Summer is here!  And so is wedding season… we don’t go to as many weddings as we used to–the year we got married, we had 9 other weddings to attend as well.  (I miss those days!)  But perhaps you have quite a few snazzy events on the horizon yourself, so that’s where this post comes in!

As a small-town girl who grew up in the middle of nowhere, I was far from “refined” when I left home for college.  (I even carried mace inside my mittens when I got to Boston because I was so nervous about living in a big city, but that’s another story…)  Of course I said my pleases and my thank yous, but take me to a formal event of any kind, and I was completely out of my element.  I never tried to be someone I’m not, though.  When we would sit down at an elaborately set table, I would just lean over to the stranger sitting next to me and ask him straight up, “Which one is your bread plate?  I want to make sure I don’t take yours!!”

Just keeping it real, people.  How are we supposed to know this stuff?!  I didn’t learn that kind of thing in northern Minnesota, I’ll tell you that…

Well, one time not too long ago, I leaned over to ask the same question at an event like I always do (because I could never seem to remember the bread and drink rule!), and the nice man to my left showed me this little trick that he uses.  Pretty soon the entire table was talking about it, and we all realized that nobody can ever remember which bread plate is theirs, or which glass is theirs either!  See, it’s not just the small-town girls who can’t keep it straight!  This information would have been really handy back in the day when we went to a wedding almost once a month.  That’s why I’m teaching you!  :)  Every time we are at an event now with a fancy table setting, I shamelessly teach everybody this trick.  Not only is it a great tip, but it’s also a perfect ice-breaker among people you don’t know.  I guarantee that it will get your table talking!  And if it’s a group you don’t feel comfortable chatting up, then you can slyly do this little trick in your lap where nobody can see you, and you can grab your water with confidence and put your bread on the correct plate every time!

So, as your tip will remind you:  b = bread.  That is always on the left.  d = drink.  That is always on the right.  Simple!  Never mess up again.  :)

See my other favorite hand trick here.  Kids learning how to multiply will love it!! 

Happy Wedding Season, everyone!  Enjoy some cake and dance a little jig for me!  (I really need to get myself invited to another wedding one of these days… they even have photo booths sometimes now!!  Talk about Fun with a capital “F”!  It’s like a dream come true… where was that stuff when we got married?!)

I hope you enjoyed this Friday Fast Tip.  Feel free to check back every Friday (unless I’m running late!) for more quick tips and ideas!