Are you getting married soon?
If so, we hope you have a wonderful time, and that you get the opportunity to create a wedding that you will remember forever.
But spare a thought for your wedding guests. While the day will be memorable for you, you also want to ensure the day will be memorable for them. The last thing you want to see is a look of boredom on the faces of your guests at the wedding, and you don’t want to see them slipping away early because they ‘have left the oven on at home’ or any other type of excuse. Whatever you do, you need to make sure you capture the big day with an amazing wedding photographer.
So, to ensure your guests don’t get bored at the wedding, consider the following.
#1: Decrease waiting time
There is a lot of waiting time at weddings, and this can be frustrating for those who have been invited. They have to wait for the ceremony to begin, usually because the bride is traditionally a little late. They have to wait while photos are being taken before the reception can take place. And they have to wait a long time before eating because of all the speeches that are happening beforehand. You won’t have the opportunity to get bored during these times, but your guests might.
So, try not to keep your guests waiting at the place where your ceremony is being held. Let them know what time to be there to avoid anybody turning up early, and get there on time yourself. Entertain your guests during the time between the ceremony and reception, perhaps with a paid entertainer. Consider photo booth hire too, as you will entertain your guests this way and reduce the need for them to stand around waiting for the photographer to take snaps of them. And when writing your speech, try to keep it short, or at the very least, interesting to listen to! Here are some tips on writing the perfect wedding speech.
#2: Shorten the wedding ceremony
Do your wedding vows really need to take 20 minutes to say? Do you really need to play extra songs at the end of the ceremony? Do you really need to invite more than one guest speaker to regale your guests with stories about you and your beloved? Your wedding ceremony will go on for longer than it probably should if you try to pack too much in, so think of the guests who have to sit through it all. When writing your wedding vows, be creative by all means, but try to keep them short. Go easy on the music and any extra bits you might be considering. And if people are getting up to speak, give them a time limit so they don’t ramble on forever!
#3: Give your guests things to do
We already touched upon this, as if your guests have things to do within your schedule, they won’t get bored. So, in continuation of what we have already said, consider what else they could do at the wedding. You might want to give them a disposable camera each to take photos of each other and your wedding, for example, or you might want to encourage them to take snaps with their phones. You could have a buffet table and bar available, as food and drink is always a good way to grab somebody’s attention. You could provide games and toys, such as nerf guns and giant bubble blowers, as adults will enjoy playing with these as much as their kids. And check out these other ideas for games at your wedding reception, as they will do much to keep your guests entertained.
#4: Provide a variety of evening entertainment
It’s not easy getting the evening entertainment right. If you overdo it on the music, those people who hate dancing will get bored, shuffle away from the dance floor, and into the taxi cab home. And those people who need to do more than eat and drink during the evening will get bored if there is nothing for them to engage with as the night goes on. So, make sure your evening is varied, perhaps with music, games, quizzes, and special entertainment acts. You could even have a cabaret evening, with guests getting up on stage to entertain the crowd, as this would also reduce your entertainment budget.
Finally
Your guests will have a better time if you take steps to counter opportunities for boredom, so consider our suggestions. They will enjoy your wedding if you take their needs into account, and you will better enjoy your wedding when you know that everybody is having a good time.