On your wedding day there’s going to be so many unforgettable moments— seeing each other for the first time, your first kiss, the first dance and so many more. But every now and then there may be a moment that causes some nervous laughter or maybe even some awkward silence. Here are some ways to handle these moments so that they are forgotten just as quickly as they occurred!

1. “PLEASE WELCOME {INSERT WRONG NAME}”

On your wedding day your names will be announced so many times from the officiant, to the DJ. It may even be the first time some of them are saying yours or your spouses name so it’s possible a little mix up may happen.

WHAT TO DO: The best way to remedy this is, before your wedding make sure all of your vendors have a copy of your Wedding Timeline. This should have yours and your future spouse’s name spelled out, phonetically if needed. This way each of your vendors can have a reference to glance at before they say it out loud to everyone!

2. “I’M SORRY BUT YOU’RE NOT ON THE LIST”

Unfortunately some people don’t understand the importance of the RSVP. Some even consider it more of a suggestion than a rule. This means the occasional unaccounted for guest, may show up. This can be handled a number of ways.

WHAT TO DO: First thing’s first, you should designate someone to handle these types of issues, should they arise, so that they are never even brought to your attention. Your wedding planner, host, or coordinator should be able to diffuse this quickly. If you are someone who is strict with your guestlist —and you have every right to be — your designated person can politely and discreetly pull the unaccounted for guest to the side and advise them that this is a private event and a RSVP is required. If you’ve taken a more loose approach to your guestlist, then your designated person can graciously accommodate the additional guest to the best of their ability so that everyone can quickly move on and enjoy the day. The most important thing is to not make a scene or draw attention to the situation.

3. “WE WILL BEGIN PROMPTLY AT….”

You’re doing your best to remain present in the moment but hearing the doors open and close, the rustling of people shifting in their seats, and distant chatter can be very distracting.

WHAT TO DO: If you’re stickler for time it’s a good idea to stress promptness in your invitation. Designate a few close friends or relatives to be ushers so that they can control traffic at your venue’s entrance. You can advise them to not allow anyone in after the ceremony has begun or designate which parts of the ceremony they can allow your guests to enter should they arrive late so that they’re less of a distraction.

4. “THIS ONE TIME AT BAND CAMP…”

Wedding toasts can be really unpredictable. You never know if someone is going to go for the joke and keep everyone laughing, or are they going for the sentimental walk down memory lane approach. Either path can still either be quick and to the point, or leave everyone with the thought “ok let’s wrap this up”. The wedding toasts can be the highlight at your reception but you want it to be because it was a great toast and not because it was a long one.

WHAT TO DO: When the speeches get too long it can create an awkward feeling for everyone in the room. The best way to handle this is to ask your wedding party to keep their speeches to a particular time limit that you set before the big day. This way they will have worked on their speech ahead of time and made sure they’re not going on too long. It’s also a good idea to have your host or DJ remind everyone just before the toasts start to keep them to the specified time limit.

5. “I THINK YOU’VE HAD ENOUGH…“

The most common awkward moment we see happen at weddings is guests that have had a bit too much to drink. Your wedding reception is a celebration and everyone is excited to celebrate and have a good time. Unfortunately some may take it a bit too far.

WHAT TO DO: Someone from your wedding party can politely pull the guest to the side and ask them to calm down or possibly even distract them by taking them to the dance floor. Always make sure there are transportation options so no one is drinking and driving.