1. Plan For Your Personality
You will know that I strongly believe in couples making their own decisions on their wedding day. There are no two couples who are alike, and therefore there are no two weddings that are identical. You can customize any tradition or event to fit your personality as a couple. Leave out the garter toss if it’s not your thing. You can choose to do a couple’s dance instead of the parent dances. You may not want to dance. Fine.
You might want to add something special to your wedding. Anything unusual and entertaining will be well received by guests. Speak to your event coordinator or wedding coordinator. The best way to ensure a successful reception is by hiring a wedding planner. Hiring a coordinator for your wedding can save you time, money and give you peace of mind. You can then enjoy your wedding reception more.
2. Keep Your Guests Comfortable
Your guests are just as important. Many people have traveled far and wide to celebrate. You want to make your wedding reception a reflection of your style and personality, but you also need to keep your guests happy.
Seating As much as you may want to have everyone dancing all night long, this is not possible. Create a separate seating area for guests who need a place to relax or are older. They can then step out for a moment without having to leave the reception.
- Temperature: Whether your wedding is in summer or winter, it is important to keep guests comfortable. On hot days, offer cooling fans, cool drinks and shaded seating. Offer blankets, scarves or heaters in the cooler months.
- Facilities: People gotta pee: When planning your wedding, you should make sure there are enough restrooms. Consider baby changing stations, parking and routes that are accessible from the ceremony to the reception.
- Thoughtful Add-Ons: A few small comfort items will always be appreciated. Think about putting a basket with inexpensive slippers close to the dance floor, so that the ladies can take off their high heels. In the bathrooms, stock hand lotion, tissues or gum. You can also add hairspray. If you are hosting an outdoor event, consider providing sunscreen or insect repellent. Your guests will be grateful.
3. Make Food Fast, Good & Accessible
At a wedding, food is a huge issue. Your guests and you will both want to have a tummy full of tasty food delivered quickly. You want guests to be able to easily access food at the reception. You have already spent money on this, so it’s important that you use it!
- Food is Good: You can’t hide bad food. Delicious food leads to great conversations. A great party is a result of a great conversation. A fantastic party will leave you with wonderful memories. The end.
- Fast food: Not like Burger King. This buffet is perfect for those who are looking to try one. It happens all the time. Couples are eager to serve their guests great food, but the set-up is…off. Add two lines to a buffet, or allow the waiting staff serve it. If you are considering any type of idea in which the guests make the plates themselves (burger bars, taco bars, or make-you-own-potato), you will absolutely need extra lines or helpers. The human being is fickle and slow.
- Accessible food: Consider the cheesecake desserts, late-night Krystals or the hot cocoa bar. Most guests are unaware of when the treats are “open”. Before you know, the reception is over and the food still remains! No! Make sure your Emcee or DJ announces this food’s availability!
A team of professionals is essential for a wedding. They’ll know how to prepare delicious food for you and your guests, and will serve it professionally and on time.
4. Hire a Professional Dj
A DJ is much more than just a person who plays music. A DJ has a wide range of skills and expertise. They also have the ability to read crowd moods. The can turn a dull wedding into a fun and exciting event! Professional DJs prepare well before the wedding. The DJs discuss with the couple the wedding plans, including the main theme or mood. The reception is designed to be the perfect wedding of your dreams.
Lighting can change a room’s atmosphere from casual dining to dancing. Do not underestimate the importance proper event lighting at a wedding reception. Ambient up lighting sets the mood while dancing patterns and moving lights create a fun party.
5. You can request songs
What is the best way to encourage your guests to dance? Play songs that they want to hear. It doesn’t mean you give Uncle Joe full control. You may not want to dance The Wobble, or The Electric Slide. Guess what? You guests will. It’s true. Couples can let their DJ announce that they are taking song requests. The requests may only be for a short time but your dance floor is sure to fill up quickly.
6. Get On The Dance Floor
Do not hide in the bar.
You want your guests to join you on the dancefloor! When the couple dances, the floor quickly fills. It doesn’t have to be all dancing. If you’re looking to throw a party then this is a great way to do it. “This is going to be a huge party,” says DJ Sammy Scott from Legacy Sound. “Brides and Grooms need to be dancing as much as they can.” “Guests want to be with you, so where you are is where they will go.”
7. Bring the Alcohol
The decision to serve alcohol at a wedding can be a difficult one for any couple. You don’t have to serve top-shelf liquor if you decide to have alcohol for your wedding. Open bars can get expensive. You can make it work with any budget. Consider just offering beer and wine, or a few cocktails. Offer champagne to guests as a gift or at the toasts.
Alcohol can extend the reception of a wedding. Many couples desire a wedding reception that goes into the night. Alcohol is the key to a party that lasts into the late hours of night. Those who are considering not drinking alcohol might want to reduce the reception time from four to three hours. So they can use their photography time in other areas.
8. Easy Entertainment
The way your wedding reception made your guests feel will remain in their memories. Include engaging entertainment off the dance floor for your guests to have a great time. The activities will also allow your guests to get to know each other. You can include different games and events at a wedding reception.
- For the Kids: When you are having a child-friendly reception, think about scavenger hunting, mazes or puzzles. Make a separate room or area for the kids. This will keep the kids entertained while allowing the adults to dance.
- Photo booths: One thing that will never go out of fashion is the photo booth. For photos, people love to wear silly outfits and hats. Hire a photo bus or create your own booth on site.
- Caricature is my favorite form of entertainment, and I think it makes a great favor. Hire an artist to create a photo of each guest! This is an excellent way to entertain your guests and give them a gift.
- Yard Game: In the beautiful summer evenings yard games can be a fun way to keep guests entertained away from the dancing floor.
- Bars with Cigars: The bars are perfect for any season. This is a great way to meet other guests and socialize without having to dance.
9. Provide Unique (and Usable) Wedding Favors
Wedding favors can be a wonderful way to show your guests how much you care. You don’t want your money to go to waste on a favor that will be thrown away. You can give your guests personalized mugs and glasses, homemade jams and honey, blankets or East Tennessee moonshine. These can be used by your guests at the wedding, and even afterward! I saw on a thread that a bride had customized ducttape as her wedding favour. She said, “for YEARS we have received pictures of people using our tape to repair things and it’s been so much fun.”
Personalized bottles of wine make great gifts for those who have helped you plan your wedding.
10. Do not fret or fight
Plan as much as you want, but let your wedding day be. Be happy. Enjoy your day. Enjoy your wedding day. It’s not the time to be upset, stressed, or worried about insignificant details. Let your wedding planner or event team handle the behind-the scenes stuff.
What’s this? On their wedding day, newlyweds often fight. The majority of the fights are caused by anxiety or frustration. You should not do certain things on your wedding if you know they will upset your partner. Don’t smash cake in your bride’s face if you know she doesn’t like it.
I enjoy celebrating with my couples and want their receptions be a huge success.
