No Ring, No Bring!

We allowed all singles to have plus ones. I have never been invited to a wedding without that option. I do have a handful of guests attending solo.

I can't believe that someone thought this was an acceptable thing to do. We gave blanket plus ones to anyone 18 and older regardless of marital status. Most of our single friends still came by themselves.

I'm definitely in the minority here, but I don't think that it's rude. You are correct that somewhere a line has to be drawn, especially if the couple has space and budget constraints. Yes, a lot of people are together for a long time, but a lot of people have "flings" that they just like to use as photo ops for social events. It sucks but it happens. A lot of people go by the rule of "married, engaged or living together." If I wasn't engaged and my boyfriend wasn't invited to a wedding I was, I would try to understand as much as possible.

I'm also doing what MrsPope did with "married, engaged, or living together". I was invited to a wedding about a year ago (had been dating my FH for 6 1/2 years at this point) and I wasn't given a plus one. I was a little upset at first, but my friend explained their rule (similar to ours) and I knew almost everyone there. Honestly, I had a great time and got over the shock of the invite pretty quickly!

I think it's different if you have a rule like that and the guest doesn't know anyone. All of the friends we invited know at least 3 or more people that will be at the wedding.

We also did the married, engaged, living together thing. We have gotten back a few no's so 2 people that we knew were in relationships we gave them a plus one. The other 2 people FH refuses. He doesn't want to just keep adding people because I feel bad. I tried arguing my side but gave up. I see his point. The other 2 people are my cousins, both of which will know about 100 people there. They don't need a plus one. FH said if he didn't get to invite his work friends then he doesn't want random people he has never met. I think its crappy but not arguing about it anymore!

I find that really stupid. I wouldn't go to a wedding if I couldn't bring someone. I am personally giving a plus one option to everyone over 17. I would hate for them not to have a good time because they don't have a date to keep them company. I aim for people to have fun!

For my first wedding, we said dates could come if they were dating 6 months or more, which is what we consider "long term". We picked that to avoid people bringing friends as plus ones or dates they just met that week. Members of the bridal party could bring a date if they wanted to, since they already contributed so much to the event.

I would've been really offended if some of my friends told me "no ring, no bring," because my FH and I were together for 4 years before getting engaged. So if we couldn't go to a wedding together after dating, say, 3 years, I probably would feel a little judged for still being un-engaged. It probably would stir up some resentment in our relationship about dating so long without a ring, and I know several couples in a similar situation who would also be insulted.

I agree @Centerpiece.

Another addition to the rule for those to consider, I also think it matters if there's traveling involved. A lot of my friends who were traveling opted not to bring a date because of expenses, but others wanted to make a weekend getaway with their significant other and I know would be bummed if they had to sleep in a hotel room all weekend alone.

OK, I'm going to call BS on the "married, engaged, or living together". It's not the bride and groom's place to judge that a relationship isn't significant just because people haven't moved in together. There could be a lot of reasons why that hasn't happened - religious, leases haven't ended, they don't want to move too quickly, etc. If someone is exclusive with another person at the time invites go out, that person should be invited.

No plus ones, it's a small affair and we don't need random people who we've never met, it would be awkward for everyone, them included. It hasn't mattered, since no one has anyone to bring that wasn't invited anyway.

I think no ring, no bring is weird because some people don't marry and are long committed, and others are just not engaged yet or whatever, but I totally understand not wanting just random dates coming.

FH was once invited to a wedding without a plus one we had been together for 4 years at the time. The groom was a friend of his from high school that eh had not seen in a long time. FH went, stayed for the ceremony and left after eating. People do not want to stick around at a wedding where they have no one to talk to.

I agree with Rebecca. DH and I didn't live together until marriage. So our 5 years of dating before we got engaged don't count as significant enough? I would've been upset if someone who was living with their SO of 1 month got a plus one and I didn't. That's total crap.

I gave plus 1's to everyone. Most people didn't use them, but those who did appreciated it.

We are doing a blanket "plus guest" for anyone 18 and over that does not have a "known" SO.

We know who are friends & family are dating, living with, or in a serious relationship with so automatically included them in the guest list.

Definitely rude to exclude anyone that hasn't put a ring on it!

ETA: I just received an invite to a coworker's wedding and there is no plus one on the invite. Her & her FH are on my guest list, she is aware I am engaged, and I was a bit shocked that she did not include my FH or a plus one on the invite. However, I did not ask her why, I figure she has her reasons. I plan to attend the wedding and reception, there will be a lot of coworkers there and FH said he did not mind since he doesn't know most of my coworkers.

That does seem kinda harsh. I just went with the rule that if you havent been at least dating for 6 months or if I dont know them or even of them then I do not want them at my wedding. A lot of people will bring someone just to bring someone and who wants to pay for THAT person you dont even know. Especially if you have to cut out people who you do love for this somebody you dont even know.

Our rule was we have to had met you SO by the time invites go out. So no complete strangers. For example my younger cousin tells me he has a gf (and they live in another state and are traveling for the wedding) sure she can come 1. i heard about her 2. you are traveling. but if he or she aint good enough for us to meet he or she dont need to be at our wedding. but the serious-ness of your rship was not ours to judge.

ETA: the logic behind our rule was we dont want you bringing someone just to have someone to bring on our dime. like we see you all the time, every other day you're single but that particular day you wanna be boo-ed up bc everyone else is.... ummm.... no.

I gave pretty much everyone a plus-one. It DID bite me in the butt a little bit because one of my friends scrambled to find a date and now some random guy I've never met is coming to my wedding, but I'd rather deal with that than to have people upset they weren't given the option.

FH and I have referred to each other as life partners for several years, and even owned a home together before we got engaged. He actually hasn't "proposed" in the traditional sense, and we're only slowly telling our family and friends that we're planning our wedding. I would be very upset if I couldn't bring him to a wedding I was invited to. However, all of our friends know us as a couple, so I can't imagine this ever becoming an issue

Wow. I'd be pretty mad. My FH and I had been together 6 years before we got engaged and we're only waiting that long because we wanted to, not because we weren't committed. I guess she has to cut the guest list down somehow, but that's way harsh.

Wow. I'd be pretty mad. My FH and I had been together 6 years before we got engaged and we're only waiting that long because we wanted to, not because we weren't committed. I guess she has to cut the guest list down somehow, but that's way harsh.

Wow. I'd be pretty mad. My FH and I had been together 6 years before we got engaged and we're only waiting that long because we wanted to, not because we weren't committed. I guess she has to cut the guest list down somehow, but that's way harsh.