Posts Tagged ‘ceremony’

She’s from Long Beach, He’s from South Beach. Her parents live in NYC while his mom splits the year in Charleston and Boston. Add in the grandparents, aunts, uncles, sisters, and brothers and you will have nearly all 50 states and some international hot spots represented at their Wedding of the Century.

Sound familiar?

So how do you make your guests comfortable? It seems like every wedding is a destination wedding – if not for the couple, then for their guests. Making guests feel welcome and relaxed at your wedding takes only a little thoughtful consideration.

Reinvigorate

After reaching the hotel your guests will have had a long day of airport security and less-than-adequate leg room, so offer them something to put some pep back into their step. Welcome bags or totes are popular, so it is just a matter of selecting items that your guests will enjoy. Their hotel will provide plenty of bath products, so consider complimenting what is already provided by including spa products that you would love to have after a long trip.

Another good idea is to host an informal cocktail hour on one of the nights before the wedding. This is a “two birds with one stone” event: your guests will sincerely appreciate a stiff drink and chance to relax while you have the opportunity to mingle and chat with them, relieving you of the full-on table tour during your reception.

{ welcome tote | spa items | drinks }

Comfort

I personally love these ideas for outdoor weddings and/or all-night receptions. The parasols are perfect for hot summer ceremonies or really bright locals, and can be paired with flip flops for beach locations. For an outdoor ceremony in the fall, pick up a dozen or two soft pashminas in white or your wedding color palette. Guests will want to snuggle close as they witness you exchange your vows.

Flip flops are also thoughtful for your all-night dancing crowd, so plan ahead and find a variety of sizes in your wedding colors and place beautiful baskets either next to the DJ or in the ladies room.

{ parasols | flip flops | pashmina }

Relax

Your reception will be a fabulous party, but some guests will be looking to relax a bit while reconnecting with family and friends. When children are invited I always recommend creating a special gift for the little ones, placed at their table and wrapped in a pretty box. Filled with quiet activities like coloring and reading it will help keep the little ones from wandering.

For the adults, favors that include a to-go snack or bottle of wine will be popular (so you won’t have many left over). Late-night snacks like cookies and milk are always appreciated, especially by your drinking crowd…. And the wine makes for a nice treat once they get home. Cheers to that!

{ late night snack | wine | kids activities }

Stress-free

And the most appreciated consideration of all is transportation provided for all wedding events. Truly, this is one of the nicest things you could do for your guests. When they don’t have to worry about getting lost, can have an extra drink or two, and won’t worry about off street parking (for those city weddings) they will thank you and remember your thoughtfulness at all of the future weddings they attend.

Find some fun transportation – like this cute trolley – and let them party the night away!

{ trolley guest transport }

So be the host and hostess that will set the tone for your life together and find some unique ways to help your guests enjoy your wedding!

Cheers,
_Jessica

More UK couples than American decide to drive away in style, but it would be lovely if this trend really caught on in the US.

Classic cars have a style and sophistication all their own. While limos have become a standard in special event transportation, vintage cars have, well… a certain je ne sais quoi that can not be replicated.

{Inside Weddings}

However, hiring a stretch limo is a fantastic idea for your bridal party. There is nothing worse than loosing a few groomsmen due to traffic… or other “technical difficulty”… so keeping everyone together is tremendous peace of mind.

I encourage couples to provide transportation for their guests as well. Several transportation options are available — like this vintage trolley (parked behind the Rolls) — so find something that fits the style of your wedding to provide your guests with a unique experience.

{Christopher Dumas on Tangorra}

This bride has tremendous faith in the driver! A safer bet is a coupé or other non-convertible. Besides the photos it gives you and your husband a few quiet minutes to cherish the joy and excitement of everything going on!

{Inside Weddings}

No tin cans on this baby! This car’s beautiful style says it all!

Cheers,
__ Jessica