Weddings get more exciting and over the top every year. With more couples trying to think outside the box for their weddings, traditional church weddings are slowly becoming a thing of the past. Most modern weddings are planned meticulously and are orchestrated to be epic celebrations of love. Here are some tips for surviving a modern wedding:

1. Plan Dates Carefully:

Some weddings are no longer one-day events, meaning you may need several days off from work. If you are attending a destination wedding outside of the country, you will want to arrive at least one day in advance. The bride to be may have some pre-wedding celebrations planned for guests. George Clooney’s wedding turned into a four day event. Kim Kardashian took her family and friends on an escape to Paris before her wedding to Kanye West.

2. What to Wear:

No outfit is off limits nowadays, even for the bride. Although there have been some pre-established clothing rules in the past, such as “Don’t wear white unless you are the bride,” these guidelines are changing quickly. Beyoncé’s sister Solange required all of her wedding guests wear white. Wedding dresses are also becoming more daring every day, as brides stray away from traditional white and ivory shades. One rule you should still follow is to cover up for the church portion of the wedding. If there is a dress code on the invitation, follow it as closely as possible. And remember, it is always better to be overdressed.

3. What Not To Say:

As divorce becomes more common, you will probably attend many second or third weddings. It is best not to mention any of the previous weddings our spouses. If you are attending a high profile wedding, it may also be best to not share any photos on social media before the bride does. On the other hand, some weddings have designated hashtags, and custom Snapchat filters, in which case you can post away.

4. Stick to The Registry:

Couples tend to know exactly what they need, which is why wedding registries exist. Always try to shop from the wedding registry first. If not, see our list of wedding gift ideas.

5. No Extra Guests:

Unless you RSVP’d with a plus one, do NOT bring any guests. Every wedding guest is typically accounted for in terms of food, seating, wedding favors, etc. and bringing a surprise guest is extremely rude and can be awkward for the guest and the bride. You should also never mess with the seating chart no matter how far away your friend from high school that you want to catch up with is seated. There is a lot of thought and probably arguing that goes into the seating charts, so trust that the wedding planner and bride made the right choice. You can catch up when the formalities are over and everyone is on the dance floor.

6. Stay Out of The Way:

There will most likely be a photographer around to capture all of those frame worthy (and Instagram worthy) moments. Pay attention to where the photographer is located and stay out of the way. You don’t want to ruin those once in a lifetime photos.

7. Have Fun:

All brides and grooms want their wedding guests to have fun and join them on the dance floor. Why do you think they pay for an open bar? Although the couple may be preoccupied with photos, and greeting distant family members, they want guests to be on to the dancefloor when the DJ starts playing “Electric Slide.”

8. But Not Too Much Fun:

We know that free drinks can be exciting, but please don’t make a fool of yourself by getting wasted. Being carried out of the wedding will definitely take attention away from the happy couple.

9. Stop Talking:

Make sure to say hello to the bride and groom, but don’t keep the conversation going forever. They have a lot of guests to greet before they can finally sit down and enjoy the party.