I usually wait until they are totally dry and twist them off at the base. This year I am hosting a wedding right about when the daylillies will be at their worst - dry stalks, limp leaves, dead undergrowth. I am cutting the spent stalks now (mostly brown, some still greenish) in an attempt to lessen the unsightliness, wondering if this will come back to bite me somehow? Thanks.

No, it will not harm them to cut off the scapes.

Cutting the scapes would actually be less harmful than twisting them off at the base (which can damage the crown).

How far in the future is the wedding?

The wedding is end of August. For me, that is probably the worst time for my garden. Oh well. I've been working on deadheading so things might at least throw up some new foliage, and plan to pop in a bunch of garden mums whenever they hit the market.

I think that would look very nice. Who's getting married?

A nephew. He's always bonded with my husband and our farm. Lives in San Diego but is having a small wedding up in the Pacific NW, where he was raised. I would have advised an April - June or even July wedding for yard appeal, but it isn't about my yard. It will be lovely, and both of them are very excited.