I want to stand up and shout, "FUCK YEAH"! I want to applaud until my hands hurt because now there is proof; now there is evidence of just how fucking rude people can be. Let me fill you in... Read this article on Distractify, but in a nutshell a popular restaurant in NYC hired a firm to help them determine why a common complaint against them when guests review their restaurant was slow service, or that it took too long to get seated. They had done everything in their power to increase service standards, and even though they serve approximately the same number of guests ten years later, they are receiving mediocre service scores. The culprit? The patron AND THEIR PHONE! Shockingly there is a direct correlation to slow service, and not because of the servers, but because of the guest! People are so obsessed with their goddamn phones that it's actually creating a kink in the service industry! And now there's proof!!!

You're probably thinking, "That's great, BB, but what does this have to do with planning my wedding?". FAB question, bridey. This affects you in the same way that it affects restaurants (probably all over the world). Huh? How?

1. Your rehearsal dinner is at a restaurant. So, after reading the article on Distractify, I'm guessing that you are now mentally fast forwarding to your lovely prenup dinner, and praying that your guests put their phones down and leave the servers alone so that their meals are served promptly and hot. Am I right? A way around this (well, one piece anyway)?

The solution? Place a tent card on each table asking that your guests take their own pictures, and let the servers serve; not to be confused with a photographer!

2. Getting to your wedding day... How about we start with your ceremony, shall we? Part of my new(ish) MO is to walk up and down the aisle and politely (no really I can be polite) remind your guests to turn their phones to silent or airplane mode. Listen, I certainly don't have the audacity to ask your peeps to turn their cherished phones all the way off... Because I mean, I know how uncomfortable that can be, but sadly, more so than ever, I do need to remind people not to be rude!!! And that means silencing their fucking phones as you exchange your vows!

The solution? If you're providing ceremony programs, at the bottom of the page, place a friendly reminder to silence all phones. Not providing progams? Have the officiant remind your guests before officially beginning the ceremony.

3. You know how many times I have seen servers put down their trays (filled with delicious passed hors d'oeuvres) to take photographs of guests? Let's just say that if your cocktail hour is just that, an hour, I would say that a good 15 minutes is spent with servers, trays down, and your guest's iPhones in hand. And who do you think will complain that they "didn't even see a passed hors d'oeuvre"? Every single elderly relative (who doesn't get the whole phone thing), will ultimately blame the bride for not arranging for enough food, or the venue for not serving fasting enough. And while I don't have surveillance cameras to prove it, I see it all the time!!

The solution? As you are solidifying the final details for your wedding. Ask that the servers don't take pictures of their friends. They can say, "The bride and groom have asked that we serve you, not photograph you."

4. "Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats as your entrees will be served momentarily." said the very gregarious DJ. Well, the very gregarious DJ lied. He didn't mean to, but he did. Because when I look around the room, I see some entrees being delivered, but I see too much conversation between the guests and the servers. And this is not friendly chit chat. It's phone related. Again with the pictures, but now WIFI has entered the equation, and the servers are being bombared with questions about how to log on. I mean, there is a hashtag to consider, and these people need to start taking pictures of each other, pictures of their food, and the B+G kissing with each clink of the glass and their signal sucks, so WIFI is a must!

Bridey, a solution? Remember how you put a little tent card on the table at your rehearsal dinner? Do the same thing. Ask the venue what the WIFI log in and password is, and make it easily available to your guests so that they dont' have to distract the servers as they are trying to serve.

I know it's a bit coo coo that we have to even write about this kind of thing, but now, I am so pleased to say that the proof is out there! It's not always the fault of the venue, it's the guest.

Got it?

Image via Workforce-Velocity