a witness to someone being disrespectful or rude by wearing their hat inappropriately? If so, I’d love to hear from you. Enter your comments and questions below for me to reply.
Happy Practicing!
Tags: baseball caps, hat etiquette, wearing hats
Posted in Life, Social | 151 Comments »
Sunday, March 28th, 2010
 This week I was contacted by a news reporter who is doing a story about wedding etiquette. In so doing we talked about wedding gifts and how difficult it often is for someone to be expected to give an expensive wedding gift… after already giving an engagement gift, a shower gift, and then spending lots more to travel and stay someplace to attend the wedding.
Please tell us…
Have you ever been invited to a wedding—especially a destination wedding—where you were upset over being expected to give an expensive wedding gift, after already spending on an engagement gift, a shower gift, and then spending lots more to travel and stay someplace to attend the wedding that was far away?
In general, do you think it’s right to expect a guest to give an expensive wedding gift on top of already spending on travel to attend the wedding… especially in this economy?
What horror stories do you have about wedding gifts that happened to you, either as the bride or groom, or guest?
What other rants do you have about wedding gifts you’ve been eager to vent? Here’s your chance.
We’d love to hear from you.
Thank you!
Tags: gift-giving, Gift-giving etiquette, wedding gifts
Posted in Social | 13 Comments »
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