Some brides like to focus on sprucing up the altar of the ceremony but are you forgetting other details that you don’t want to miss? Below is a list of wedding reception details that you can create to make a memorable day for your guests!
Signage and Directions: If you are having your ceremony at a different site from the reception, it’s good to give your guests directions with a map so that they have landmarks and a guide to not get lost! This would be a good thing to put on the back of your wedding program (if you opt to have one!) And if you plan to get married at the same location of the wedding reception, it’s still good to have signs so that guests don’t wander aimlessly looking for where to go next.
Signage: Hyegraph * Wedding Planner: Simply Elegant Weddings & Events * Venue: Regale Winery & Vineyards * Florist: VineLily
Venue: Brownstone Gardens
The Entrance: First impressions are so important so spending time and money creating a perfect entryway into your reception is important. Try to have floral, lanterns or a picture collage of you and the groom… Something inviting to entreat your guests in.
Venue: Ranch at Little Hills
The Escort Cards: If you are planning assigned seating, there are so many creative ways to make escort cards. You can have them strung by ribbon and penned in calligraphy paper and pen, pinned to a clothesline or posted on a board.
Wedding Planner: SmittenKiss * Florist: Vo Floral
Venue: Ranch at Little Hills
Venue: The Terrace at Willow Glen
The Guest Book: The days of your standard guest book are long in the past! Bride and grooms are now getting creative by having framed photo’s for guests to sign the frame with permanent marker or signing jenga or puzzle pieces in-scripted with a note to the happy couple. There are so many ideas out there to let the couple know that you were there to celebrate in their special day!
The Lighting: Perfect lighting can do so much! You can have decorative lighting, lights, candles, and the brightness of the noon-day sun. You can even incorporate some nice signage using the lighting to give it a cool effect. I would highly suggest having uplighting, it gives your reception a whole other dimension. Keep an eye out for my post on having the perfect lighting, coming next week to the blog!
Venue: Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards
Uplighting: Joe2 Productions * Venue: Ranch at Little Hills
The Bar Décor: This is one area that many people don’t think to decorate but it can add a special twist to your day by sprucing up with flowers.
The Menu Cards: Menu cards can be created to give extra flair in letting your guests know what will be offered to eat. Oftentimes this is listed in your invitation to the guests, but a menu card listing the item that they ordered is a cute reminder.
Wedding Planner: Your Events by Erin
The Cake Table: The cake table is often the main focal point at the reception, where guests love to look and take photos before the ceremonial cake cutting. Make sure to stage this table to create great photos to last forever, including flowers or candles to brighten up the table. You can even make it a dessert table with an assortment of yummy goodies.
Wedding Planner: SmittenKiss * Florist: Vo Floral
Venue: Old Clock Tower * Cake & Desserts: Natty Cakes
Venue: Eagle Vines * Studio Sweets * Florist: VineLily
Venue: Old Clock Tower * Cake & Desserts: Natty Cakes
Cake Artist: Batter Up Cakery * Wedding Planner & Officiant: The Tan Family
The Chairs: Match your chairs to the style of your wedding. If you opt to use chair treatments (covers for your chairs), go with a light color and nothing too bold and find something that will be comfortable for your guests to sit in for a few hours.
Wedding Planner: Simply Elegant Weddings & Events * Venue: Regale Winery & Vineyards * Florist: VineLily
The Guest Tables: All of the guest tables should be uniform, having the same items at every place setting. If one person has something that the other one doesn’t then the other person is going to want it too. It is always nice to decorate the table with beautiful flowers, the table number, a gift, a nice charger and any additional items that they may need such as utensils, glasses, and napkins.
Wedding Planner: SmittenKiss * Florist: Vo Floral
Venue: Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards
Venue: Willow Heights Mansion * Wedding Planner: Pink of Perfection Events
Venue: The Terrace at Willow Glen
Wedding Planner: SmittenKiss * Florist: Vo Floral
Wedding Planner: Simply Elegant Weddings & Events * Venue: Regale Winery & Vineyards * Florist: VineLily
The Head Table: Your table should be a little bit more spruced up. This is your special table that everyone is going to look at so you may want to have more dramatic flowers, your initials or Mr. & Mrs. on the chairs, and even have some signage on your plates.
Wedding Planner: Simply Elegant Weddings & Events * Venue: Regale Winery & Vineyards * Florist: VineLily
Venue: Eagle Vines * Florist: VineLily
Venue: The Terrace at Willow Glen
Games for the Kids: At the ceremony, hand out coloring books for children and offer to have games, crafts and maybe even a movie for the children during the reception. If your budget allows you can also offer a video game playing room for them to keep entertained while their parents have a good time on the dance floor!
Wedding Planner: Pink of Perfection Events
The Favors: Oh, there are soooo many options out there! Candles can be made, soaps, candy, a framed photograph of you and your beau.. The options are endless and they can be arranged in a basket and handed out by a small child or can be placed at their seat at dinner for their enjoyment.
The Exit: Don’t forget to plan your exit! Have someone decorate your getaway car (whether it be a vintage hot rod or a modern sports car) with a trail of rose petals for your guests to watch as you exit away to a life with your husband!
Final Touch: Make sure everything coordinates well and the overall vision has been accomplished.
Wedding Planner: Pink of Perfection Events
Wedding Planner: SmittenKiss * Florist: Vo Floral
