The Guest’s Experience

As the summer comes to a close I am reflecting back on the many wonderful weddings we had the privilege of working on this season. Because I am usually in attendance at the wedding, I am able to gain the perspective of some very important people: the guests. Believe it or not, the guests are often forgotten about on the big day and as a wedding planner it is my job to ensure that the bride and groom are not the only people enjoying the party. There are many little details that can make or break a wedding when it comes to the guests overall experience:



Timing



Have you ever been to a wedding that started late? Most weddings run a few minutes behind as last minute guests trickle in but if your ceremony is running 20 – 30 minutes late, that is going to start a snowball effect on everything else following the ceremony. Photos will probably now take longer than anticipated which means that the food service will be running late which of course means your guests will be waiting to eat. We all know that a well fed guest is a happy guest so do your best to keep everything running on schedule.



Event Flow



A rule of thumb in event planning is to have something happen every 30 minutes to keep your guests entertained. This does not have to mean a grand event every half hour but something should happen to keep everyone on their toes and excited to see what’s coming next.



• Courses of the meal

• A speech or toast

• Cake Cutting

• Garter Toss

• Bouquet Toss



These are all traditional elements of a wedding but if you time them well they can have a much greater impact. You might want to consider mixing the courses of the meal with speeches instead of stacking all of the speeches one after another. Guests will appreciate hearing 1 or 2 speeches at time rather than listen to 7 or 8 in a row. Additionally, remember to keep those slideshows short and sweet. Ten minutes is perfect but anything longer than that might make for some antsy guests. You might also want to consider cutting the cake during the meal when you have everyone’s attention instead of waiting until the end when the guests likely want to go to the washroom or stretch their legs.



Guests Comfort



This might seem like a simple detail but the guests overall comfort is sometimes overlooked. Outdoor ceremonies are beautiful but they certainly come with added considerations. Rain, extreme heat, bugs, easily accessible washrooms and parking are all aspects to consider when planning your ceremony. As a wedding planner it is my job to consider these points and come up with solutions which are sometimes as simple as bringing in heaters, generators or providing water for the guests. An outdoor reception can be an idyllic setting but your friends and family might not be the only guests wanting to enjoy the meal! Keeping bugs away from the meal and your guests is very important.



Sound Systems

This may also seem like a no-brainer but having a proper sound system is essential. There is nothing worse than sitting through a ceremony and straining to hear the “I do’s”. You assume the bride said yes because they kissed at the end but you never actually heard a single word they said! I always make certain to have the proper equipment including lapel microphones, amps, speakers and extra extension chords so the guests can actually hear the main event.



As the summer wedding season comes to a close, I couldn’t be more pleased with the couples I’ve had the privilege of working with. Together we planned one of the most important days of their lives and created cherished memories not only for them but also the friends and family in attendance. The ultimate compliment for a bride and groom is when the guests tell them that their wedding was the best they have ever been to, and nothing pleases me more than to hear that.