Ask any bride-to-be about her top priority for her wedding day – after wowing in her dress and looking like her most beautiful self, of course – and it’s usually ensuring that her guests have the time of their lives.
After all, a wedding is one of those major life moments, something you’ll look back on fondly in years to come. As with all things weddings-related, making sure your guests feel well looked after requires a lot of planning. With these five thoughtful ideas, you’re guaranteed to be named ‘Bride of the year’.
Make a wedding website
One of the easiest ways to get organised for your wedding is to create a website – but don’t worry, you don’t need a degree in Computer Science to do so.
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Happily, Say I Do has made it as easy and seamless an experience as possible, with endless personalisation options, so you can make it feel as unique as your love story.
Gone are the days of wasting time chasing your guests for an RSVP and scrambling to find a phone number or email address for them. Instead, you can use Say I Do to do the hard work for you, sharing reminders and collating RSVPs and contact details, while also listing all your wedding events clearly for guests.
So while you get all the information you need – such as who is attending which events – your friends and family can also see everything they need to know.
Give a dress code
There is nothing worse than turning up to an event over- or under-dressed. While you might think wedding dress codes are a no-brainer, you’d be wrong.
If you’re having a countryside celebration in the middle of a field, it’s probably a good idea to give a nod to your guests that stilettos are a no-no. Similarly, if you’re doing black tie glam, tell your nearest and dearest that too.
Some brides and grooms are even going one step further, by sharing editorial lookbooks with guests to offer advice on what to wear – it’s particularly handy if there are multiple events with slightly more obscure themes (‘Spicy Santorini sunset’ or ‘Highland drama’, anyone?)
Host welcome drinks
If you’re inviting a large group of friends from different times in your life – school, uni, work, travelling etc – then it’s always a nice idea to bring people together in a relaxed environment a few days before the nuptials, so that they can mingle and get to know each other.
Host a welcome-drinks party at a more low-key venue, like a village pub, on the afternoon before a countryside wedding in the UK, or include a few events in the lead-up to a destination wedding, such as wine tastings or beach days.
Your guests will thank you for it when they feel more relaxed and able to let loose on the day itself, especially on the dance floor.
Think outside the box for entertainment
You can blame Instagram and TikTok if you want, but guests expect more than just a dance floor today. Whether it’s a live saxophonist accompanying your DJ, a caricature artist or magician, roving dance-floor accompaniments will get your guests talking.
Also consider installing a photo or gif booth, interviewing guests via a videographer, or even hosting a competition – table football, table tennis and dance-offs are always a good idea.
Wellness warriors might also want to do factor in a yoga or breathwork class the day before or after the big event, or even a wild swim – really, anything is possible.
Cure the hangover
Your guests will thank you for late-night burger deliveries, cheese toasties or pizzas, not to mention morning-after deliveries of hangover-vanquishing bacon butties and coffee.
Organise a late check-out if you’re all staying at the same venue, and even consider giving out hangover recovery bags when people leave – Berocca, paracetamol, rehydration sachets, eye masks and bubble bath are all popular choices.
Visit Say I Do to create your wedding website today
