When it comes to wedding planning, no doubt every single detail will feel of the upmost of importance, but the truth is, that your wedding guests are unlikely to recall your choice of flowers, or what colour your place cards were. So what actually are the things wedding guests remember the most? To help you ensure your wedding stays firmly on their minds, I’ve rounded up the wedding day highlights.
Food, glorious food!
Oh yes! One of the things wedding guests remember the most is the food! It’s always a talking point around tables, and often the most asked question post-wedding is: “What was the food like?” Guests will remember for sure if it was delicious, or not up to par so if you and your partner are foodies, this is an area you will probably want to pay attention to. Remember, it’s your day and so no doubt you’ll want to choose food that you love, but avoid risky or complicated dishes to keep not only guests satisfied, but your budget too!
The dress
This one is definitely a talking point for the ladies! When discussing details of the day, most people will recall both the bride’s and bridesmaids’ dresses. I am sure that like all brides, you’ll want to look and feel amazing but when it comes to choosing a dress, opt for something which reflects your own personal style. Don’t feel pressured into thinking you need to look a certain way on your wedding day. It’s all about how you feel and if you feel amazing, you’ll look it too!
Travel time
It might not seem like a big deal but if there’s a considerable distance between your ceremony location and reception, guests might arrive feeling tired and groggy. An hour or two won’t be much trouble for most, but longer than this may be an issue. Your venues don’t need to be five minutes apart but give travel time some thought if you feel it may affect guests. It’s also worthwhile checking if your venue boasts accommodation for guests who want to stay the night.
Speech, speech!
One of the most anticipated moments of the wedding reception is speech-time, and again, it’s often one of the most talked about post-wedding topics. Whether they were too long, boring, cringy, heartfelt, funny, or entertaining, there’s definitely a sense of pressure when it comes to the speeches. As a bride, you’ll have little control over these but it’s perhaps an idea to gently remind the speechmakers that they shouldn’t be too long, especially if they’re taking place before the meal.
Perfect plans
The organisation of the day and how smoothly things flow is definitely one of the things wedding guests remember the most. A top tip is to give your bridesmaids a running order for the day so that they know who needs to be where and when. It can feel like a bit of a mission chaperoning a large group of people from one place or activity to another, but luckily your wedding venue will be well versed in this.
Hitting the right note
If a party atmosphere at your reception is important to you, you’ll want guests on that dance floor. While power ballads might be your thing, their slow tempo won’t get people on their feet so choose a good mixture of music. A DJ is a great way to get the crowd going and ensure that the dance floor is jam packed all night!
The personal touches
While guests are unlikely to remember every single finer detail of your day, they will remember those touches which were a little more personal. Personal touches are a great talking point and the perfect way to inject oodles of your personality as a couple into your wedding day. I love these details so much that I have created an entire blog post on it. Check out some cool ideas here.
The thank-you cards
One of the biggest pet peeves that guests have is when they don’t receive a thank-you card. Show you appreciate them coming to your day by sending a simple thank-you card. You can even use your wedding photos to create these, which also serves as the perfect memento of your day.
So if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by every little detail, keep the things wedding guests remember the most at the forefront of your mind.