You might think it’s your worst fear when it comes to embarrassing yourself at an event or party: turning up in the same dress as someone else. Well, luckily thanks to this blog post, you don’t need to worry about that anymore. However, there’s quite a few other things that you should be aware of, before heading out to extravagant celebrations.

 

Turning up late

 

Image credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dgoomany/4976873174/

 

While sometimes it can’t be helped, turning up late to an event is considered bad taste – unless your plan is to upstage the other attendees! Try to arrive on time, or up to ten to 15 minutes afterwards. Being early might upset the host’s plans, so it’s always best to arrive as near to the dedicated time as possible. If you’re stuck in traffic or have been delayed, let your host know as soon as you can, especially if there’s a sit down meal. Here’s an in-depth guide from The Muse about how late you can be for certain events.

 

Not bringing a gift

 

The rules of gift giving can be quite tricky, but if you’re unsure, it’s always best to take one. If you don’t know the host personally, opt for something tasteful but subtle. Nice foods and drinks often go down well. If you’d like to make your gift more special, but you’re running out of time, explore sites like Giftsin24. That way, you can push the boat out with a gorgeous, personalised gift.

 

Not introducing yourself

 

If you’re at an event where you don’t know many – or any – people, it’s easy to stick with the few you know, or the host. However, this can make it quite hard work. Your host should introduce you to a few people if you’ve arrived alone, so if you’re unsure, ask them to introduce you to other people at the event. This is a good read on how introduce yourself, if you find that you’re a bit socially anxious.

 

Doing an ‘Irish exit’

 

Image by https://www.flickr.com/photos/barneymoss/14898532020/

 

The evening might be in full swing, with people merrily dancing and drinking, but don’t feel you should leave without saying goodbye! Even if your host is busy, they will always appreciate you saying your thanks and goodbyes before heading off. Just remember that if you’ve got a train or bus to catch or a taxi waiting, goodbyes can take quite a long time – so start them earlier than you think!

 

Getting too drunk

 

Regardless of whether you’re at a wedding, birthday or anniversary celebration, there’s always one person that gets too drunk. It can be a huge disruption to the hosts, and if there are young children present, can be quite unpleasant. Also, if you’re lucky enough to have an open bar, it shows a huge lack of respect. So, remember everything in moderation! Pace yourself, eat plenty of food, and drink lots of water.

 

Hogging the host’s attention

 

Your host has a lot of people to greet, speak to and look after all night – so don’t try to hog their attention. Yes, you want to spend their special day with them, but you need to be mindful that other people do as well. If you’ve travelled a long distance to be there, why not see if you can have a meal together the previous or following day? That way you spend some quality time together, without taking them away from the party.