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5. Inviting too many people. Parents make a big mistake when the initial engagement gets them inviting all of their friends and colleagues to the wedding. Even if the bride and groom say 'it's going to be big!,' it's still wise to wait for their assignment of how many guest spots you get. In weddings of decades ago, the parents who were paying for the wedding also invited a big group of guests of their own, but now with weddings so expensive there's not a lot of room for extra people. Particularly extra people who don't know the bride and groom. So hold back on extending verbal invitations until you get a chance to talk with the bride and groom about the guest list. You'll be an invaluable asset when it comes to figuring out the family members who will be invited, and the more agreeable you are with that phase, the more likely the bride and groom will be to let you invite a few extra friends. What's most important is waiting to hear from them.

Sharon Naylor is the author of The Essential Guide to Wedding Etiquette. Ask Sharon your etiquette questions on iVillage Wedding's Etiquette Expertmessage board.

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