Being invited to a wedding is such an honour for many of us. It’s one of the special occasions we all look forward to because it means participating in a significant celebration of our loved ones.
However, the pandemic has brought us fear and anxiety about going out and being in places with other people, even our friends and relatives.
Read this guide first if you’re considering attending a wedding during this pandemic. Etiquette has taken on a new meaning at weddings since COVID-19 spread worldwide.
Thus, it’s essential to know the rules so you can focus on your health and safety and others as well.
So the fallout from 2020’s pandemic scare has changed the economy of 2021, and the intrigues of 2021 are definitely going to reverberate throughout 2023. How you travel, where you spend your honeymoon, what venues will allow what sort of wedding parties, which provinces and countries are more or less free—all these things are going to carry over into 2023.
Marriage is pretty important, and it’s kind of a backbone for society. There’s an argument to be made that marriage actually outranks political issues. Without the nuclear family, it’s pretty hard for a society to develop in a way which is ultimately productive.
Marriage is the core nexus point of that reality. All that to say this: your weddingis more important than many realize. Don’t stress it too much, but don’t be intimidated into having some cloistered back-room affair—unless, of course, that’s what you were going for. Then, by all means, have it in the basement.
There’s always a new trend around the corner that could make your wedding reception become a memorable affair. Frequently, you don’t have to go big, make it extravagant, or even spend a mint. There are tons of fun and new wedding reception ideas and trends could be right up your alley. Read on for our take on some themes, trends, and Knick Knacks that are sure to enhance your special day and your guests experience.
Add Some Flair to Your Programs
Wedding days tend to provide guests with considerable amounts of free time. Whether it is the anticipation of the ceremony or the sometimes awkward timing before the reception, your guests are likely to have some “free” time throughout the day. Providing programs with some added flair is an excellent way to make those periods of time more exciting and enjoyable.
Blank notebook and wild flowers on blue wooden background. Concept flowers of spring,
Adding fun facts about the couple or ceremony location, introducing the wedding party, outlining the event schedule, and adding any fun tidbits, are creative ways to make the experience feel more personalized. It’s also a great conversation starter for family and guests that want to get to know one another. You’re also more likely to have guests taking pictures of your program and sharing fun with non-attendees.
Create Small Knick Knacks For Your Guests to Use or Keep
It goes without saying that the Bride is always the most important attendee at any given wedding. That being said, there are plenty or small ways to make your guests feel truly appreciated and more involved in the event.
Confetti in wedding thrown on the floor, celebrations and events
Providing to-boxes for leftovers or cake, personalized coasters to leave on drinks while dancing, or customized guest lists based seating arrangements to help people get to know each other, all make for great ways to make guests feel the love too. Going the extra mile to enhance your guests experience will make for an even more memorable reception. Make sure to add your wedding hashtag on these types of items so your guests can share their memories on social media!
Make Memories That Last a Lifetime
Hire a photographer that knows how to mix and mingle with the guests to take some candid shots. Nothing is staged here. These photos show the two sets of grandparents toasting each other. They show the bridesmaids and ring bearer flossing. Ask the pro to customize the borders of the pictures to spell out your wedding details.
The photos are printed out throughout the night and placed on a board. Guests can walk right up and take the images that they want. If there’s a shot you want but someone else snapped up, don’t worry! These photos also go on a website for downloading and social media sharing. To make it even more fun, all guests can use a special app that allows all images taken to be easily shared on social media. Now your wedding hashtag can truly go viral!
Skip the Restaurant and Invite the Food Vendors
Artisans from the local bakery bring the bread. The lady with the delicious cheeses at the farmer’s market stand brings some of her wares. The mom and pop restaurant with the fiery spaghetti alla puttanesca provides an experience worthy of its Napoli origins. The ice cream vendor whom you always see when you walk the dog? Invite him, too! He’ll bring the dessert. Now, that’s a party!
Encourage Guests to Bring Their Best Friends
No, we’re not talking about the plus-one option on the RSVP card. This best friend is the canine companion they refer to as a fur baby. If you and your significant other met in a setting that involved dogs, this is an ideal way of honoring the memory and giving the nod to the canine that brought you together.
Go wild, and encourage guests to dress up their dogs. Keep it low-key and merely let friends and family members bring their best friends as they see fit. Just be sure to provide plenty of water bowls, treats, and a designated area for doggies to do their business.
Incorporate Your Hobbies into the Party
The standard reception includes a meal, some toasts, and dancing. What would happen if you made your favorite hobby the backdrop to the standard? Are you and your love members of a roller skating team? Have the event at the roller skating rink! Did you meet at an indoor trampoline park? They have party rooms!
Wedding guests are enjoying a dance while the father of the bride plays piano music.
Just Have Fun!
In short, make the party a fun event for participants of all ages. Just be sure to let folks know if they need to bring special footwear or should pack a change of clothes. After all, nobody wants to jump on a trampoline in a long evening dress.
With so many new wedding reception ideas and trends, there’s no reason to do the same old routine. Forget the chicken or steak dinner and let’s party like you mean it!
Planning a reception can seem overwhelming at times. There are so many decisions to make. One of the decisions involves deciding if you will serve wine. If you do plan on serving wine, how much do you need? What kind of wine is best for wedding receptions? Here are some tips regarding wine for wedding receptions.
When deciding whether or not to have wine, you may consider your own preferences, the rules for the venue, and what your guests may want. If a reception is held on church property, serving wine may be prohibited. Certain venues don’t allow alcoholic beverages. Some religious families may be offended by serving wine.
If you decide to serve wine, knowing how much wine is needed can impact the couple’s decision on the wine budget and the types of wine to be served. If less wine is needed, couples may be able to serve more expensive wines without breaking the wedding budget. A cheaper wine may be needed if more bottles of wine are necessary. Once you know how many bottles of wine you need, you can figure out what types of wine fit within your budget.
How much wine is needed for wedding receptions? A convenient formula is to take the number of guests and divide that number by 2.15. The answer is the number of bottles of wine that will be needed. In addition to weddings, this general formula works for all kinds of events. A standard wine bottle is 750 ml or 25 ounces. This means that each bottle holds five servings of wine that are five ounces each.
The types of wine that people typically drink is influenced by the season and whether the wedding is indoors or outdoors. Autumn through spring, people tend to drink about 50% red wine with sparkling and white making up the other half. For summer outdoor weddings, people tend to drink much more white wine if the weather is warm. White, red, and sparkling wines are more equally divided for outdoor wedding receptions.
Other things will affect the type of wine that people will want to drink such as the menu choices. If you serve only beef, more people will gravitate towards red wine. If chicken, fish, and seafood are being served, more people may choose white or blush wine. A champagne toast may add drastically to the amount of sparkling wine needed.
The length of the reception will impact the amount of wine consumed. The standard formula is often what caterers use for a wedding reception that is approximately two hours long. If the reception will last significantly longer, you may need to add more wedding reception wine. If you know that many people on your guest list do not drink wine, you can tailor your total accordingly. However, it’s always better to have a bit too much wine rather than coming up short.
More helpful tips to plan a great wedding reception can be found on the Best for Bride blog.
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