Rules of Etiquette

Who receives the guests when they arrive at the restaurant ,and in what form?

When the bride and groom arrive it is usually after the guests and the banquet room is already prepared, the tables set and the personnel are ready to serve the aperitivo. It is a good idea for a trusted person to check the room the day before to make sure that the room is prepared correctly and that all the requests of the couple have been met. When the bride arrives she may excuse herself for a moment to adjust her makeup and take off her veil, accompanied by the maid of honour or a bridesmaid, not by the mother whose role is hostess.

The guests are received by the mother of the bride and naturally, the newlyweds. At the entrance on a lectern on a table there is a guestbook that each guest may sign, preferably adding a phrase. The job of introducing guests who do not know each other falls on the brothers and sisters of the bride and groom that should also oversee that everyone has their place. As soon as everyone is seated, the mother of the bride makes a walk around all the tables to make sure everyone is properly seated and introduced.

To find the table settings easily, you can add place cards. Cards written by hand with the name of the couple invited, or little personalised gifts, a little tray, a small picture frame, a candle). If there are many tables, it is recommended to place a board on an easel with a map of the table settings. The tables can be numbered or named, often corresponding with a certain passion of the couple, like different classical musicians, types of wine, cities where the couple has travelled, etc. Another alternative, quite formal, is to give each guest a card indicating his place.