Ideas to keep your guests entertained at your wedding

In this post I will share some of my thoughts and experience as a wedding photographer, on how to keep your guests excited during the wedding day. I’ve documented over 100 weddings in my career one thing that fascinated me was the ingenuity that goes into entertaining the wedding guests.  Though someone would argue that this is not exactly in my field of expertise, I can’t help to notice things. The latter is actually part of my work if you think about it.

Once you have decided what is the best season for you to get married. Are you the type that prefers a summer wedding or would you lean towards a spring or even early autumn wedding? Each has its perks. Summer weddings can guarantee a longer daytime and the weather will most probably be your ally. Spring weddings on the other hand enjoy the surrounding landscape in full bloom. Autumn weddings, on the other hand, can benefit from a cooler weather and softer light throughout the day.

Since you will be staying more than a couple of days at your dream destination you chose to exchange your vows, the same most probably will apply for your guests. They will be eager to explore more of the surrounding area. Take that into account, as to when each place is at its best. Don’t hesitate to reach for advice from your wedding photographer on the matter. Another idea you can utilize, is to incorporate the seasonality in small details of your wedding day. Like seasonal beverages at the cocktail area, fans for the ceremony, pashminas for the evening. Chat with your wedding invitations designer and your wedding planner to find out how to make these even more personal, like having your own logo engraved.

 

 

Communication is key. You have invested a lot of your valuable time to do your research. You have familiarized yourself with the location, the timings of the day all the ins and outs. Your guests would undoubtfully appreciate all the information you will share with them. One of the easiest ways to share information is your wedding website. You can share all details from hotels to stay, restaurants and sightseeing. Some local tips will also be of great value. Like ‘don’t forget to try Mike’s gelato’. Make sure to also share the schedule of events, logistics like transportation and meeting points.

Welcoming your guests with a bag full of local gifts and useful items goes a long way! Your guests have surely traveled from all corners of the globe to honor you with their presence. Show them your genuine appreciation with a bag full of artisan goodies, guides, and anything that might come in handy. It’s a great opportunity to plug your wedding motif here too. Your monogram, the colors of your wedding flowers. Since we’re on the topic of welcoming, if you’re thinking to host a rehearsal dinner, adding a local element to it is a great idea.

 

 

If for example, you’re having a destination wedding in Italy, what could be more anticipated than having a pizza night before the big day? It’s traditional, creates quite a spectacle and hey, everybody loves pizza!

 

 

Outfit specifics. There is nothing more beautiful than seeing a wedding party that everyone feels part of. Let know your guests the dress code of every event. Nobody feels good going overdressed at the rehearsal dinner or worse, underdressed on the wedding day. Take into consideration the weather conditions. Is it windy? Does it get really cool in the evening?

Adding an element of surprise always takes things up a notch. Take this idea of an illustrator, for example, in this romantic wedding in a French Chateau. They had a talented illustrator painting real-time portraits of their guests, that they could keep as souvenirs!

 

 

If you’re planning on getting married in Italy, you can have a gelato car or a cute bar on wheels. These ideas have Italy written all over them, don’t you think? The Fiat 500 or a Vespa brings lots of pleasant and vintage feelings in mind.

 

 

Having a wedding in Greece? Entertain your guests with a group of dancers that will also teach them the steps of Zorba’s dance. How about that?

 

 

If you want to spice things up a little more, you can add a fireshow before the party. That will definitely get everyone excited.

 

 

Fireworks always make for a great entertainer! In this case, the couple chose to surprise their guests and timed the fireworks for the cutting of the cake part. It was an amazing show, let me tell you.

 

 

It’s all about comfort. A wedding is an event to relax and have fun, so make sure your guests don’t feel like participating in a marathon. Keep your timeline spacious enough. Feel free to contact me about more tips on how to be away from your guests the less time possible and remember that they will be sitting for dinner for about 2, 2.5 hours so make things comfortable and interesting. By having low centerpieces you allow them to easily engage in conversation and see each other across the table. It goes without saying that the sitting plan is something to contemplate. Having people with common interests, professions or mutual friends seated at the same table means they will connect more easily and they will be excited. Engaging in meaningful conversations and meeting new people is exciting for all of us, right?