The Age-Old Battle of Wedding Plus Ones– Who Gets One and Who Doesn’t?

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Weddings, oh weddings! They’re meant to be joyous occasions filled with love, laughter, and happily ever afters. But let’s face it, folks: where there’s a wedding, there’s bound to be drama. And today, we dive headfirst into the simmering controversy that surrounds the question of plus ones. Grab your popcorn and buckle up, because this is going to be one wild ride!

The Dilemma – To Plus One or Not to Plus One?

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Our tale of wedding woe begins with a classic dilemma that has divided people across the land. It’s the age-old question of whether or not to allow every wedding invitee the luxury of bringing a plus one. On a popular online forum, battle lines have been drawn, and the arguments are about to ignite!

Is Every Wedding Guest Entitled to a Plus One?

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While some people believe it’s insulting not to invite a guest’s partner to the wedding, others think that custom is outdated. Here are some of the most emphatic responses from a recent heated thread — share your thoughts in the comments!

Yes: Established Couples Should be Invited Together

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According to one, couples who have been together for a long time should always be allowed to attend the wedding together. But, on the other hand, if the couple has only been together for a few weeks, it’s less of a faux pax to invite only one person.

They argue that if a duo has stood the test of time and weathered the storms of love together, they should always be invited as a pair. Makes sense, right? After all, who wants to risk offending their better half by attending a wedding solo? It’s a recipe for relationship disaster!

No: It’s Okay in Some Circumstances

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But wait, not so fast! In the opposing camp, there are those who see shades of gray in this fiery debate. While this commenter believes it’s kinder for a wedding party to allow guests to bring a plus-one, they also assert that it depends on the circumstances.

What if the wedding party is trying to host a low-budget wedding, and they have never met your partner? This person thinks it’s fair to exclude them from the intimate wedding in this case. The budget can be a cruel master, my friends.

Yes: It Puts Couples in an Uncomfortable Position

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Oh, the agony of choice! For the long-established lovebirds who have journeyed through years of romance or even tied the knot, receiving an invite without their better half can feel like a slap in the face.

It can be offensive to be excluded from a wedding invite for long-time established couples like those who have been together for years or are married. It forces the couple to make an awkward decision: does one of them attend the wedding alone, risking offending their partner, or do they skip the wedding and offend their friends who are getting married?

No: Weddings Are Expensive

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Let’s get real for a moment, shall we? It’s no secret that weddings are expensive, extravagant affairs that burn holes in wallets faster than you can say “I do.” So, it’s understandable that some frugal souls out there believe it’s perfectly acceptable for the bride and groom to handpick their guest list.

The more guests you invite, the more dollar signs get added to your bills. Some people believe it’s okay for the bride and groom to invite only specific people they want at their wedding because adding a plus one is so costly for every invite.

Yes: Good Hosts Make Sure Guests Feel Welcomed

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“Good hosts ensure their guests feel welcome,” argues one commenter. Couples often see themselves as a package deal, so when one person isn’t invited, it feels like a slight towards both. “Why create that kind of negativity?”

When you invite someone, you’re inviting their entire being, partner included. To exclude one half of a couple is to risk souring the atmosphere and creating unnecessary negativity. Is that really what weddings are all about? I think not!

No: Single People Aren’t Entitled to a Plus One

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Hold your horses, singletons! While we understand the desire for companionship at a wedding, expecting to bring a plus one, no questions asked, can come across as a bit entitled.

One user on the thread thinks neglecting to include an invitee’s spouse or long-term partner on the guest list is rude, but for single guests to expect that they can bring along a plus one — that’s entitlement. “The engaged couple isn’t obligated to pay for a stranger,” they say. Ouch, that stings! But maybe there’s a kernel of truth in there somewhere.

Yes: It’s Part of My Culture

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“Maybe it’s my Southern upbringing, but I would never consider inviting anyone to a formal event like a wedding without inviting their significant other,” writes one individual. Weddings are a massive cultural event for any family, which means some cultures inherently believe it’s rude not to invite both people in a couple to the event.

No: Not Rude, But Awkward

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One commenter believes that the couple getting married is the one who gets to have the ultimate say on their guest list, “So, it’s their prerogative to invite or not invite anyone.” That said, they acknowledge that it’s super awkward when only one person in a relationship gets invited.

Yes: Partners are a Package Deal

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“My partner and I come as a pack, and if you don’t want one of us, you don’t want either of us, end of story,” writes one person on the thread. Many believe couples come as a package deal, insinuating that excluding one person from the wedding is incredibly rude.

No: Think of The Stress It Takes to Plan a Wedding

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Finally, someone argues that it’s much ruder for guests to expect the wedding party to prioritize their experience rather than the people getting married on their special day. The stress of wedding planning is already intense, so why can’t the guests leave them be and support their choices?

After all, planning a wedding is a Herculean task, and the couple deserves the freedom to craft their special day as they see fit. It’s a fair point, but will it be enough to quell the rising tides of wedding drama?

Conclusion: Your Turn to Weigh In

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Phew! The wedding battlefield is littered with strong opinions, impassioned pleas, and the wreckage of relationships teetering on the edge. But before we wrap up this tale of wedding woe, we turn to you, dear reader. What are your thoughts on the great plus one debate? Should every guest be allowed to bring their significant other, or should weddings be reserved for the chosen few? We eagerly await your comments and brace ourselves for the inevitable whirlwind of opinions, arguments, and perhaps even a few revelations. Let the battle continue in the comments section below!

What are your thoughts on this? Weigh in in the comments!

This story was inspired by Quora and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Budget Savvy Bride.

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