How Do I Make My Wedding Guest Feel Special?

Couples put a lot of thought into making their wedding day special and memorable for their guests as they strive for individuality and novelty in all the planning. One of the many factors contributing to the rise in favour of weddings with few guests is this trend. For some couples, however, narrowing down the guest list is an impossibility. Not everyone can comfortably host a party with fewer than 100 guests, especially if they have a large social circle, a large family, or parents who are paying for the event and will invite whoever they want. It's not uncommon for couples to have more than 200 guests RSVP "yes." Don't worry, though; there are ways to make everyone who couldn't make it feel like they were nonetheless a vital part of your special day.

It's simple to get wrapped up in the wedding planning and focus solely on yourself. Even though the focus of a wedding should be on the happy couple, don't forget that your guests are there to help you celebrate and have fun as well. It's also important to remember that your guests have spent a lot of money on bringing themselves, a new outfit, and transportation to your wedding. Make your guests feel welcome and appreciated even before the wedding by following these simple guidelines.

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Before Your Wedding

Give Your Wedding Guests Ample Time to Plan. 

Guests should be informed of the wedding date as soon as possible after the venue is booked, so a creative "save the date" announcement can be sent out. They'll have lots of time to arrange everything they need to attend your wedding. Take a look at our Wedding Stationery Guidebook if you need further advice.

Create a wedding website with your wedding guests in mind.  

Think about your guests as you craft the text for your wedding website. Share all the information they'll need to know about the city where your wedding will be held. The best local eateries and local maps should be shared. And don't forget to give them the lowdown on the big day: how far is it from the car to the church? In what kind of weather will the ceremony take place? Do you plan to pay for my parking and drinks? Don't assume your guests will have cash on hand; if they don't, let them know ahead of time so they can stop at an ATM on the way. Keep in mind the basics: the wedding date, location, start/end times, and attire. Also, make sure the domain name is short and simple to remember.

Inquire About Their Music Choices.  

Include a line in the wording of your RSVP card asking guests to suggest a special song for the reception. As the wedding day approaches, your guests will have the chance to submit song requests to the DJ or band.

Upon Arrival

Welcome, Your Guests Upon Arrival at the Hotel. 

Make the lobby of the hotel more welcoming by putting up a sign. It's a cheap and easy way to put a smile on the faces of your wedding guests as they enter the reception. Remember the power of a handwritten note of welcome at all times. You can ask the hotel's front desk to give your wedding guests a letter you've typed up as they check in. Either hand-delivering the note to each guest's room yourself or paying to have it done will make a great impression.

During Your Wedding 

Assemble a Wedding Day "Welcome Wagon." 

Guests will appreciate being greeted by members of your family, so have them stand by the ceremony and/or reception entrances. Let someone else distribute the programmes, as the host's only responsibility is to welcome guests.

Think of the Introverts at Your Wedding.  

You should provide a place for your wedding guests to relax and recharge. Offer secluded areas to rest your weary bones. Bring in some lounge furniture and set up a wee bar close to these gathering spots to take things up a notch.

Be Inclusive. 

Get in touch with any guests who may require additional assistance in advance to ensure that they are able to fully enjoy your wedding day. Try to meet the requirements of the venue and the caterer. however, please don't make a big deal out of it! It's not polite to make guests feel uncomfortable or like they're in the way.

Provide Child Care for the Younger Guests.  

Will there be any kid guests? The next step is to think about booking a room specifically for the kids and finding a reliable babysitter to keep them occupied and safe. They'll have a good time, and the parents can go out and socialise without worrying about the kids.

After Your Wedding 

Keep Your Wedding Guests Hydrated on the Way Home.  

Instruct the valet parking attendants to place cold water bottles emblazoned with your wedding logo or monogram in the cup holders of guests' vehicles just before delivering them. There will be nothing but praise from your guests.

Provide Your Wedding Guests with a "Morning After" Treat. 

Do many of your visitors have rooms at the hotel or resort? If so, send a delicious breakfast to each room the following morning. Biscuits and jam, scones and tea, etc., are just a couple of the options.

An Exciting Closing Event for the Wedding Weekend. Have a lively "after-party" for your guests to continue the celebration, or host a relaxing brunch the day after the wedding for everyone to unwind and catch their breath.

Show Your Gratitude in a Timely Manner.  

Please don't leave your guests wondering if you got their gift. Within a couple of weeks of receiving their wedding gift, send each guest a handwritten note of thanks.

Making your wedding guests feel at home can be accomplished through a series of small actions and thoughtful considerations.

Ways To Make Your Wedding Guests Happy

Create A Wedding Website In Consideration Of Your Guests

You should think about the people who will be attending your wedding when making your website. Your website copy should provide all the information they require. Describe the city that will play host to your wedding. Provide them with advice on how to most effectively arrange their trip.

In case they decide to extend their stay by a few more days, you might want to recommend some of your favourite local eateries. It is possible to add a map of the wedding location. Now, no one attending your wedding will need to make pit stops to ask for directions.

Plus, you might want to include information specific to the wedding itself. You could, for instance, let them know whether or not the wedding will take place outdoors. Your guests will appreciate knowing if they have a long walk from the parking lot to the ceremony site.

You can let your guests know whether or not you will be covering the cost of the parking lot on your wedding website. That way, on the way to the ceremony, they can stop at an ATM and get some cash.

Don't forget to include important information like the wedding ceremony's start time and required attire. It is possible to use a wedding website to send out electronic invitations and collect responses.

Place A Welcome Sign Upon Your Wedding Guests Arrival At The Hotel

Planning on getting a block of hotel rooms for the wedding party? If so, you should probably make some sort of sign to let them know they're welcome. It doesn't have to be elaborate. Keep it brief and simple to put a beaming expression on your guests' faces as they travel to your wedding location.

It's a small thing, but it'll mean a lot to the guests who spent hours trying to find your wedding venue in the dark. Really, it's impossible to say. It's possible that some of your guests travelled from very far away to be there for your wedding.

Serve water and refreshments for your wedding guests.

It's only natural that once your wedding guests arrive, they'll want to grab a drink or snack to pass the time while waiting for everyone else.

So, make sure there's plenty of refreshments and water available at the venue. While most wedding halls provide a place to keep guests' water bottles, you may want to bring some of your own so they can take them with them.

Setup A Different Wedding Table For Kids And Adults

Although there is no harm in children having fun and playing, it can cause some chaos at your wedding.

There needs to be a place for the adults to mingle and get to know one another who are attending the wedding. For this reason, we advise making sure there is a designated area for the kids to eat and an adult area for the adults. Kids, after all, thrive in social settings with other youngsters.

Prepare A Charging Station For Your Guests

They'll be so preoccupied with getting their gowns ready that they might forget to charge their phones before they start taking pictures all night.

If you want your guests to continue taking pictures and sharing them on social media, you'll need to provide them with a charging station. There is nothing worse than realising your phone is dead on your special day because the battery died.

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Bring Some Insect repellent lotion/spray For Your Wedding Guests.

If your event will be held in a garden or other outdoor location with tropical plants and animals, be sure to provide your guests with insect repellent lotions or spray. Your guests will appreciate the extra effort, and they will feel like VIPs.

Consider Putting Up A Small Bar In Your Wedding Venue

A reception is expected to follow the wedding ceremony, and no reception would be complete without alcoholic beverages. One of the best ways to keep the party going and get everyone together is to play some upbeat music.

Give Your Wedding Guests Some Surprise Entertainment

Having live music at your wedding might be as simple as hiring a band or a singer. They won't see it coming at your wedding.

While recorded music has its merits, the excitement and energy of a live performance cannot be replicated.

Provide detailed information 

The guests at your destination wedding deserve to know what they're in for. Many of these ceremonies take place in far-flung locations and last for several days. Provide a comprehensive schedule of events, including times, locations, and suggested attire, so that they can properly prepare for their trip. Either a booklet enclosed with the invitation or a wedding website can serve this purpose.

Welcome bags 

Sending out a simple Thank you for coming to our wedding! via welcome bags is a great way to simplify that process. Guests who travelled a long distance to attend your destination wedding will appreciate this extra effort. Give them a taste of the town's exotic souvenirs and gifts. You could even make it more special by writing their name or a short message in calligraphy. This is guaranteed to put a grin on anyone's face.

Relevant favours

On the topic of extra equipment, some destination weddings ask guests to bring their own. Guests at a beach wedding should bring flip-flops, sunscreen, and sunglasses, while those attending a tropical wedding should bring an umbrella and dark glasses. Guests frequently fail to bring along necessary items when travelling. Through the wedding favours, you can present them with an alternative to these items. Your guests will appreciate your thoughtfulness and be relieved.

Don't keep your guest waiting.

It's not uncommon for there to be a pause of more than an hour between the wedding ceremony and the reception. Don't make the guests wait while you take a million bridal photos or fiddle with your makeup. The last thing you want is for your guests to get bored and leave early on your big day. You can prevent this by offering snacks and drinks to your guests while they wait. You can also have your guests interact with one another by giving them games to play, like this cute couple is doing.

Providing kids' area

Children are incredibly precious, but it's a fact that they can become irritable when they're bored. These kids will be a constant distraction to their parents and ruin the party if they don't have a place to express their excitement and joy. Unless you're planning a kid-free wedding, you should make arrangements for the children of your guests. You can fill it with colouring books, a sandbox, dolls, and pillows so the kids have a comfortable place to play. This way, grown-ups can enjoy themselves along with their children.

Guest lounge 

The addition of a lounge area is ideal for a reception with a large number of guests who will be standing. It's a great place for guests to take a break from the festivities, whether they've been on their feet all night dancing or walking around in sky-high heels.

Be smart with your seating arrangements.

While open seating can be enjoyable, guests often report feeling stressed out by the need to secure seats for loved ones. What's more, it could be awkward if there are no more seats available and they have to sit with people they don't know. Set the tables so that you and your partner's friends can talk to each other's guests without anyone feeling like an outsider. Remember that the elderly should not be seated in the front row, kids should be seated next to their parents, and guests who are at odds with each other should be placed far apart.

Have a variety of meal options. 

Have at least a couple of vegan options and a few different mains available on the wedding menu to accommodate a wide range of guests' dietary preferences. Also, it's polite to let people know if the food you're serving contains ingredients that are known to cause allergic reactions, like nuts, milk, or seafood. Instead of listing each individual ingredient, simply display a logo next to the menu to let customers know what goes into their food.

Plan a few surprises. 

Add some extra twists to the reception to keep things interesting for your guests. Everyone loves taking pictures in photo booths. One way to keep the party going is with open mic karaoke. There will be some incredible and humorous solos that will keep the party going. A further option is to bring in some performers. Mini-concert, stand-up comedy routine, or a duet by the bride and groom are all excellent options.

Check out our post on What should I expect from a wedding DJ?

Address problems positively. 

You shouldn't make a fuss or start a fight if you have to deal with a crisis on the wedding day. All of your guests will feel awkward. Rather than ignoring the problem, discuss it. Perhaps your cousin has had too much to drink and is acting like a brat as a result. Maintain your composure, have a conversation with someone you trust, and figure out how to set the record straight.

Guests should feel at ease in many ways at a wedding, including their physical temperature, the amount of personal space they have, and their ability to unwind and enjoy themselves. The appropriate attire for your wedding should be specified on the invitation or the website. Hot beach ceremony, perhaps? The reception should be held in an air-conditioned location, and guests should be advised to bring sunglasses, sunscreen, and sandals. Winter nuptials? Provide a warm welcome by stocking the lobby with hot cocoa and cookies. Make sure the venue (and the bathrooms within it) are accessible for people using wheelchairs. Just keep in mind that relaxed visitors equal a successful visit.