While I’m planning with my couples, I make a big deal about the guest experience. It’s nearly always the driving factor in my suggestions to my couples about their wedding day plans. Here are some of my suggestions to create that ultimate guest experience:

PERSONALIZATION

At the core of every wedding is a couple in love. Give your guests a meaningful glimpse of your love story and what makes your love story unique. There is a good chance some of your guests aren’t as familiar with the two of you as a couple, but rather you both as individuals. Create some emotional investment from your guests by highlighting details that really define who you both are. Not only will it allow your guests to get to know you better, but they’ll experience your love in a deeper, more meaningful way.

With that said… be authentic! If you don’t like cake, but love pie, have a bunch of pies instead of a cake! Would you rather eat a quiet dinner and enjoy some after dinner lounging? Great! Skip the loud dance party and have a lounge instead! There aren’t any rules when it comes to what you need to do for your wedding, so do what you want!

GOOD DAY-OF EVENT FLOW

Having an artfully mapped out wedding day is essential in keeping your guests happy and engaged in your celebration. Hiring an experienced and capable wedding planner to keep the festivities rolling (and on time!) will ensure your wedding day moves smoothly and effortlessly. Your guests will be along for the ride, enjoying every moment. A few ways you can ensure good day-of event flow:

*Keep cocktail hour manageable for your guests, not longer than an hour and a half.

*Some couples are even prioritizing guests’ entertainment by hiring a photo booth or a caricature artist. Having something interactive will keep your guests entertained and having fun, as well as give them something to take away with them.

*Feed your guests on time – do your best to not run late, especially when it comes to dinner service. A hangry guest is not one who is going to remember your day fondly.

*Arrange for your toasts and formalities to be short and sweet. Your guests won’t want to sit through 30 minutes of speeches, and they lose interest (and get antsy) when you play the entire song during your Father/Daughter, Mother/Son, and First Dances. A sweet glimpse of all these traditional things, will keep your guests satisfied and feeling the love of the day without causing boredom.

*Don’t wait too long to cut the cake. Make sure it’s close enough to dinner so that some of your elder (or really young) guests can have a bite of cake before heading home.

HIRE THE RIGHT STAFF

Looking to save some money in your budget? Staffing should never be an area to cut. If you don’t have enough servers to service your guests throughout dinner, they’ll be frustrated. Think about going to a restaurant- no one likes to be waiting on service, so why make them wait at your wedding? Same is true of course for the bar. You want to be sure to hire the right ratio of guests to bartender. Your guests don’t want long lines to grab a beverage, so do them a favor and make sure they can get a drink in a timely fashion so they can get back out on the dance floor!

If you need chairs moved, or a space flipped for the reception, make sure you have made arrangements for catering staff, or your wedding planners, to move those items for you and your guests. Your guests, while I know they’d be happy to help, would much rather enjoy celebrating instead of getting dirty from moving chairs.

While there aren’t any must do’s for your wedding, these are just some simple things to keep in mind that will make your guests comfortable, invested and having FUN at your wedding. Create those everlasting memories and elevate your wedding to the status of “Remember [INSERT YOUR NAMES HERE] wedding? It was the BEST wedding we’ve been to!”

Article Originally Written and Posted on Every Last Detail Blog HERE.