TOP 10 MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER | THE WEDDING GUEST EDITION
We plan weddings of all sizes, from intimate celebrations for 50 guests through to multi day celebrations and part of what we love is designing parties that will be enjoyed and remembered for years to come.
1. Ensure everyone gets the invite
If you're sending traditional invites, gorgeous hard copies in a beautiful stock which have been lovingly posted out, the worst thing is for these never to arrive. And let's face it, the postal system is not the most reliable. We therefore recommend that you invest in having a gorgeous digital copies designed which can be sent as a follow up, just in case. Hand delivering and special delivery is of course the safest way to ensure invites arrive.
2. Pre-event comms are key
Planning a wedding takes a lot of time, and we do find that managing guests can take a huge chunk of time. We offer a guest concierge service which sees us managing all RSVPs from the point of invite through to the day itself. This allows us to manage all questions, manage attendance, dietary requirements and any special requests. Guests like to know what is happening when and having a good RSVP system in place means that we can remind anyone who hasn't responded to reply, give reminders and updates, collate info and keep people generally in the loop with any changes or reminders.
3. Think about the experience and flow
One of our biggest tips. Take time to sit with your planner and really consider the guest experience. How will each point feel - what will they be eating or drinking, where will they sit, how are the sightlines, what will the space feel like? We really step into the shoes of a guest and give this area a lot of consideration. It's so important. Weddings that flow well, always leave guests feeling happy. You want people to arrive and get carried away in the fun of it all, without a worry in the world, and then suddenly before they know it, 12 hours has passed and it's time for the last song.
4. Make sure it's clear what's going on
Guests like to know what's happening. We've found this time and time again. People like a timeline! It doesn't have to be a physical one, although they're great too, it can be a little note here and there - the next steps at the back of your order of service, a comment in your speech or an MC bringing it all together. No-one wants to miss anything at a wedding!
5. Have enough food
Ensuring that there is enough food is so, so important. If you're having a long drinks reception, which most couples do to allow time for photos as well as everyone catching up, having enough food is important. For a 2 hour reception, we'd recommend minimum of 6 canapés but you could easily do double this. One of the worst things is to have free flowing champagne and cocktails and not enough food!
6. Consider the music
Weddings tend to have a very varied guest list - people from every stage of your life. Part of the magic of weddings is that you mix old and young together as well as people from all corners of the globe. It's exciting and fun but with a varied demographic comes a varied music list. You can't please everyine however having a considered playlist and entertainment to appeal to a broad range, is really important.
7. Encourage guest interaction
Mixing together lots of different groups of friends from various stages in your life, as well as family can feel disjointed. The reality is that everyone is there with a shared goal, to celebrate your marriage and their love for you as a couple, and that links everyone together well. Encouraging conversations, having moments for people to speak in a fun and relaxed way - perhaps it's an interactive guest book, personalised elements to the place settings or a fun and unexpected table favour. Getting people talking always makes for a great atmosphere.
8. Ensure everyone knows the dress code
This one is really important - it's not about dictating what people wear at all however you want to create a visual look for your wedding whether that's formal black tie or perhaps a sea of colour. Ensure you're clear here but allow for guests to interpret this in their own way. That way everyone will feel comfortable and the overall look will feel cohesive.
9. Feed people again
We said you needed enough food and it's true. You really do. And that means considering feeding people again later in the day. If your ceremony starts early then the gap between your wedding breakfast and the end of the celebrations can be long. Late night food is such a great opportunity to have fun - personal branded burgers and fries or perhaps a pop up pizza truck - late night food is always one of the most fun parts.
10. Appoint an expert wedding planner who has a guest concierge
Within all weddings we have an element of guest concierge. For some it's just on the day - a dedicated team member who can ensure guests have everything they need. For others we handle guest management from the moment of invite, manage all RSVPs, any questions ahead of the day and then on the day itself. Either way, we help manage guests and for so many this ends up being an area they underestimate. So our biggest tip is always to hire a planner who prioritises this to ensure this is not a stressful area for you - we have a job for a reason! Email us!
IMAGE CREDITS:
Flo Brooks Photography
