Wedding planning can be overwhelming. There's no denying that. That's part of the reason I recommend everyone hire a wedding planner for partial or day of coordination. There are so many decisions to make, vendors to hire, and details to plan. A planner can help steer you in the right direction.
But sometimes I think couples over-complicate things for themselves. There's no need to outdo every wedding you've ever been to. There's no need to choreograph a dance for the bridal party, have a late night snack from a food truck, or spend a ton of money on favors, unless you WANT to. Wedding guests are actually easier to please than you might think. I think there are 6 things couples can do to plan a fabulous wedding for their guests. And two of them will actually make the planning easier for you.
1. My number one recommendation is to hire a wedding planner. I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record, but having a wedding planner will help your guests enjoy the wedding more. A wedding planner can help the guests with little things like directions to the nearest bathroom or food allergy assistance. The wedding planner has the guests in mind when making the decision of whether to move the ceremony inside. And wedding planners take care of set up and break down and other little details that would otherwise be left to close family and friends.
2. Choose your favor thoughtfully. The two kinds favors that guests enjoy most are food favors and photo booth strips. A lot of couples find that only half of their non-food favors actually get taken home, but I think it's pretty safe to say that guests won't forget their favors if it's something tasty! Custom cookies, candy bar, salt water taffy, dessert buffet, etc. They're all delicious.
3. Have a photo booth. Everyone loves a photo booth! And if you plan to have an unplugged wedding, you can assure your guests that there will be a photo booth at the reception so they can have a photo of themselves at your wedding!
4. Have really good food. It doesn't have to be super fancy, but guests appreciate it when you put careful thought into your menu. Mashed potato bars and macaroni & cheese are always big crowd pleasers! (And photographer pleasers, just saying!)
5. Let the DJ do his (or her) thing. I think a lot of brides stress themselves out too much over the reception playlist. Give your DJ a short list of must play or do not play songs if you want, but just the ones that come to your head right away. There's no need to research must play songs. And then trust your DJ to play music that will get everyone on the dance floor. Good DJs know from experience how to read guests so they'll quickly figure out what your crowd wants to hear!
6. Spread out the major reception events. If your photography coverage ends partway through the reception, it can be tempting to try to cram everything in before that time. But your guests will feel stuck in their seats if you do the parent dances, toasts, cake cutting, and bouquet toss all in a row. Even 3-4 songs of open dances in between major reception events will be enough to give guests a break.
Want more Tips for Brides?
Makeup: Splurge or Save?
How to be Inspired by Pinterest
Do I Really Need a Wedding Coordinator?
Because They Hired a Wedding Planner
Secret Jobs of a Wedding Planner
6 Things Wedding Guests Will Love
The Importance of the Stupid Wedding Decisions
10 Things That Should be on Your To Do List
Choosing Your Bridal Party
Taking Time Off
Wedding Day Emergency Kit