I've had many questions about weddings, so we'll devote this episode to a few quick tips to help you be a more polite guest at a wedding.

·    Make sure that you respond before the RSVP date, but better yet within a week after you receive the invitation.  Weddings take a great deal of planning, so you are helping out the families, and if you’re not going to attend, an early response may allow them to invite others.

·    Send your gift ahead of time via the registry. We'll put a link up on the website to an earlier episode on wedding gifts. (link temporarily broken)

·    Arrive at least 15 minutes early to the ceremony in order to get seated and avoid any chance of being late.

·    At the ceremony, ushers will help direct you to a seat.  Traditionally, guests from the bride's party sit on one side of the aisle and groom's guests on the other.  There are differences from religion to religion, so simply ask an usher if you are unsure.

·    At the reception, introduce yourself to the other guests at your table.  The bride and groom are always a good topic to get the conversation started.

·    Don't change seating assignments at the reception.  It is a long and sometimes painful process putting together all of the seating arrangements, so be respectful and maintain your seat.  You may always get up later to socialize with other guests.

·    Introduce yourself to the couple's parents and grandparents at the reception, and share something brief, personal and complimentary about the couple.  For instance, you might note how you were there the first time Carol and Tom met in the library at college, and from the beginning you could see the way they lit up one another's eyes.

·    Don't monopolize the time of the bride and groom.  Even if they are your very dear friends, they will need time to circulate and speak with all of their guests (especially true for large weddings).

·    Dance as much as you are comfortable doing – it's good exercise, you will have more fun, and the bride and groom will feel they have had a good party and done well by their guests.

·    Have fun, but don't drink to excess.  You don't want the couple's primary memory of their wedding to be how you or some other guests drank so much they became sick or out of control.

·    Sign the guestbook – acknowledge the effort that the couple invested in putting the wedding together. They will appreciate it that you took the time to write something.

·    Tell the bride and groom about what a lovely time you had, if this is true.  You may send them a note, give them a call, or find another personal way to convey your gratitude for being included.

So here's hoping all the weddings you attend are fun and memorable experiences, and thank you for listening to quick and dirty tips for a more polite life.

Send your question and comments to manners@quickanddirtytips.com Or leave a voicemail at 206-666-4MrM. The Modern Manners Guy is part of the quick and dirty tips network. Check out the other great shows at QuickAndDirtyTips.com