Tips to guarantee your guests LOVE your wedding day!
Woah, its been a while! I don’t know about you but I feel like the end of the year has snuck up on me! Here we are, wrapping up 2021, (some of us drinking Lebkuchen-flavour booze as we type) and I thought I’d collate some top tips for those of you planning your big day. And today, the category is: Making sure your guests have the BEST time at your wedding. Let’s jump in!
Make sure everyone is comfortable
Accessibility
It’s essential that everyone can get to, from and around your wedding. If you know you have guests with mobility issues, you can plan accordingly by choosing a venue which is step-free, has wide doorways, lifts and flat, level flooring. It may well be that you have guests who are blind, deaf or have learning difficulties, and need some extra assistance on the day, which may include bringing a carer along with them. Plan this in advance and brief and delegate to bridesmaids, groomsmen, cousins and the gang to make sure everyone feels welcome, respected and catered for.
You may have guests with epilepsy or autism who find flashing lights and loud music very triggering. You don’t have to get rid of these elements of your day. It might be as simple as politely warning these guests ahead of time so that they can make arrangements for themselves.
Children and older guests
If you decide to invite little ones to your day - and I’m saying this as a mum of two - their parents want just two things: For them to be safe, and to be happy. Create a clean, safe space for them to eat, play and dance. They often want to be involved with the celebration, but on their own terms! If it’s important to have moments of quiet, for example during your ceremony, ensure there’s a place their parents can take them for a while.
Grandparents and other older guests will need comfortable seating (you could reserve them a chair) and possibly some help to get around the venue. On our wedding day, we buddied up ours with groomsmen who could lend a helping hand and charm the elders with a listening ear!
If your venue has a body of water or a sharp drop, make sure people are aware so that they can take precautions, especially with kids, older guests and those with mobility needs!
Dietary requirements and preferences
Most couples take note of allergies, preferences and religious requirements in terms of food on the RSVP. Your venue should be a pro at catering for all needs and choices and making sure people get what they ordered! If you’re nervous, make sure their place card notes their menu choice, or that banquet-style food is clearly labelled. This not only lets the servers know where each dish is going but make each guest feel personally welcomed.
Non-drinkers
Not everyone likes to get wrecked, you know?! I once went to a wedding when I was pregnant and the all welcome drinks were alcoholic, and I had to buy myself an apple juice. This put my nose out of joint a bit! There are many reasons why someone might choose not to drink alcohol and it’s important that they still feel part of the party. Make sure to provide soft drink options (even better if there’s a virgin cocktail choice!) - and don’t forget water for everyone. Stay hydrated, people!
Weather
The last thing you want is for everyone to be freezing their bits off in a barn because they didn’t have fair warning to bring a jumper! You can never predict the weather in the UK (and elsewhere, to be fair), so make sure everyone is comfy and happy by providing (or telling them in advance to bring) the necessary items if cold, rain, snow or mud are big factors in the day!
Signposting
It’s important that guests don’t feel lost and unsure about timings, where things are or where they should be during the day. Providing an order of the day, signs that point to the bar or toilets and having a Master of Ceremonies to herd everyone are really helpful! And hey - the signage can even match your wedding stationery, bringing it all together to make it not only look beautiful, but recognisable and helpful.
Make it personal
Your wedding suppliers
You have an opportunity whilst planning your wedding to choose suppliers whose values align with yours. Whether it’s a celebrant, florist, cake-maker - whoever; You can find vendors who are professional, positive and mindful of your needs and - importantly - those of your guests. Employing people like this will ensure everyone has the best time.
Cohesive style and design
You can pave the foundations for your day’s aesthetics with carefully chosen wedding stationery, and then seamlessly integrate it into everything your guests see and interact with on the day. They’ll associate this style with you two, they’ll recognise it, and they’ll affiliate themselves with it. It just means they feel like they’re in an exclusive little club with you, on your special day.
Make it meaningful
It’s about you two
Your wedding day is just that - YOURS. You two aren’t out-of-the-box, repeatable or cookie-cutter, so your day shouldn’t be either. Little touches around the venue - nods to where you met, your first date, your hobbies and holidays…They all create an atmosphere and a feeling that the guests have been let into something really intimate and special, even if you have a huge wedding.
Thanking those who support you
Nothing - NOTHING! - gives me a buzz like being mentioned in a wedding speech. And yes, I know, you can’t mention every guest, but the ones who have really helped you, supported you, loved you, held you up when you’re down, advised you, introduced you…Make sure they know how special they are!
Remembering those who can’t be with you
We had wedding photos from all our sets of grandparents on display. It was a lovely way to pay our respects to them and make them part of the day. However you do it, whether its raising a toast, wearing something that belonged to them, or talking about them in your speech, it’s sentimental and heart-warming to share these stories.
Make it fun!
Entertainment and atmosphere
As well as any entertainment you put on for your guests to enjoy, you can also include them in the activities. You can leave a space on the RSVP card for song requests, so each guest gets their fave song played, or you could display photos of each guest with you both. All of these little ideas make everyone feel involved and valued.
Spend time with your guests
Work that floor! Everyone wants a piece (and a picture with) the couple, so make sure you thank them for their time, gifts and let them know you’re happy to see them!
Here’s looking at you, kid!
The number one thing - if YOU’RE having fun, and look stress-free, glowingly happy and loved up, then your guests will get on board. It’s wonderful to be able to throw a celebration and you hope that everyone has a great time. In the end though, it’s your day, so make sure you two have a blast and the rest will surely follow!
Image credit at top: Lorin Kelly Photography