Elevate the Experience – Crafting A Wedding Your Guests Will Remember!

As wedding planners, we have Zoom meetings with potential clients to see if we are the right fit for each other. And during the meeting with potential clients, we ask them what they look forward to most on their wedding day. And the majority of the time the answer is to have all of the people they love in one place at the same time. Celebrating with their family and friends. It is the one opportunity for them all to be together. Their wedding is a time for their families to have fun and create memories together. We can understand that, especially since we could not celebrate with our loved ones during the pandemic. Spending time and celebrating with friends and family is what matters most. It is what it is all about!

Since this is a rare opportunity to have everyone together at once, the goal is to create an amazing wedding experience for you, your fiancee and your guests! We understand the importance of this, and we want to help you make it even more memorable for them. But how do you plan your wedding with your loved ones in mind and provide them with an exceptional experience?

First ask yourself this question: How do you want your guests to remember your wedding? That the shuttle was available for them, or that the food was delicious, or that the flowers were gorgeous? What do you want your wedding celebration to convey to your guests? Will it be an easy, laid-back day or a black-tie affair? Choose the areas of importance to you and focus on those details. If you want ethnic food, choose a caterer who can create a memorable meal. If you want abundant florals, work with a floral designer to give you a design you love. If you want to have a dance party, hire a big band. It is all about the details! Choose one or two areas of importance for your guests’ experience.

Most couples have either been to or attended a lot of weddings, and they know what they don’t want to do at their wedding for their guests. What they do want to do is make it easy for them to enjoy the day and make it a memorable experience. We have put together a list of our top tips to make your wedding an extra memorable one for your guests!

To create and elevate memorable experiences for your guests we suggest the following tips:

 

Hire a professional wedding planner to give tips and insights about the guest experience. They know those little details that take an event from a good time to a spectacular occasion. A good wedding planner will give you ideas you haven’t even considered and ways to execute them.

Hire professional vendors to create an incredible experience. Trust experienced vendors to bring your wedding day vision to life. Friends may offer services such as cakes, flowers, photography and entertainment. However, we recommend hiring licensed, insured professionals familiar with the wedding planning process and wedding day logistics. This will ensure that your wedding day runs smoothly.

Choose a wedding date that is important to you and try and avoid a holiday weekend (prices for hotels and travel are at a premium during the holidays). And while it may seem a great idea to have a three-day holiday weekend, it will cost your guests significantly more to travel then. If your guests really want to be at your wedding, they will attend and make their own three-day weekend out of it! Vendor pricing will also be at a premium, so make sure your wedding budget can handle those premium vendor prices before you choose a holiday weekend date.

Provide a detailed website with information about the wedding. Guests want to know when and where they need to be, the attire and hotel and transportation information. Be as detailed as possible, giving phone numbers, addresses, websites, and important book-by dates. Include on your website ideas for them to visit some of your favorite places in your city. Sightseeing, restaurants, and museums are all great choices for them to experience your city.

Provide a booking code with a book-by date to make it easy for them to book hotel rooms. Again, provide phone numbers, addresses, and websites.

Provide an easy way to RSVP. We’ve all heard the woes of getting guests to submit their RSVP information, which is crucial for providing the guest count to your vendor team. One good option is including a QR code on your invitation, sending guests directly to an online RSVP option. This will eliminate the step of going to the post office to drop off the reply card!

Provide transportation to and from the venue. Knowing they have a safe way home allows guests to enjoy the open bar without worry. On your wedding website or on clearly marked signage at the event, note the transportation schedule so guests can plan accordingly.

Make it a weekend experience and create a mini vacation for your guests! Provide guests with a welcome party and a post-wedding day brunch for them to attend. This will give you more time to spend with them to chat and catch up. The wedding day goes by so fast and you may not have a chance to speak with each guest. This way you will have other opportunities to be with them!

Who doesn’t like a little gift? Provide a welcome gift bag at the hotel filled with essentials like water, snacks and pain relievers, along with a detailed itinerary for the weekend. The more information and personalization, the better.

If your ceremony is outdoors, offer items to keep guests comfortable. Think sunglasses for sunny days, fans (which can double as programs) for humid afternoons, or blankets for cooler weather. Your guests will greatly appreciate this thoughtful gesture!

Make the seating chart easy for guests to read. While some ideas of signs are pretty, they may not be easy to read in a dark room or from afar. Make the chart in alphabetical order by the last name of the guest, not by their table number! This will make it easy for them to find their name. You can still think outside the box and use unique, fun ideas like a champagne wall or luggage tags that double as a favor! Just ensure it’s easy to read.

Give them a personalized note at their place setting that says “Thank You” for attending your wedding. This is such a thoughtful touch that they will appreciate.

Provide fun items at the reception for guests to use on the dance floor. Think glow sticks, necklaces and glow wands. Anything that lights up or can be worn (like hats or sunglasses) always gets the guests moving on the dance floor! You can ask your DJ or band to get involved and throw these items out to guests! Guests love to have fun, so add these items to your reception. We call it a “Crazy Hour!”

Hand out water bottles as guests leave the reception. (They have been dancing all night and they are hot, the bar is closed and they are thirsty) Send them on their way hydrated! We have seen firsthand how appreciative the guests are for the water! You can even personalize the bottles with your wedding monogram to add an extra fun touch.

Provide a late-night snack after all the dancing, as they will be hungry again! You can give this to them as they leave the reception or begin offering it on the dance floor. Think donuts, french fries or other easy-to-eat hand-held treats to help soak up the alcohol and satisfy post-dancing hunger.

Most importantly, thank them and tell them how much you appreciate their traveling to your wedding and how much their presence means to you on this special day.

We hope you find these tips helpful when planning your dream wedding! All the little details add up to create an elevated experience. Make it a memorable milestone celebration for everyone. Make it a wedding that you and your guests will rave about for years to come!