How To Make Your Wedding Day Memorable
We write this post as both experienced wedding guests and a couple who have planned their own wedding with no regrets. Again we live by the motto “each to their own” as everyone is different and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. However we hope to give you some tips on how to make your wedding day both more entertaining and memorable to you and your guests. We all know that weddings are expensive, that’s a given. But you want it to be a day that you and your guests will remember in years to come. Obviously wedding photographs and videos will capture the day but ultimately you want those “memorable moments” that will have your guests saying “oh remember when such and such happened” or “how good was such a thing”.
There are lots of simple ways that you can make your wedding day more memorable. Some might cost a little bit of money, some might take a little bit of planning and preparation others are just little touches that will make people remember your big day. There are also obviously a lot of expensive things that you can have in your day that people ultimately won’t remember. Again a lot of planning for your wedding day comes down to whether money is an issue or not. We are not looking to put you off hiring certain things but having attended many weddings we feel it only fair to comment on the things we have seen and experienced.
The first area to consider is your wedding outfits – obviously the dresses and the suits are important as well as the makeup and hair styles. But the simple addition of coloured socks, a superhero t-shirt under your suit, kilts, personalised cufflinks or a funky pair of evening shoes can create a major talking point about your wedding. What’s more they can double up as gifts for your bridesmaids and groomsmen.
Another area to consider is the entertainment you hire or have on offer to your guests. We see so many weddings were people have spent a fortune having a string quartet playing the bride down the aisle – sure it’s a great touch but in terms of bang for your buck it’s an expensive few minutes of your day. The same applies to the cars you hire, again they are a great way to arrive at your wedding and make for a lovely photo opportunity and we highly recommend having one, but nobody is likely to see you arrive at your wedding.
Now entertainment wise your wedding will usually have 2 gaps in it depending on your ceremony time. After the ceremony and after the wedding breakfast are areas to consider filling with entertainment. After the ceremony can easily be occupied by your photographer, welcome drinks and canapés however depending on your ceremony time the gap between your wedding breakfast and evening reception can be a long break. There’s so much on offer in terms of entertainment for this period of the day at a relatively low cost. A magician can keep your guests entertained, a children’s entertainer can also be a hit, garden games or if your feeling really wild inflatable obstacle courses and bucking broncos. Wedding singers also offer a great way of keeping you and your guests occupied and entertained throughout the day. We’ve also seen wedding caricaturists who’s drawings double up as favours for your guests.
Next, your speeches, don’t neglect your speeches as they are one of the only free parts of a wedding day. A good speech can be the highlight of a wedding! Not everybody is gifted with the ability to speak out loud in front of an audience let alone entertain and make people laugh. But put some effort into planning something funny, emotional or personal to your wedding. Incorporate any talents that your guests may have – song, musical instruments, artistic flair etc. It’s a nerve-wracking part of the day for a lot of fathers, grooms and best men but it’s the part of the day were you and your guests are likely to laugh the most. If your struggling for inspiration YouTube and Google are your friend.
There are so many other extra bits and small touches that you can add to your day for not very much expense. The small touches might not be noticed by all your guests, but they may be that one thing that stand out to certain guests. Your choice of wedding favour, quirky bits added to your wedding decoration or a keepsake on your bouquet are all simple low-cost things. A charm around your toasting glasses for example can also double up as a wedding favour.
The final part of your day that you need to prepare for is usually your first dance. Again we recommend putting some effort into this. No one is going to remember you shuffling uncomfortably on the dancefloor for 3 minutes nor will they remember your choice of song. Aim to entertain your guests even if it’s a bit embarrassing for you. You will enjoy it and your guests will talk about it for years. The proof is in the pudding.
There is so much more that we could go into for making your wedding day memorable for you and your guests. But at the very least if you focus on the speeches and the first dance or dances you are going to be adding highlights to your wedding day without having to worry about how much they will impact your budget.
Sarah & Joe
SJPhotographers
