Wedding Wednesdays: Bringing a Plus One 101

Receiving a wedding invitation is always fun—and seeing the magic words "and Guest" next to your name is an awesome bonus. But with the prospect of bringing a date does come a little responsibility. After all, nobody wants to bring the plus-one that drinks too much and ends up falling asleep at a table or harassing the DJ. Trust us, follow these tips from The Knot to spare yourself any potential agony.

Make sure they'll actually show up.
We all know people who habitually flake out at the last minute for drinks and parties, but for a wedding, not showing up is a big deal—cost per head is no small matter when it comes to large affairs. Your plus-one should be someone who's dependable and reliable, knowing full well they'll block off the date a year in advance to attend with you. Otherwise, you'll be the one stuck making an excuse for their absence and feeling guilty when you have to do so.

Make sure you've seen them in a social setting before.
Sure, you've been on a few drink dates with that cute, nice guy you met on Bumble, but how does that translate into big groups? If he's a bit introverted, you might have to drag conversation out of him and deal with awkward silences, and if he's super outgoing, you maybe don't want him to be leading the Cha Cha Slide when he doesn't even know the newlyweds. At the very least, make sure he or she has manners and will heed the dress code.

If the plus-one is an ex of anyone attending, be careful.
Again, trust us—you don't want to be the one who brings any drama to the wedding. If you're thinking about bringing someone's ex or anyone who may make another guest or wedding party member feel uncomfortable, think twice. Of course, the to-be-weds shouldn't dictate who you can and can't bring, but that doesn't mean you can't be considerate of their feelings—and the feelings of other guests too.

If you feel like you'll need to keep an eye on them the whole time, proceed with caution.
It's one thing if the bride's sister pranks her and hides her bouquet, or drinks too much wine and has a wardrobe malfunction on the dance floor, but it's quite another if it's your date who doesn't know anyone. Guests having an amazing time is every to-be-wed's goal of the night, but it should be the kind of fun that won't land you on bad terms with the couple's close family and friends.

Keep this advice in mind when inviting your plus one and devour the details of a worthy wedding date that saves your from some serious embarrassment!