We’re going to give your thirty seconds to write down everything you want your wedding reception to be. 3… 2… 1… Go!
Okay, now read back through your list-slash-brainstorming and pick just one word out of that rather illegible mess of yours. Chances are, you picked out the word “fun”. You want people to have the best time of their lives as you enjoy the biggest day of yours. You want people to eat well, drink lots, dance more, and smile and laugh for days and weeks after the last dance comes to an end, carriages appearing outside your venue. To put it bluntly, you want the wow-factor.
So, without further ado, here are the best kept secrets to hosting a truly fun and memorable wedding reception:
It Starts With Your Seating Plan
It is one of the most stressful parts of any wedding planning; like trying to do a thousand piece puzzle, in the dark. However, a solid seating plan is also one of the most important things to get right in your hunt for fun. You may want to play matchmaker or having strangers get to know each other, but we recommend you put friends with friends. Why? Because a great seating plan leads to great chinwags, which leads to a lot of laughter, which leads to a great dance party, which leads to a memorable night.
Do Something Totally Different
Every guest will arrive with their own expectations. They will presume there will be this and that based on the other weddings they have been to, which is why you do something totally different, break the mold and blow their minds. Look into Tipi winter weddings where you and your guests enjoy the great outdoors, glowing fires, rustic settings and an ambiance like never enjoyed before. Shake things up with your first dance by going from the classic slow sidestep and suddenly breaking into a Latin dance or a break dance routine, showing off the skills from your secret lessons. You could even plan some surprise entertainment, like a magician, acrobatics team or anything that pinches your fancy.
Get The People Dancing
This is the part of your night that people are most excited about. They’ve done all the chitting and chatting and drinking and eating, and now they want to break loose, that liquid confidence making them believe they can boogie like Bruno Mars. That is why you need to make sure you hire a band or a DJ that knows how to please the crowd. Yes, you need to pick party-starting musicians that gets you and your personality, but you need to put your love of indie-rock to the back of your mind and get someone that will get feet moving, bringing some big hits from the past, the present and the future, playing a set list that everyone will smile about.
Let Them Lounge About
It is one of the most underrated and underused memory-makers, but having a designated lounge area at your reception will give you that wow-factor you’re after. Wedding guests are used to sitting around the dinner tables, but by giving them a new place to enjoy, chat, rest their dancing feet and keep the non-dancers entertained is what will keep guests comfortable, and that is a huge part of creating a great vibe. All you need to do is hire or borrow some furniture, set up a little stylish area away from the music, fill it with cushions and tables, candles and flowers and, voila, you have gotten the extra edge you always wanted.
