If you want to enhance the wedding guest experience on your big day, there are many approaches you can take! From thoughtfully displayed desserts to live entertainment, you can ensure your guests have a blast celebrating your love and know how much you appreciate their support.
As a wedding coordination team, we love to help our couples thoughtfully elevate their wedding days. Though often overlooked, the little details can significantly impact your day’s overall feel! Today, we’re sharing some of our favorite ways to enhance the wedding guest experience by investing in those details.
01. LATE NIGHT SNACKS
Who doesn’t love a midnight snack? Fuel your wedding guests for a night of celebration with tasty late-night treats. There are so many creative ways to incorporate this idea into your wedding day, from a soft pretzel bar to a donut wall to a burger bar.
02. DESSERT DISPLAYS
If you prefer to forgo the traditional towering wedding cake, you can still treat your guests to a fun and delicious third course. And you have endless options for doing so! You can provide a spread of different treats so your guests can choose their favorites, or you can focus on one type of dessert with a creative display, like a cookie or cupcake bar.
Our biggest tip for planning a dessert table is to consider how you’d like to display the treats. We recommend platters and stands at varying heights for visual appeal and signs displaying the different flavors. Moreover, consider incorporating florals, greenery, and other miscellaneous décor items. You could even set the table against a themed backdrop. Or, create a mobile dessert wall instead of a table!
03. WRITE A NOTE TO EACH GUEST
Nothing is more thoughtful than letting each of your guests know that you appreciate them and are glad they’re celebrating with you! Consider writing a personalized note to each guest (or family unit if your list of attendees is long). Then, place the notes at each guest’s table setting so they find a sweet surprise waiting for them when they enter the reception. Alternatively, you can create a display wall for the notes that doubles as your escort card display.
04. INTERACTIVE ESCORT CARDS
Lately, we’ve noticed many couples putting creative spins on the traditional escort card, and we’re all about it! Instead of cards, why not choose a creative object representing your wedding theme, something you love to do as a couple, or an aspect of your love story? Or, for a more elegant take on the trend, create a champagne wall so your guests can grab a glass of bubbly on their way into the celebration.
05. LIVE PAINTER OR SKETCH ARTIST
If some of your loved ones don’t enjoy dancing, or if you simply want an additional form of entertainment at your reception, consider hiring a live painter or sketch artist! A live painter can paint a scene from your day, such as your ceremony or first dance as newlyweds, while your guests look on. Not only is it fascinating to watch the artist work in real time, but at the end of the night, you’ll have a precious keepsake to look back on your special day!
Alternatively, you can hire a sketch or caricature artist to create a drawing for each guest. Consider providing costumes and props so they can really get into it! They’ll have a blast striking funny poses and seeing themselves as caricatures, and the sketches can also double as favors from the night.
06. CHAMPAGNE GREETING
What could be more celebratory (or elegant) than a glass of champagne? As your guests arrive at your ceremony, consider providing flutes of champagne (or even a fun and refreshing signature cocktail) to welcome them. They’ll especially appreciate having a cold refreshment if your ceremony is outdoors in warm weather.
07. COCKTAIL HOUR TASTE-TESTING BAR
Put a fun spin on cocktail hour with a personalized beer or wine-tasting menu! Your guests can sample a flight of your favorite libations as they mingle and wait for the reception to begin. Focusing on cocktail hour is a thoughtful way to enhance the wedding guest experience since you and your spouse will likely be busy taking photos.
08. CEREMONY BLANKETS
Do you expect chilly weather at your outdoor wedding ceremony? Ensure your guests’ comfort by providing warm blankets to sit under as you say your vows. You can even turn this practical necessity into beautiful décor by getting blankets in your wedding colors or with your initials monogrammed into the corner!
09. CUSTOM WELCOME BAGS
Will you have lots of out-of-town guests at your wedding? Give them a warm welcome with customized treat bags or boxes filled with locally made items or food and drinks representing your wedding location. In addition, consider including a map of things to do in your wedding location if they’ll be in town for several days.
10. FAMILY-STYLE MEAL
Consider serving a family-style meal at your reception instead of a traditional plated service or buffet. This concept is similar to food stations in that your guests can serve themselves as much or as little as they’d like of each item, but instead of waiting in line to do so, they never have to leave their seats. Moreover, this option is especially suited for intimate weddings as it fosters cross-table conversation and imitates a home-style family dinner.
11. DANCE FLOOR FLIP-FLOPS
Everyone knows dress shoes don’t get top marks for comfort…and most wedding guests abandon the shoes they came in by the end of the night! Instead of letting everyone go barefoot on the dance floor, where germs run rampant or glasses are dropped, why not provide a comfortable footwear alternative instead? Flip-flops are the perfect solution. Plus, they’re a ton of fun! We recommend getting multiple sizes and placing them in an aesthetically pleasing basket by your band or DJ. That way, your guests can’t miss them once it’s time for dancing.
It only takes a few thoughtful touches to enhance the wedding guest experience. Ensuring your guests are comfortable and entertained throughout the day will leave them with a lasting impression of your appreciation!
When planning to incorporate these touches into your day, it’s always helpful to have the services of a wedding coordinator at your disposal. Your coordinator won’t just help to implement these details in the planning stage, but they’ll also ensure flawless execution on the day of! If you’re an Indiana bride, the JWDC team would love to chat about your wedding plans and ideas and share what sets us apart from full-service planners. Get in touch to learn more!
Xo,
The JDWC Team
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