Top Ten Things You Didn’t Think to Do for Your Wedding (But Totally Should!)
***Today’s guest post is written by Meghan Ely, Meghan is the owner of wedding PR and wedding marketing firm OFD Consulting. Ely is a sought-after speaker, adjunct professor in the field of public relations, and a self-professed royal wedding enthusiast***
Planning a wedding involves a lot of moving pieces – it can be easy to overlook something that could make your special day even better. With that in mind, we got with some of the industry’s top wedding professionals to see what couples are missing out on so that you can have the very best wedding day.
Here are ten things you didn’t think to do, but should absolutely consider:
Room Blocks 101
“Couples sometimes think that their guests will stay in Airbnb’s or a hotel of their choosing, but that can oftentimes lead to everyone staying all over the city,” shares Amy Green of Where Will They Stay?. “Of course, this can cause a logistical nightmare when people just want to hang out together. Setting up a room block will ensure that everyone is centralized together and ready to socialize!”
Prioritize Lighting
Oftentimes, couples will painstakingly select every single thoughtful detail for their Big Day but then find their expectations fall short when they are displayed under standard ballroom lighting.
“Don’t forget the effect that lighting has a considerable impact on the rest of the event space, as well as how it showcases all of your gorgeous details,” tells Audrey Isaac of 100Candles.com. “Lighting is not something you can plan out last minute, so be sure to incorporate design into your planning process early on.”
Make Room for R&R
“Account for down time,” urges Kim Sayatovic of Belladeux Event Design. “If your ceremony and reception are in two separate venues, make sure you have something scheduled for your guests to do in between. Due to the timing of churches and reception venues, sometimes there is an hour or more of time in between. Host the cocktail hour during this time, or create a fun activity for your guests to participate in to keep the party rolling.”
Know Sunset Times
“Whether you want gorgeous sunset photos or you don’t plan on serving dinner until after the sun goes down, you’ll need to know when that is,” reminds Nahid Farhoud of Nahid’s Global Events. “Check out the times well before your wedding day so you can factor that into your timeline.”
Grab your Stationery
“Photograph your invitation suite and other paper goods,” encourages Leah Weinberg of Color Pop Events. A good wedding planner (or photographer) will remind you to bring a copy of your save the date and invitation to wherever you’re getting ready so that the photographer can take photos of them. Without that reminder, couples almost never get professional photos of their paper.”
Seat Yourself
“First thing is having a seat at reception to eat dinner,” urges Farhoud. “It just happened at one of our weddings although I asked them several times if they counted themselves and were will they be eating dinner since they only had a couch to sit at and no table.”
Save Room for Dessert
“Eat dessert!” reminds Weinberg. “Couples are starting to be more conscious about making sure they eat dinner during the reception. But aside from having a bite during the cake cutting (if the couple even does a cake cutting), couples are often too busy dancing or mingling to indulge in the sweetest part of the night.”
Post-Dinner Snacks
“Late night snacks are definitely something clients are missing out on,” says Kevin Dennis of WeddingIQ. It’s a fun opportunity to add more customization to your event and it’s the perfect way to soak up the booze before the night ends.”
Pack for the Next Day
“Pack something to wear the next morning,” reminds Sayatovic. “It is surprising the amount of people that just plain forget to pack an outfit to wear the next morning after the wedding. Although I personally think it’s fine to wear your wedding dress and tuxedo to brunch the next day, you may not be completely comfortable wearing these while drinking your morning bloody Mary.
Dashing off?
These days, elopements aren’t just for visits to city hall or short getaways to Las Vegas anymore – instead, engaged brides and grooms have embraced the idea as a way to have their dream wedding, free of the stress that can come with planning a full-blown soiree. But what potential mistaking are they making in the planning process?
“Brides often assume that elopements are for budget celebrations only, and while it certainly is a cost-effective choice, you absolutely can enjoy many of the upgrades that a more traditional wedding has – and perhaps even more,” says Megan Velez of Destination Weddings Travel Group. “Remember- since it’s just the two of you, you can allot more of your budget to the finer things in life and enjoy some luxuries you may not have had with a full wedding. Often, hotels will even throw in some extra perks for free if they know you’re eloping, so couples can enjoy luxury upgrades while still sticking to their budget.”
While you’re sorting out rental orders and finalizing guest lists, don’t forget to include these oft-forgotten things that will ensure that your wedding day is an unforgettable experience for all!