Sure, your wedding day is all about you and your groom, but it’s also about the dozens (or hundreds) or people who are there to celebrate with you. Here are three easy ways to keep your wedding guests happy.
1. Keep the drinks flowing. It doesn’t need to be top-shelf open bar all night; just make sure your guests don’t have to wait around to get a drink. Have drink dispensers outside your ceremony (we served vodka-spiked lemonade and cucumber-infused water) and leave some self-serve options by the bar: bottles of beer, water, and mini bottles of champagne. (Don’t forget the festive straws!)
2. Fill them in on your traditions. If your guests don’t know what’s going on during your ceremony, they’re going to get bored. If people might not be familiar with your culture or religion, use the program to fill them in.
3. Minimize the speeches. Don’t let your dance floor turn into an impromptu open-mic night. Let your DJ or band leader know ahead of time who you’ve asked to speak, and don’t let your designated speakers pass the mic to your tipsy aunt.
While we’re on the subject of keeping guests happy, here’s one thing to avoid: Don’t have a super-long break between your ceremony and reception. Sure, there are some guests who are happy to go with the flow, but most will be annoyed if there’s more than an hour stretch where they have to entertain themselves—especially if you have a lot of guests who are out-of-towners.
What do you have love as a wedding guest? And what drives you bananas?