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I’m going to a wedding this Saturday afternoon at 3pm. The wedding is taking place in a church but the bride and groom are both fairly laid-back people, also, this is the first wedding I’m going to with my boyfriend and I want to know if there are any rules for that too?

–B.W., North Truro, MA

Don’t be late. Arrive 15 minutes early. Dress nicely in a suit and dress. Don’t talk on your cellphone or text because it is disrespectful to the bride and groom as well as to the other quests. You’ll be given a program of the service to follow. If an usher or groomsman doesn’t escort you to a pew, then sit midway in the church on the side that looks the least filled. You can hold hands, but don’t hook up because it will distract the guests seated around you. Don’t leave the church until after the bride and groom have walked back down the aisle in the recessional. The aisles empty out one at a time starting at the front of the church and working back to the front entrance. If the bride and groom don’t take off in a car right away, you can approach to congratulate them.

Don’t take a wedding present with you because it could get misplaced. Instead, send a gift from their bridal registry. If you don’t know where they are registered, ask other guests. You can also look up their registry online at theknot.com and the weddingchannel.com, using either the bride or groom’s name, which will be correctly spelled on the program. The cost of your gift should be what you estimate the host spent on your food and beverages at the reception. Send a thank-you note to whomever hosted the wedding reception.

~Didi