Want to Wow Your Wedding Guests? Pay Less Attention to These 4 Details and Focus More on the Timeline Instead
TABLE OF CONTENTS
On This Page
Flowers
Programs
Favors
Menu Add-Ons
Prioritize Scheduling
A wedding-planning checklist can feel overwhelming, which is why it's so important to narrow your focus early on. While it's easy to get excited about all of the possible options and each of your ideas, remember that not all of those details have the same impact on the overall feel of your big day.
Whether you're trying to minimize the number of decisions you need to make or maximize a tight budget, professional wedding planners Holly Patton Olsen of Perfectly Posh Events and Michaela Caul of Engaged and Inspired say you can rethink some of the most traditional elements of your wedding—without your guests even noticing. But there is one detail wedding pros say you should devote more time, energy, and funds towards.
Related: 12 Things to Consider Before Choosing a Wedding Venue
Flowers
Flowers can be one of the wedding's main expenses—as well as one of its biggest visual impacts—so they aren't something you want to forego entirely. You can, however, scale back on florals without guests noticing.
Limit Personal Flowers
Olsen says couples sometimes swap groomsmen's boutonnières (which often don't survive after a few hugs) for pocket squares—a more lasting keepsake. Additionally, many duos decide to skip the corsage for the mothers of the bride and groom (but keep in mind that grandparents often still like to have them).
Reuse Arrangements
When ideating your ceremony and reception décor, Olsen says to talk to your florist about choosing arrangements that can be used for both parts of the day. Repurposing flowers helps keep your costs down without sacrificing the look of either space.
Opt for More Greenery
You can also streamline your florals by opting for "heavy greenery with a few statement pieces," says Caul. Olsen agrees: "I recommend that they choose one floral 'wow' element and then keep the centerpieces on the table minimalist." She executed this at a wedding by hanging vines and bistro lights above the tables to draw the eye up toward the venue's dazzling chandelier and decorating the table with small bud vases and candles.
Programs
Ceremony programs are a traditional way to honor your bridal party members and help guests follow along with your ceremony—especially if you're combining two faiths or cultures into one service—but they are rarely kept. "More often than not, ceremony programs are left behind and discarded for the trash, which makes them an easy thing to forego," says Olsen.
Try a Sign
Instead, display a custom sign at the entrance to your ceremony space that lists the names and roles of people participating in the wedding and describes any unique parts of the service.
Favors
You've probably attended enough nuptials to know that wedding favors rarely become treasured keepsakes. "Very few guests will notice if you opt not to offer take home gifts," says Olsen. "More often than not, guests are getting spoiled with a great night of eating, drinking, and entertainment, so the favor really isn't necessary." If you do decide to send each guest home with a token of your special day, Caul has one suggestion: "On this one, go big or go home."
Upscale Menu Add-Ons
While the quality of the food and service is one part of the day that will get your guests' attention, you can simplify: Choose a plated salad and family-style entrée, suggests Olsen, for a dinner that feels more formal than a buffet, but is less costly than a full-service plated dinner. And when it comes to "elaborate desserts," says Caul, you can cross those off your list: "Hopefully—and usually—guests are occupied on the dance floor."
Focus on Scheduling
One part of the guest experience that you don't want to ignore is the timeline. Plan appropriately for food and drink between events, and make sure your planner or day-of contact is ready to make adjustments as needed during the event—like if your photos run long, the band has trouble setting up, or the food service slows.
"If guests have to wait around and get bored or drunk because they haven't been given enough food over the course of an extended cocktail hour, then that will be very noticeable and be something guests are talking about during and after the event," says Olsen. "Guests may not remember exactly what your flowers looked like or what they had for dinner, but they will certainly remember if they had to wait around or if the band played for a short amount of time and the party ended early."
