In this season of BBQs, weddings, graduation parties, al fresco dinners and beach trips there are (hopefully!) countless invitations. Once you’ve landed a coveted invite, staying on the host’s good list is crucial, whether it’s your boss or the local socialite. So, when can you Tweet or post to Facebook about a private event?
This question is everywhere lately. Most recently, Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle newsletter and website GOOP tried to answer this pressing etiquette question.
Her expert, Derek Blasberg is the editor at large of Harper’s Bazaar and Vman, senior editor of Vmagazine and current etiquette author. He urges social media happy guests to “take a cue from the host: If they’re the sort of person who is into social media and has already Tweeted about the fete, go for it. But if the host is the sort of person who abstains from Twitter and Facebook, keep your cameraphone pictures to yourself.”
Not to mention, an errant photo or post could easily end up hurting someone’s feelings who was not invited. You don’t want to be that person.
Blasberg sums up the whole issue by reiterating, if you have any doubt, don’t share. “Once it’s on the Internet it’s impossible to take back. Besides, if the invitation was so fabulous you wanted to Tweet about it in the first place, you want to make sure you don’t offend the host so that you get invited back.”