That "private dinner" thread really got me thinking that tiered/inconsistent hosting is truly at the top of the list of etiquette mistakes. There is not much more you can do to publicly show what guests mean more to you than others. I know some of these have been told before, but thought this could be a centralized location and cautionary tale for brides considering doing this. Not the hypotheticals or worst case, but the reality of it from people who have been there. Please share your story and feel free to include things like:
were you made aware this was how you would be hosted, or was it sprung on you at the wedding?
did the couple give a reason for doing what they did?
how did other guests react?
were there obvious elements of the wedding where the dollars could have been spent towards hosting all guests equally (expensive dress, photo booth, lots of flowers, etc)
what is your relationship like now with the couple?
Curious to read the responses!