Keeping Your Wedding Guests Happy

When you start planning your wedding, you will be consumed with details that might take months to complete. Think about it. You've got to make decisions about the ceremony, receptions, rehearsals, attendants, flowers, food, music, your dress, decorations, a honeymoon to plan and wedding guests to accommodate, to name just a few.

The comfort and happiness of the wedding guests is often overlooked by busy and stressed brides. While you may be carried away with the romantic happiness of your big day, your guests need to feel special and appreciated. They were invited to share your happiness and, if their needs are ignored, they might just leave early or harbour bad feelings about you for years.

One way to avoid this is to think about the logistics of your wedding, your reception and the hotel/motel accommodations you've arranged for out of town guests.

Since normal site bookings for weddings tend to fill up early, it would be a good idea to book your wedding site, reception hall and the overnight accommodations for your guests as early as possible in order to get them reasonably close to each other. Draw a very clear map of the route between all the scheduled events so your guests will not get lost in an unfamiliar  town. Don't forget to provide turn-by-turn directions and the addresses of the church and reception. The phone numbers of local taxi cab companies might come in handy for those who do not want to drive to your ceremony.

The close proximity of each event in your big day is important for the comfort and happiness of everyone. While you and your groom might be too excited to be hungry or tired, your guests are not that excited. They will want to get to the reception so they can sit, snack and socialize with the other guests while they wait for you to arrive at the reception after the photos have been taken after the ceremony.

Once you get there, make your receiving line short, if you follow that tradition.  A receiving line with you, your spouse and both of your parents will keep everyone happy.

Food is another possible mistake at your reception. In the first place, your guests will be hungry and hors devours and a supply of cold soft drinks will be welcomed by those who arrive at the ceremony before the bride and groom. Be sure to have some kid-friendly snacks readily available. Hungry guests and children are not happy guests. These refreshments do not have to be elaborate, but substantial enough to stave off growling stomachs until the main course is served, if you are having a sit-down meal.

If you are serving the traditional reception meal, stick to customary food. You will be serving a meal to many guests with many different tastes and tolerances for food. Your taste for exotic dishes or ethnic selections will not be a hit at your reception with children and those with tender stomachs. Any caterer can help you with your food selection. It might be a good idea to send a request for information about any food allergies to your reception guests along with your invitation.

Your wedding day is a very important day in your life. You are starting your future with your new husband and all your guests have gathered to send you off with good wishes and much love. Keeping their comfort in mind when you are planning your big day will ensure that your guests are as happy as you are.