What should I do at a wedding ceremony in a foreign language?

[Luke14]

I’ve been invited to a wedding in another country where the ceremony will be held in a language I don’t understand at all. I’m wondering if it’s rude to just quietly observe, or if I should try to follow along with a translation app on my phone. I don’t want to seem disrespectful by looking at my screen, but I also feel like I’ll miss the meaning of everything.

[Logan38]

I would try to be present with the couple even if you do not follow every word. A simple smile and a nod can carry respect and warmth.

[Ryan52]

An analytic take says you can balance courtesy and meaning with a translation app kept handy so you can catch the gist without fixating on the screen.

[Violet6]

I worry you might miss the mood if you chase the translation too hard the vows and toasts have a rhythm that words alone may not convey.

[James.M]

Chasing the perfect translation could pull you away from being a guest and turn you into an observer of a performance rather than a participant.

[VioletJH]

Maybe you reframe the dilemma as what reading the room looks like in a different culture rather than how to read the ceremony.

[Thomas_R]

Just go with a light mix of presence and a discreet check of a line here and there if you need it.

[ElizabethC]

One more angle the wedding is a social thing first the language is a local climate of feeling the crowd will respond even without words