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Along with selecting the perfect dress, deciding on a dreamy color palette and mixing up delicious signature cocktails, your wedding guests are a very important part of your celebration! They are the people that want to be there to wish you well on this next journey in your lives. No matter if your wedding is with 10 guests or 400 guests, you want to make them feel comfortable and welcome. Although the wedding is of course about you and your partner, final wedding details should be made with your friends and family in mind. Thoughtfulness and incorporating small touches to increase their comfort will make the day even more memorable for everyone in attendance!
Below are a few simple ways to ensure your guests enjoy every moment of your day.
Pick a Large Enough Venue:
Come up with your rough guest count before looking for venues, you will want to make sure you find a venue that can comfortably hold your guests plus allow room for a dancefloor, food, entertainment, etc.
See if your venue has someone who helps with creating layouts, most likely they will have a program that will put “service perimeters” on the tables, which allows them to make sure the tables have enough room around them for guests and servers to walk around.
Don’t forget that things like your gifts, guestbook, dessert and buffet will need table space. When looking at venues, make sure to ask their opinion on how many fit comfortable with all the extras you want.
Ask to see sample layouts or ask if your venue would be willing to draw up a layout for you before you book to make sure it looks comfortable with your estimated guests count.
Spend Some Time on your Guest Count:
I know you think you want everyone you know to come to your wedding, but we are telling you right now, you don't. REALLY think about who you want there, who would be the most important to you and create the best experience for your day. Invite those guests.
Trying to invite more guests than your venue can comfortably fit is a big mistake. When a venue tells you their maximum capacity, this means it will be a tight fit, they have come up with what their absolute maximum would be not including all the extras you may want (band, second bar, photo booth, etc.).
Rent Lounge Furniture:
If the space in your venue allows it, a seating area is a great way to add a comfortable space for your guests to socialize. Especially for the non-dancers in the group. They can escape the music but still enjoy their evening! Click here to view our favorite lounge groupings.
It doesn’t have to be large, just having a couch with a couple chairs and side tables can add so much to a space.
Make sure where you set up the lounge is far enough away from the speakers to guests can easily socialize without feeling like they have to yell at each other.
Provide Transportation for your guests:
Guest transportation ensures safety of guests after an evening of celebrating.
Provide transportation only from hotels to your venue and back at the end of the night
When scheduling your transportation from the hotels to the wedding, we suggest not having the buses loop back and forth. All of your buses need to arrive at the hotels at the same time, providing enough buses to pick ALL of your guests up at the same time. They need to arrive at the venue at the same time which needs to be a half an hour before the ceremony time which gives them enough time to use the restroom, put their gift down, grab a drink, and get to their seat. We don’t want your guests becoming restless at any point of the day. Making sure that they are only riding the shuttles a max of 25 mins, and arriving half an hour before the ceremony helps to alleviate that.
At the end of the night, we suggest providing (2) early shuttle times for those guests that would like to head back to their hotel. Preferably a 9:30pm shuttle, and a 10pm shuttle.
Customize Your Ceremony:
Create a meaningful ceremony that comes from the heart. Don’t be afraid to be non traditional, and add elements that show your love story in a way that it can only be told from the two of you.
Be creative and think outside of the box! Wedding ceremonies do not all need to look the same, believe us, it will be a breath of fresh air to your guests.
PLEASE, Do Not Skimp on the DJ:
This is something that is so so important. So, please take note. DO NOT, and I repeat, DO NOT go looking for a cheap DJ. This is truly a vendor that you GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. Don’t let this area of your budget get what's “left over”.
This vendor should be looked at as importantly as you look for your caterer. Your DJ will be the one to keep your party alive but they can also make for extremely awkward moments that will encourage your guests to leave sooner than you’d like them too!
Find a DJ that finds pride in their art. That personally mixes music, and that is excited about creating and customizing a playlist for the two of you.
Don’t be afraid to ask for examples of their work. This is another area of your day that can truly shine, but it also has the ability to cast a negative light if your DJ is not confident in their ability. If you have hired a planner or coordinator, this would be an area that you should take their recommendations, and trust their judgment and experience in the industry.
Need more inspiration? Don't worry, we've got you! Click here to check out a Pinterest Board we've created with loads of inspo.
Happy Planning!
XO,
Kelsey + Jess