10 Small Touches

I get it. It’s YOUR wedding day and I want to help you make all your dreams come true. However, in the midst of planning you’ll want to incorporate ways to make your guests feel more comfortable on your wedding day. 

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1. Create a Room Block  If you are going to have guests coming from out of town create a room block at one of the local hotels.  This gives your guests an idea where to stay and also the hotel will give a discount when doing wedding blocks. 

2. Hire Transportation  Look into shuttle services between the hotel and your wedding venue.  Not only will this alleviate guests traveling in an unfamiliar area but it will also help ease your mind if your guests want to have a couple drinks during the reception. 

3. Dancing Shoes  The dress shoes that your guests come in might not be made for dancing. To help accommodate this issue, provide a basket with simple flip-flops in different sizes for your guests to scoop up and dance the night away. Look for Old Navy’s Flip Flop Sale that typically happens at the beginning of summer to be able to get a variety of flip-flops at a low cost. 

4. Welcome Bags Guests will appreciate being greeted at their hotel, and essentially your wedding with a small favor bag made up by you. This small welcome bag can include drinks, snacks, and something special that relates to your wedding theme. A small personalized card from the couple is an extra nice touch. 

5. Make Arrangements for Guests of Different Age Groups  Offering a coloring station or kids game area is a great touch if you will have small ones at your wedding. Consider your elderly guests and schedule toasts, cake cutting and first dances early in the evening so that they can be a part of these special moments. 

6. Comfort Stations If it’s a hot summer wedding, your comfort station could include sunscreen, cold water, paper fans or sunglasses. If your reception is happening in the fall consider having blankets set out to keep your guests warm as the temperature drops in the evening. 

7. Keep Things Going Once the ceremony starts your wedding doesn’t really end until last call at the reception.  Generally food should be served within the first hour after the ceremony ends; and if you want to enjoy your cocktail hour then accommodate your guests by having soft music playing and putting out the basics like cheese and crackers or veggies and fruits. Make sure they know more food is on their way, but depending on the time frame of your wedding some of your guests may skip meals in anticipation of dinner. This also helps accommodate guests with health issues such as diabetes. 

8. Bathroom Baskets Restrooms are often overlooked at weddings, but a few small touches can go a long way in guests comfort. Create a couple small baskets to put in the bathrooms. You can include things such as: breath mints, gum, deodorant, bandages, pain relievers, hair spray, bobby pins, and menstrual products. Keep the cost low by raiding the travel-size aisle at the store or searching for these products on Amazon. 

9. Ice Breaker Games It’s natural that not all of your guests will know each other, eliminate this problem by having ice breaker games that will not only help your guest become acquainted but will also provide a perfect way to kill time. Examples of these games could be “Wedding Libs”, Advice Cards and I Spy Games. 


10. Watch the time!  If you start your ceremony an hour late, your reception will end an hour early.  Remember that your caterers, photographers, musicians and venue are all on the clock.  You agreed to be done by a certain time and they will be expecting that as much as your guests are too. Especially if you have guests that are traveling after the reception or have childcare in place. Remember even though it is your day, you’ll want your friends and family to enjoy it too.  

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