Have you ever been to a wedding and made a mental list of what irked you while you were there? Sure you have. And, know that you are not alone.
I’m going to share just a few things that guests across the country has named some of their wedding pet peeves. And, if you are planning a wedding, you may want to make note so that you and YOUR GUESTS will have a great time. Let’s get started:
- The Long Wait Before the Reception-Girlfriends, if you have more than an hour between your ceremony and reception, your guests are not going to appreciate it. And, I get that this is your wedding. “I do.”😉 However, if guests are all dressed fancy and took time out of their day or weekend to spend with you, they want to spend it with you and have their time occupied with festivity. If the time between the ceremony and reception can’t be pushed closer together, consider having refreshments and even entertainment to keep your guests excited and happy to see you when you arrive. They will love this!
- Cash bars- You invited your guests to celebrate with you. And, yes, bars can get pretty expensive, but it’s a little tacky to ask your guests to pick up the tab for an event hosted by you. If it gets too pricey for you to have an all night open bar, play around with the idea of having a select beverage(s) served or a signature drink that is available to your guests for free. You can even have the bar closed at a specific time to help you spend within your limit.
- Loooong Toasts- As a planner, I always make the suggestion to my couples to select who will be given the golden moment to hold the microphone and speak. Typically, it’s the best man, maid of honor, 1 or 2 more in the bridal party and then the couple. But if you decide to open the floor for any and everyone, this can get really long and boring for your crowd. Minds will start wandering off and the enjoyment will start to dwindle.
- Being invited to outdoor ceremonies in highly heated (or cold) conditions-be a gracious hostess and consider the weather conditions. If it’s humid and hot with the sun ablaze, cool your guests off with fan programs, chilled water to drink, water spritzers or sprayers, sunglasses, etc. You can’t control the weather but your guests will sure see the effort you put in to try to make them comfortable. If it’s cool, provide blankets, gloves, hot cocoa or rent heaters.
- Loooong Buffet Lines-your guests are hungry by time it’s the reception, even if you provide them with refreshments and beverages beforehand. One thing that will turn a smile into a frown is having to wait forever to eat their meal. One way to avoid this, have table numbers or table names and have the DJ or band leader call sets of tables out to prevent a traffic jam at the buffet. Or, arrange with your caterer to have two buffet lines to help serve the guests much quicker.
- Holidays and 3 Day Weekends- If you are considering having a fun filled, activity packed all expense paid weekend for your guests, they will love it. But truthfully, many people would like to make their own plans for holidays and weekends such as Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day and the other national holidays. Now, I’m sure they will be on board if the location is a must see destination that they just wouldn’t dare pass up.
- No Plus One-It may be an inconvenience for your guests to be invited to your wedding and can’t bring their long term partner or better yet their spouse. When you are making out your guest list, consider those that may not know anyone else on your guest list and would be more comfortable with their plus one.
- The Receiving Line-These can be long and drawn out. And, yet, another line for your guests to stand in. If your guest list is really small, the receiving line just may be a keeper. Just maybe. One way to getting around doing this is to meet with your wedding coordinator to add some time in the reception for you and your honey to go to tables and greet your guests. They will love this and this gets you up and moving and away from your head table staring into the crowd.
Anyone of these stand out to you? If so, I want to hear your thoughts.
Photo Credit: Skytouche Photo
