Don't mind? Of course I do mind! My budget went for a toss, not to mention the non-cooperation I had to face from the restaurant staff that made seating three extras seem such a big deal. To compound it all, I had three lovey-dovey couples (and three dorks whom no one liked in particular) who refused to be part of the happenings around.

Couple or no couple, when it comes to social etiquette, taking your host for granted is simply not done!

Ask, You Shall Get

Contrary to what most folks would like to believe, it is NOT ok to take your partner (boyfriend / girlfriend) along to a do you have been invited to. And more so if it is a private gathering put together for a few people.

While a couple of extra people around should not be much of a problem, imagine what would happen if every guest (or even a handful) brought someone along. If the food is catered, there might not be enough to go around. At a formal sit-down do, even a single extra person can 'put a spanner in the works', so to speak.

Ideally, it is a good idea to ask your host if you can bring your partner along, more so if the person is someone your host does not know. This prepares the host to accommodate and extra-person, if the need so arises.

"Taking your boyfriend or girlfriend along if they have not been uninvited is certainly NOT a done thing. Always ask first," says Anuradha Patel of the Orchid Finishing School.

Stand-up comedian and singer Ash Chandler had to deal with just such a situation. On his last birthday, he hosted a party at a suburban Mumbai hotspot. A friend brought along a bunch of friends whom he did not know. "It changed the dynamics of the party completely," reveals Chandler.

Ash shares his thoughts on the incident. "At a party like mine, a guest is allowed to bring one person along. After all you want everyone to have fun. But you cannot host your own private little party at someone else's expense! It is not about filling up a room. Moreover, you are being disrespectful to your host."