Congratulations to you, Your wedding bells have started ringing!
Since your wedding day is approaching and you are already busy in all the preparation. There are so many things to take care and the most important of all is welcoming your guests. This is the event when all your nearest and dearest will be gathered together at the same time and in the same place.
You must be excited for sure, as it would be after your cousin’s wedding two years back you will have a chance to meet them all now. Think! When otherwise in life can that happen?
Be yours a destination wedding or a wedding at your home, be it a wedding taking place in summers or in winters, be it your traditional wedding happening or it is happening the most modern way, amidst anything you cannot just ignore your guests. They are important and crucial part of your wedding. So, your primary responsibility is to give your guests an unforgettable welcome at your wedding, they should feel as welcomed and as loved as humanly possible. More often than not, people get so engrossed in their weddings that they kinda forget that their guests also exist in their wedding. That is absolutely fine that your wedding is about you two, but know that your guests are equally important.
Your guests spare time and spend money for becoming the part of your wedding, sometimes they come from faraway places to attend your D-Day, some out of town guests might road-trip some will fly to make it for your wedding. Your closest ones will in fact come way before your wedding day, so that they can be a help in your wedding, some feel so close that they feel like spending these few days of your bachelorhood with you, and likewise.
Dear readers, in this article I will talk about the ways or the perfect tips to welcome your guests warmly in your wedding. Keep reading till last!
When planning ways to welcome your guests in your wedding, keep in mind that everyone is different and has their own unique ways of showing love. Give them all a welcome to remember forever their lifetime.
Let’s know how…
Before The Wedding
1. Provide a detailed schedule of events in advance
All your guests should be “in the know” of all the activities, functions or celebrations planned for your wedding. Your invitation card should be crisp and clear having all the wedding function related details along with the clear venue address so that there is no chaos later. And your guests should also be comfortable with the schedule. Let them have the clarity about all the functions. For your out-of-town guests, it is essential to consider their ease and comfort, for that you can send them the map links and other details of your wedding to let them have a nice experience of your wedding.
2. Arrange airport pick-up and drop for your wedding guests
So many guests of yours would be flying from other city or maybe from other country. It would be very welcoming if you make arrangements for their comfortable arrival at your place. For that you can arrange few rental cars for your wedding so that your guest’s airport pickup and drop can be managed without hassle, and also they can feel welcomed warmly in your city. ☺ ☺
3. Arrange to house your guests
Your wedding event starts the moment your guests check in for your wedding. Whether your wedding is a destination wedding or a wedding at home, proper arrangement for housing your guests is must. As you know that the first impression is the last impression, make sure you book a hotel which is clean and presentable outside and inside. Ensure the ambiance is peaceful and comfortable. All in all, the hotel should be in a good state of repair, having facilities like car park, clean rest rooms, signage put for guiding the directions to people so that your guests do not feel like lost.
All you need to do is to find out a property which has enough place to accommodate your guests at the wedding. Also, see that their services are good to go with. Your guests should not feel uncomfortable at your wedding events. Proper rest rooms and change rooms should be there, see it beforehand.
While finalizing the accommodation for your guests and family members make sure that the staff is engaging and positive in the arrival team from doormen to luggage porters, butlers to receptionists. All this should be checked before booking the place for housing your guests. All in all, make sure that the hotel staff is courteous, your guests should feel welcomed, staff should know to smile and warmly greet your guests with a “Good morning” or “Good afternoon”. Staff should not forget to ask if your guest needs assistance with luggage and be polite with your guests. You can train them all these things before your D-Day.
5. Arrange for ushers to escort your guests
For making your guest’s feel extra comfortable and welcoming you can also arrange for few ushers who can escort your guests to the wedding hall, who can help them in various other requirements at the wedding, like helping them showing them the main amenities.
6. Keep your guests well fed
You won’t be able to see all the requirements of your guests at the wedding, so it is important that your staff is well trained to take care of your guests. Your guests should not feel ignored and dejected. While you are booking your hotel make sure that food arrangements are good and timely. None of your guests should go hungry anytime.
7. Plan one day outing for guests
While you will be busy taking care of several wedding related stuff and on the other hand your guests who arrived for attending all the celebrations, there will be time in between two celebrations, sometimes there is gap of day in functions. In such a situation, if your budget allows, arrange for a cool mass transport for your guest’s so that can go out for sightseeing, shopping, outing, anything which can keep them busy and engaged for a day. Trust it will leave a great impact on your guests and they will definitely not forget it for years.
8. Understand need of your guests
Your guests are not local, they are coming from far away places to attend your wedding and to make it special event of your life by their presence. Like you sometimes can have some urgent requirement from a towel to the bathroom slippers, same ways your guests can also require same when in your town for your wedding. Even if your wedding is happening in town at your home itself, and your guests will stay at your home, still arrange for few extra slippers and towels for your guests so that they don’t have to rush to the market for their basic amenities at last minute. Make sure that all the rest rooms are filled with essential from bathing soap to the toothpaste, towel to slippers. Your guests will feel like home at your home too.
9. Plan some group activity way before your wedding
Your wedding is a once in a lifetime event and that’s the only time when you will get to spend time with your close friends and family, many of your close friends and family will come even few days before your actual wedding. Plan some group activity for all those people who are the first to be part of your big day, who spare that much of time for your wedding. Let them also feel special, plan some group activity well in advance, any activity which you feel will be comfortable for all and not to specific ones only, like you can organize a party or a picnic, to let them have a unique experience to cherish throughout their lives.
10. Provide them shuttle services to reach at the venue
If your wedding and your guest’s accommodation aren’t in the same place, you can make their to and fro arrangement by renting some cool mass transportation for them. Otherwise it will be very difficult for them to reach at the venue and they may feel annoyed due to this. And believe me, your guests will not forget this awkward experience forever in their lifetime.
11. Hotel rooms for the ones who will stay back
Not all your guests will be local, many of your guests will definitely be from out of town maybe not too far away and chances are that they would prefer to stay back for the night. There are so many reasonable or discounted bread and breakfast facilities these days wherein you also can arrange for your guests accommodation for the night so that they do not be discomforted and can have proper rest to start over next day.
12. Make your cocktail party more creative and interactive
There are many ways to welcome your guests and one is to be very, very creative at the cocktail party and making it more interactive. People at the cocktail party want to enjoy, have fun to the fullest, it is not about just drinking few pegs and going down, it’s about spending a nice time with close to heart people and telling them their heart out. The ambiance and the drinks can be arranged in such a way that it provides highest level of comfort to your guests and not just few drinks. Make sure your bartender is polite and courteous.
At The Wedding
13. Someone from the family should be assigned job of welcoming the guests at the entry itself
First thing first, someone from the family itself should be at the entry door to welcome the guests. For, if you make someone else other than a family member stand at the entry door, probably who doesn’t know everyone, your guests will feel bad and ignored. Its better there should be a family member standing to welcome all the guests at the entry itself. It matters!
14. Welcome your guests with personalized gift hampers
You can plan welcome bags for your guests the moment they arrive at the wedding. You can have these gifts personalized either with your names and wedding date and venue of maybe picture of you too on the gift hamper to remind them of your wedding whenever they look back. You can have anything in the gift hamper from a beautiful coaster stand to some painting, or any kitchen item to silver coins, set of coffee mugs to water bottles, a pack of assorted sweets to assorted dry nuts, or if your wedding is just at the end of the year of in the beginning of new year, you can gift your guests customized calendar having pictures of both of you to cherish forever, you can plan anything for that matter that very well talk about your personalities as a couple, for your welcome bags to present it to your guests. It will leave them all mesmerized. Try out!
15. Give them a warm greeting
Usually in a wedding celebration a couple is so engrossed and indulged in each other that they miss to greet your wedding guests who come to meet them at the stage itself. Yes, it’s your wedding a very important day of your life and we understand this, but what you need to understand is to treat your guests also equally. So, make it a point, when someone arrives you greet them warmly and humbly. “Greet them with all your heart” they should feel connected and welcomed is the very first thing which matters. Don’t just leave your guests guessing where to head, whom to meet, etc. Very important!!
16. Break the ice; make a quick introduction
All your guests might not have attended your engagement ceremony for sure and chances will be meeting your spouse to-be for the first time at the wedding itself. Immediately after greeting them warmly make sure that you introduce your guests to your spouse so that they feel comfortable while talking to your spouse and also when they will be asked by the photographer for the picture they won’t hesitate to get a little cozy with your spouse.
Introduction with your spouse will help your guests feel as if they are nearer to your family, which you know is a crucial part of successful entertaining.
17. Arrange for welcome drinks
A welcome drink can do wonders believe me! If your wedding is in summer, a glass of chilled soft drink/fizz or any juice can definitely be the order of the day. And if the wedding is in winter, make sure there is an arrangement for welcoming guests with a cup of hot coffee, tea or hot chocolate. If your guests are accompanied by their children in the wedding party, arrangement should be made for them too like some warm apple juice or black currant so they feel greeted and sated. All you need to do is to arrange for the manpower to handle and instructing them when and how to offer welcome drinks to the guests. If you have hired a wedding planner already, then he will do the needful, just tell what you want.
18. Keep your guests warm and cozy
If yours is a winter wedding say in December and an intimate one, have winter rugs, scarves and shawls rolled up in baskets around your venue. As it will help your guests to use them to fight the extreme cold. Also, you can have them customized takeaway gift hampers, so when they will use them later after your wedding those shawls or rugs will remind you of your wedding along with all the enjoyment they had there. This could work as your wedding favors and your guests will also feel free to help themselves.
19. Your guests should not feel uncomfortable in your summer wedding
If your wedding is in summers make sure that proper ACs and fans are arranged everywhere at the wedding venue. So that your venue doesn’t create discomfort for your guests and everyone who is there should feel comfortable and chilled out rather than exhausted and extremely hot. This will leave a bad impact otherwise. Arrangement should be for the comfort of your guests and not for the discomfort of them.
20. Chill-out zone at the weddings
Not all your guests would be fond of loud DJ music and other sounds, there would be some especially the old people who want to avoid the noise and sound at the wedding. Arrange for a chill out zone or room for such guests of yours where they can chit chat comfortably without getting affected by the outside noise at all. See if there is any cozy spot for such arrangement, away from children running around, DJ playing, where they can just sit and talk peacefully. They will feel extra welcomed!!
Also, make sure that the arrangement for soft drinks, tea, and coffee at the chill-out room is done perfectly. A dedicated person should be there, who can take care of their needs.
21. Let them not wait for long for a group photograph
Your wedding arrangement should be such that your guests are not waiting for long, like most guests struggle when they have to get their group photo captured with the couple and they have to wait for long as the photographer is busy instructing the previous guests for the perfect pose. Keep your wedding photographer updated that nobody should feel ignored when they are there for a group photo. For that the best you can do is ask your photographer to click group pictures when the guests come to meet at the stage itself.
22. Savor for your guests
Well, very important! What you serve at your wedding matters a lot, as most of your guest will be to enjoy food itself, and it is true. While you are deciding your menu for your wedding, make sure that you keep the weather conditions and season in mind while doing so. It is crucial that you provide comfort food to your guests. Like in winter wedding you have all the winter delicacies like gajar ka halwa, vegetable soups, etc. Also, you can give them the taste of old classic favorites at your wedding for your guests to keep the chill out.
Whereas, in summers ice-creams, cold drinks, juices and all the summer delicacies can do wonder. Have a combination of food which is for all age-group as children will also be part of your wedding. Give your caterer a clear instructions about food and the other details.
23. Arrange for a chocolate fountain
Kids are also very important guests of your wedding celebrations. Make some special arrangement for them too so that they feel happy and content upon attending your wedding. As they have been waiting for this long waited event, and they had so many ideas about your wedding. Let them also feel special. Arrange for some sweetie table like a chocolate fountain, ice-creams, chocolates, brownies etc., to sate their sweet pangs. A perfect party for the kids!!
24. Arrangement for late night munching or snacking
Almost in all the wedding, feras take place at night only. While you will be busy in fera ceremony, your guests who are sitting there to accompany you on your big event should not be left unnoticed or unattended. Make sure that you have arranged for their mid night munching as quite often people feel hungry when they are awake late at night. Also, tea/coffee arrangements should be proper to keep your guests awake throughout all your wedding rituals.
25. Arrange a child care for kids
A wedding party has no time to get over for that matter and kids do have their own tantrums and the moment they start to feel uncomfortable at the wedding they start throwing tantrums. The best you can help your guests at your wedding is by arranging a special child care facility for giving parents some break from their cranky kids. Where all these kids can be entertained and taken care properly. Make sure that the place is near the wedding hall so that parents can peep in there to check their wards and get comfortable watching them playing with other kids.
26. Arrange for a place for relaxation
At your wedding, many of your guests will be dancing, enjoying and doing so many things and in between they may feel tired, for that you can arrange some place for them to relax. Some lounge for that matter will do. Comfort of your guests is important, you can fill the space with plenty of chairs, pillows and couches so that your guests can relax for a while.
27. Keep the Party Going
Even after your reception is over there will be many guests who would want to enjoy the party as that’s the reason they are there, took break from their routine life. You can arrange some place for your hardest partying guests like patio bar or a karaoke club where they can chill a little more and feel more joyous that way.
28. Don’t forget to thank your guests on the D-Day!
Show your gratitude to the guests by saying them how thankful you are upon their presence at the event. Saying thanks to the wedding guests will make them feel more welcomed and joyful.
29. Thank your guests with customized gifts or personalized favors
It is an age-old tradition now, to favor guests by giving them gifts as the thank you note. You can make your guests feel special by presenting them a customized gift while they depart. It will give them a sense of joy and happiness along with the token of love as a keepsake for them to cherish forever. It helps to show your wedding guests that you care for them, also, there is nothing better than going to a wedding and taking home a keepsake that can be used at home forever.
After The Wedding
30. Plan group activities for after the wedding is over
If yours is destination wedding and you want to spend some more time with your family and guests even after your wedding too, then you can plan for some group activity after your wedding also. From a sightseeing to a picnic, an outing to a shopping, that way you will be able to spend good time with guests form your side and the ones from groom’s side. A nice way to give an enchanting experience to the guests of both side along with getting and letting others comfortable with each other to share a great bond even after the wedding.
A dream like experience for your guests to cherish forever, and memorize all the good moments of your wedding even years after. ☺ ☺
31. Make It Social
Not all your wedding guests would have taken pictures at your wedding, there must be many guests who want their pictures from you only. In this case you can share few of your wedding pictures on social media so that your wedding guests also have access to them.
32. Last but not the least… Make your wedding a memorable experience for your wedding guests
Couples these days are trying to add more and more fun element to their weddings to make the overall celebration a great experience for one and all. You too arrange for few enthralling fun activities to engage all your guests in every function so that they just don’t attend the wedding but experience every bit of it and talk about it with their friends later. Let them have all the fun at your wedding which they cannot forget ever in their life. ☺ ☺
Enjoy your wedding and let your wedding guests also enjoy it along with you!!
Let all your wedding guests enjoy your big day and cherish it the way you welcome them… ☺ ☺
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