A couple who punctually turned up to their friends’ wedding were left regretting their arrival time after they spent hours waiting on guests and the bride and groom.
The duo, who recounted their experience online in a viral video, stunned people after revealing they had to endure a near two-hour wait for the rest of the party, including the bride and groom, to arrive.
Organising a wedding is no small feat; it requires meticulous planning to ensure the day is special for the betrothed pair. From the guest list to selecting attire, music, invites, catering, and venue, every detail is crucial for the seamless execution of the event.
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Guests are usually expected to follow a precise timetable. Yet, just as cultures vary in language, dress, and cuisine, so too do notions of time and punctuality. Imagine receiving a wedding invitation instructing you to be present at 12pm – what time would you show up?
Sarah, a woman who shared her story, expressed that she “tried to warn” her German husband about arriving on time to an Egyptian family’s wedding. In a widely circulated TikTok clip, Sarah remarked: “My German husband wanted to be punctual to the Egyptian wedding. I tried to warn him that no one will be punctual.”
Capturing the scene an hour and a half past the scheduled start, she showed her spouse sitting alone in an empty hall, clearly perplexed by the situation, while the wedding was yet to commence.
Sarah recounted to People that, despite there being some guests at the venue, including the bride and groom’s families, most attendees were notably late—including the couple themselves—to the amazement of viewers who saw Sarah’s video. Many rushed to express their disbelief in the comments section.
One astounded person asked, “What the hell is the point of a start time if everyone is going to be hours late? ” While another remarked, “I’d go home at that point. That’s just disrespectful.”
Confusion was also voiced by another commenter: “What’s the point of handing out wedding invitations with a time? Plus does the venue let you stay as long as you want? ” Someone with a strong opinion on punctuality stated added: “I’m Norwegian. An appointment is an appointment. A broken agreement, and I go home, and never think of them again.”
Meanwhile, one tried to make sense of it all, saying: “I understand different norms but I’m genuinely confused as to why you wouldn’t just… put the time you want people to arrive on your invite.”
Another, sharing a similar ordeal, contributed: “This was all the international guests at a Moroccan wedding we went to last year. The absolute joke was that dinner was only served at 1am.”
Aligning with the disgruntled husband featured in the video, one person declared: “I’m team German husband. If you say a time I’ll be there at that time, and if you’re NOT then I’m leaving.”
One person shared their similar experience, saying: “Same happened to me at a Turkish wedding. I was told not to show up too early, so I arrived 2 hours later and was still the first.”
Another chimed in with: “In Africa you come 3 hours past the said time.” One other added: “I’m Punjab and the amount times we’ve turned up BEFORE the hosts is insane. My Dad always phones the hosts to remind them their guests have arrived.”
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