During the period when planning a wedding all the way up to the close of the reception, couples may find there are numerous opportunities for people to behave badly. That includes relatives, in-laws, friends and even the happy couple themselves. Here are some awkward situations weddings and wedding guests may run into and how to remedy them. Start with the traditional engagement party. This celebration is for the families and close friends, and it's not a gift grab – in fact, you might want to discourage gifts on the invitation and save it for the showers and wedding. This isn't the time to introduce the parents – they should meet in a more private setting beforehand. Couples may choose not to have this party, usually hosted by the bride's parents, and that's OK. Showers are an opportune time for gifts, but they don't have to be. A couple who has lived together or is older may have less of a need for those things that couples just starting out may need, so it isn't uncommon for people to request "no gifts" at showers. A nice way to articulate that desire might be writing "Your presence is enough of a present" on the invitation. Accept any gift graciously, and be sure to write thank-you notes soon after receiving – that old adage about having a year to write thank-you notes post-wedding is inaccurate and rude. If the wedding is called off before it happens and gifts have been received, they should be returned with a thank-you note.

No lengthy explanation of why the wedding will not happen is necessary. How couples choose to notify their wedding guests varies – it makes sense for the couple to divide the list and call or write notes personally to prospective attendees. The first people to be notified of a wedding that isn't going to happen are the vendors – wedding officiants, bakers, caterers, reception hall owners and the like. Letting these people know first may allow you to retain any deposits put down on the wedding. Finally, at the ceremony, you may encounter undesirable guests – whether they're uninvited, drunk, unruly or young ones (when you made clear via word of mouth that children were verboten). There's not a lot you can do if they show up at the wedding, but stationing someone at the door with a list of names can stave off wedding crashers if there's just no space for them. Some brides opt to pay for another table at the reception to accommodate these guests, but it's not mandatory. It's best to "assign" trusted people – perhaps members of the wedding party or relatives – to keep an eye on people's behavior. Everyone has that friend or family member who gets drunk at every opportunity. If things get out of hand, it's best for one of these assigned people to handle it if a scene is about to be created. Above all, guests and wedding parties should be courteous, gracious and thoughtful.