Avoid The Pitfalls Of A Drunk Wedding Guest
As awesome as open bars can be, they can also create serious problems at weddings or anywhere else. If you think you may have an issue with a drunk-as-a-drunk-skunk wedding guest, use these tips to navigate the situation easily.
Pre-Wedding Tip: Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
Let’s say one or more of your guests is known to hit the sauce hard. Prepare for these drunkenly-drunk individuals by alerting your bartender(s) and ensuring plenty of water is available.
If the intoxicated peeps love mixed drinks, you can tell your bartender(s) to make their libations weak. The bartenders can water down any alcoholic beverage and flag those who have had too much – it is part of their jobs, after all.
If you are worried flagging a drunk guest will result in a huge scene or the person will otherwise embarrass you by recounting humiliating stories or taking the mic away from the bandleader to sing ‘Lady In Red,’ consider not inviting the individual at all. If the person is too much of a liability, he or she is just not worth the risk. Heck, not being invited to your wedding may provide the non-guest with the wake-up call he or she needs.
Ask For Help From A Trusted Friend Or Family Member
Let’s say you see one of your wedding guests getting a little too rowdy or doing the Electric Slide when everyone else is dancing to the Cupid Shuffle. Ask a trusted friend or family member to bring the person some water or take him/her outside for some fresh air. Have this responsible individual keep an eye on Mr. Beer or Ms. Vino as much as possible to avoid a slew of reception complications.
Use Non-Threatening Language
Confronting a wasted wedding guest in an angry way rarely goes well. Depending on how the person behaves when intoxicated, a harsh or irritated tone could make the situation soooooo much worse. Rather than causing an even bigger mess, use non-threatening language that makes no mention of the individual being 10 sheets to the wind.
Say any of the following instead:
“Oh man, I am so thirsty. I need some water – do you want some?”
“I could really use a coffee, how about you?”
“Let’s step outside for some fresh air, I could use a break from the craziness and I would love your company!”
“Have you tasted this appetizer/entree? It’s unbelievable – let’s get some more before it’s all gone!”
“Oh my God, we have so much food! Can you eat some/take some of it off my hands now? It’s so tasty and I don’t want it to go to waste!”
Another way to handle potentially-smashed wedding guests? Hiring security. They will take care of problem peeps quickly and discreetly. And hey, at least the chances of one of your drunk wedding guests getting his/her arm ripped off is very, very low!