Practical ideas to give your wedding guests the best possible experience from noon to night and the following day
Photo by Scott Webb
No matter how over-the-top or low-key your big day will be, there is one wedding goal that pretty much every couple shares. And that’s the desire to treat your nearest and dearest to an uh-mazing time! Luckily, keeping your guests happy is super easy (and it doesn’t have to involve hiring the priciest brand or serving up a gourmet meal). While your wedding day can go by in the blink of an eye, weddings can be typically long days for guests. From aches and pains to tiredness and dehydration, there are a number of uncomfortable scenarios which can strike when you're least expecting them.
Here are five simple things you can do to ensure your friends and family have the time of their lives on your big day.
PROTECT YOUR GUESTS FROM THE ELEMENTS
The weather will be the most unpredictable element of your wedding day, so it's best to prepare for every eventuality. Rain can hit whatever the season, so have a supply of umbrellas to hand. If you're holding a winter wedding or hosting outdoor entertainment during the warmer seasons when the temperature might drop, think about blankets and fire pits or heaters to keep guests warm.
During a summer wedding or destination wedding, especially if your ceremony is held outdoors, have paper fans at the ready for guests to keep themselves cool and ensure there are plenty of shaded areas in and around your venue.
Wedding Program Fan from Etsy.
SNACKS & DRINKS
While you may have planned your wedding menu to perfection, don't forget about those quieter interludes either side of your wedding breakfast when hunger pangs are inevitable... Consider canapés after the wedding ceremony and before the main meal, as well as mini morsels for daytime guests to tuck into before the evening guests arrive and more food is served.
If the celebrations are ongoing until the early hours, you might want to think about late evening snacks such as a sweet cart, S'mores bar, or toasted marshmallows around a firepit. Your wedding favours also pose the opportunity to offer a treat to eat at the table or stow away for later in the evening. Home-made biscuits, chocolates or macarons are the ideal sweet gesture to ensure your guests are well-fed.
Also think about non-alcoholic drinks to encourage guests to stay hydrated. Water coolers are a great way of providing a constant supply, as well as tea and coffee facilities on tap; speak with your venue or caterers to see what they can offer.
Photo by fu zhichao
TOILETRY BASKETS
Stock the men's and women's toilets with aerosol deodorants, perfume/cologne, hairspray and dry shampoo. Make-up wipes and tissues may also come in handy in the women's facilities, while hair gel and styling wax might be put to good use in the men's.
This is a great way to get rid of any surplus products you might be hoarding at home, or ask your friends and family members to donate their unwanted toiletries in the run up to your big day.
Photo by reneereneee
FLIP-FLOPS
Spare your female guests the agonising pain of burning feet with a pair of flip-flops to replace their heels as the night draws in. Buy the flip-flops in bulk and present in a basket with a sign which reads 'A little treat for your dancing feet' or similar.
If you're feeling even more generous, you could gift your guests gel insoles and even heel stoppers to prevent heels from sinking into grassed areas.
Flip-flops wedding sign from Etsy
HANGOVER KITS
When the day is done and the celebrations have drawn to a close, the morning after the night before rears its ugly head. For those guests who haven't paced themselves throughout the evening, have hangover kits at the ready to halt the headache and revive tired eyes.
You can place these kits in the rooms where your guests are staying (if your venue offers accommodation), or they can be available to take home at the end of the night.
Fill your hangover kits with items such as rehydration tablets, mild pain relief, chewing gum, lavender essential oil and an eye mask. Your guests will be thanking you come the morning.
Hangover kit bag from Etsy.