Creating Joyful Wedding Memories For Guests

Planning a wedding is often all about ensuring that the couple tying the knot is happy. However, it's also important to keep your wedding guests happy. Here are some tips to ensure your guests have a good time:

- Give guests plenty of notice, especially if your wedding is at a destination that requires travel arrangements.

- Keep guests updated with a wedding website that includes details such as dates, times, addresses, and transport information.

- Choose a comfortable location with shade in the summer and warmth in the winter.

- Prepare a seating arrangement to avoid chaos and disagreements.

- Provide entertainment such as games, music, photo booths, and other unique experiences.

- Offer refreshments, snacks, and drinks throughout the ceremony and reception.

- Help guests get home safely with transportation or taxi arrangements.

- Send thank-you notes to show your appreciation for their attendance and gifts.

Provide welcome bags

Providing welcome bags is a great way to make your wedding guests feel special and appreciated. Here are some tips and ideas to create wonderful welcome bags for your guests:

The Contents

Welcome bags should be well-stocked with a variety of useful and enjoyable items. Here are some suggestions for what to include:

• Snacks and treats: Offer your guests a selection of snacks to enjoy, such as cookies, brownies, or other local specialties.
• Drinks: Include bottled water, especially if it's summer, and perhaps some other beverages like juice or wine.
• Breath mints: Mints are a thoughtful addition to the bag, ensuring your guests feel fresh throughout the celebrations.
• A welcome note: A personalised note adds a warm touch, expressing your gratitude for their presence and setting a friendly tone for the festivities.
• Itinerary and maps: Help your guests navigate the wedding festivities by providing a detailed itinerary and maps of the venue and surrounding area.
• Shuttle information: If you're providing transportation, include details about the shuttle service, such as pick-up and drop-off points and timings.
• Venue address: For guests who may need to arrange their own transportation, provide the address so they can easily find their way.
• Other useful items: Consider the season and the specific needs of your guests. For example, if it's summer, include paper fans or parasols to keep them cool. If it's winter, provide blankets or stoles to keep them warm. You could also include items like hand sanitiser, lip balm, or even small gifts like candles or plants.

Presentation

The presentation of the welcome bags can also add to the overall experience. Here are some ideas:

• Bag type: Choose a bag that aligns with your wedding theme or colours. For example, a stylish tote bag, a rustic jute bag, or a personalised paper bag with your names and the wedding date.
• Decorations: Embellish the bags with decorations such as ribbons, stickers, or custom labels with your names or a special message.
• Display: Create a dedicated welcome table or area where guests can find their bags upon arrival. Decorate the table with flowers, signage, and perhaps a fun message like "Welcome, we're glad you're here!".

Timing and Delivery

Consider the timing and delivery of the welcome bags to ensure they have the desired impact:

• Delivery method: Decide whether you want to deliver the bags to your guests' hotel rooms or have them available for pick-up upon check-in. If possible, coordinate with the hotel staff to arrange a seamless distribution.
• Timing: Aim to have the bags ready and available before the wedding festivities begin. This way, guests can enjoy the treats and use the items during their stay.

Personalisation

Personalising the welcome bags adds a special touch and makes your guests feel valued:

• Customise the items: Consider personalising some of the items in the bag, such as including customised cookies with your initials or monogrammed hand sanitiser bottles.
• Handwritten notes: If possible, write personalised notes to each guest, expressing your appreciation for their presence and any special role they may have in your wedding.

Offer refreshments before the ceremony

Offering refreshments before the ceremony is a great way to make your wedding guests feel welcome and appreciated. It is also a good idea if your ceremony is scheduled at a time when your guests might be hungry, or if there is a significant time gap between the ceremony and the reception. Here are some tips to help you plan and execute this:

Plan Refreshments According to the Weather and Location

If you are having an outdoor wedding in warm weather, it is a good idea to offer chilled drinks and refreshing snacks. You could set up a lemonade stand, or offer fruit-infused water, iced tea, or even champagne. If your wedding is in a tropical location, you could serve drinks in real coconuts or use local ingredients like coconut water or citrus fruits. For a cold-weather wedding, consider offering hot drinks like tea, coffee, or hot chocolate, along with blankets to keep your guests warm.

Choose Refreshments That Are Easy to Eat and Not Too Messy

While bite-sized pastries, cookies, and small sandwiches can be a good option, you might want to avoid offering anything too messy or difficult to eat. You don't want your guests to be juggling plates and drinks while trying to socialise or find their seats. Consider single-serve portions of snacks like guacamole and chips, or "cones" of charcuterie with meats, cheeses, crackers, and fruits.

Consider the Timing and Duration of Your Ceremony

If your ceremony is short and followed by a cocktail hour, refreshments may not be necessary. However, if your ceremony is long or your guests are arriving early, refreshments will be appreciated. Keep in mind that most guests tend to arrive 10-15 minutes before the ceremony, so plan your refreshments accordingly.

Be Mindful of Your Budget

Offering refreshments before the ceremony can be a nice touch, but it is not a requirement. If you are on a tight budget, you may want to skip this, especially if you are already offering an open bar and food during the reception.

Make Sure There Are Enough Refreshments for Everyone

If you do decide to offer pre-ceremony refreshments, make sure there is enough for all your guests. You don't want to run out and leave some guests disappointed. It is usually a good idea to have more than you think you'll need, as people tend to eat and drink more at weddings!

Keep the Refreshments Area Separate from the Ceremony Space

You may want to set up a separate area for refreshments, especially if you are offering food. This will help avoid any mess during the ceremony and ensure that your guests are not eating and drinking while the ceremony is taking place.

Remember, the most important thing is to keep your guests comfortable and happy. By offering refreshments before the ceremony, you are creating a welcoming atmosphere and ensuring that your guests can fully enjoy celebrating your special day.

Give guests something to keep warm or cool, depending on the weather

Keeping your guests comfortable is key to making them feel happy at your wedding. If you're having an outdoor wedding in the summer, it's a good idea to provide parasols, fans, extra shade, and bottles of water to keep your guests cool. You could also provide a large pump bottle of sunscreen and let your celebrant or MC inform the guests that it's available.

If your wedding is in the winter, you can provide blankets, stoles, and heaters to keep your guests warm. You could also arrange a coffee, tea, and hot chocolate station. If your wedding is near a body of water or at dusk, provide mosquito repellent or burn citronella candles to keep the bugs away.

For weddings in the autumn or winter, you could offer a basket with shawls or blankets and umbrellas in case of rain. This is especially thoughtful for elderly guests or children, who will be appreciative of the extra consideration.

If your wedding is in a marquee or another outdoor location, you can hire temporary toilets. Make sure to also provide basic amenities such as Band-Aids, a sewing kit, and mints.

Prepare a memorable toast

A memorable wedding toast is a gesture of love and support for the newlyweds. It is an opportunity to share your feelings, memories, and wishes for the couple as they embark on their new journey together. A great toast strikes a balance between humour and sincerity, infusing personal anecdotes and universal truths about love. Here are some tips to help you prepare a memorable wedding toast:

Structure and Content

A well-structured toast helps you deliver your message clearly and keeps the audience engaged. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, you can consider the following formats:

• The chronological approach: Begin with how you met the couple (or one of them) and progress through significant moments in their relationship.
• The theme-based approach: Choose a central theme, such as adventure, growth, or partnership, and build your toast around it.
• The problem-solution approach: Initiate with a challenge the couple faced and showcase how their love helped them overcome it.
• Introduction: Introduce yourself and your relationship to the couple.
• Body: Share 2-3 anecdotes or thoughts about the couple, incorporating humour and sentimentality.
• Conclusion: Offer congratulations and best wishes for their future, raising your glass to invite others to join the toast.

Tailoring the Toast

The nature of your relationship with the couple should influence the content and tone of your toast. Here are some considerations based on who is giving the toast:

• Best man/Maid of honour: Share personal stories about your friendship with the bride or groom. Balance humour with sincere reflections on their character and offer insights into their relationship from your unique perspective.
• Parent of the bride/groom: Reflect on watching your child grow up and welcome your new son/daughter-in-law into the family. Share wisdom or advice for a happy marriage and reminisce about childhood memories.

Enhancing with Technology

Consider incorporating technology to enhance your wedding toast:

• Create a slideshow of photos to accompany your speech.
• Use a digital prompter app on your phone or tablet for seamless delivery.
• Incorporate pre-recorded video messages from loved ones who couldn't attend.
• Live-stream your toast for guests joining remotely.

Practice and Delivery

The success of your wedding toast lies not only in the content but also in how you deliver it. Confidence is key, and here are some techniques to ensure a smooth and engaging delivery:

• Practise your speech multiple times in front of a mirror or a trusted friend.
• Record yourself and listen back to refine your delivery.
• Time your speech to ensure it falls within the recommended 3-5 minute sweet spot.
• Memorise key points rather than reading verbatim from notes.
• Make eye contact with various guests throughout the room.
• Use natural hand gestures to emphasise your points.
• Smile and convey genuine emotion through your facial expressions.
• Vary your tone and pace to maintain the audience's interest.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

When crafting your wedding toast, it is important to be mindful of some common pitfalls:

• Shy away from inside jokes and stick to stories that everyone can appreciate.
• Keep the humour tasteful and appropriate for all ages.
• Avoid rambling by practising your speech to stay concise and on-topic.
• Refrain from mentioning exes or past relationships; focus on the couple's present and future.
• Save celebratory drinks for after your toast to ensure a clear and confident delivery.

Provide entertainment for kids

Keeping kids entertained at a wedding is a great way to ensure that parents can relax and enjoy the celebrations. Here are some ideas to keep kids happy and occupied:

Kids' Area

Create a designated kids-only area with a little tent, cushions, games, and books. This cosy escape will keep younger guests entertained during the reception drinks when adults are usually standing and chatting. You could even set up a mini outdoor cinema for after-dinner entertainment, with cushions, bowls of popcorn, and family-favourite films.

Kids' Disco

A kids-only disco with a playlist of pop hits and family favourites is a great way to give kids some time on the dance floor before the adults join in. Ask your DJ to prepare a child-friendly playlist and play it before your first dance.

Kids' Crafts

Kids love colouring and crafts. Set up a colouring competition with wedding-themed printables, colouring pads, and pots of coloured pencils. Don't forget to have a prize for the winner! Alternatively, set up a craft table where children can make wedding cards, design wedding dresses, decorate cupcakes, or make photobooth props.

Games

Garden games such as giant Jenga, Connect 4, and Hook A Duck are always a hit with kids. You could also set up a treasure hunt with clues to find hidden items around the venue. For indoor entertainment, board games like Guess Who, Operation, and Hungry Hippos are perfect, as they don't take too long to play.

Entertainment Packs

Sitting still during a wedding breakfast can be challenging for children. Provide entertainment packs including quizzes, books, stickers, and small toys to keep them occupied at the table.

Hire an Entertainer

If your budget allows, hiring an entertainer is a great option. They will come with everything they need to keep the kids entertained for hours, and parents can enjoy some child-free time.

Kids' Menu

Food is always a winner with kids. Make sure there are plenty of child-friendly options, especially during the drinks reception when younger guests are often forgotten. Individual snack bags or a sweet cart are sure to be a hit.

Play Tents

Kids adore play tents! Set up a tent with hula hoops, crates of activities, cushions, and rugs for a comfy and fun space.

Sparklers

For a fun send-off idea, provide sparklers for the kids to wave during the couple's exit.

Cameras

Provide disposable cameras or Instax cameras for the children and give them a list of photo ideas or a scavenger hunt list. This will keep them entertained, and you'll get some unique perspectives of your wedding day.

Lego

Lego is a great way to keep kids of all ages entertained. Set up a designated Lego table with a poster asking them to build their ultimate dream house. You could even offer a prize for the best creation.

Bouncy Castle

If your budget and venue allow, a bouncy castle is a fantastic addition to an outdoor wedding. Just make sure to keep drunken adults off it!

Frequently asked questions