10 Ways to Maximize Your Wedding Guest Experience
Your wedding should always be about you and your partner, but a fun and memorable wedding also puts the emphasis on their guests as well.
Want to have an awesome wedding with the best guest experience? Keep reading to learn 10 ideas that you can add to your celebration and make it one to remember!
St Royals - Photo by Eyekahfoto
1. Photo Booth/Video Booth:
The 360 video booth is currently one of our faves here at Claudia and Co. Just take a look at the video below and you’ll see how much fun they can be! You can customize the template and guests will have it air dropped to their phones within minutes!
If you go for the photo booth option, keep it simple with a sleek photo booth design. For your prints, black and white is the way to go for that timeless look.
Some companies to check out are:
2. Hire a Band and a DJ
When you hire a band AND a DJ, then you’re guaranteed to have a packed dance floor. There’s nothing like live music, where the musicians can feel the crowd and match their vibe.
In my opinion, a DJ should be hired as well if you have a band. The musicians will need to break, so having a DJ come in to keep the party going is a must (not a playlist that your drunk groomsmen has to manage).
Just a few of our faves:
3. Hire a Professional Emcee
Hiring a professional emcee is never a bad decision. They will capture the crowd with their voice, they keep the flow going and make sure your guests stay entertained.
They’ll work closely with your wedding planner to introduce speeches, grand entrances and be available for any other announcements. If you hire a professional, we’d suggest Samantha The MC.
4. Entertainment During Dinner
Instead of having guests just listen to speeches, you should have some sort of entertainment during dinner as well. Maybe a violinist during cocktail hour, or a bongo player to open up the dance floor and get the party started!
Some musicians we’ve worked with and loved:
5. Limit Speeches
Let’s be real, nobody wants to listen to every person in your family speak. Even if the speeches are the best, you’ll still want to limit them. We’d say 4-5 max, and that includes a speech from the couple.
If you do have a lot of family and friends wanting to say a little something, then consider having them speak at your engagement party instead. Or even the rehearsal dinner, just don’t overdue speeches on your wedding day. Limiting your speeches will mean more time to mingle and dance!
6. Late Night
Everyone loves a little snack after dancing the night away and consuming endless beers and shots at the bar. You can offer your guests a sweet or savoury option, but having both is always the best!
Some late night options that are a definite crowd pleaser:
Pizza station
Taco station
Poutine
McDonald’s (Uber it to the venue or have it picked up by your planner)
Gelato station
Dessert table
7. Specialty Coffee Bar
This has always been a hit at weddings. Having a barista come in and whip up the best lattes, cappuccinos or perfect espresso is something your guests will love.
Consider having this available after dinner, so guests can enjoy a delicious coffee before dancing the night away!
8. Bar Entertainment
Hiring a professional bar service company, like 180 Drinks will be sure to entertain your guests as they make delicious and eye catching cocktails to enjoy.
Offering a signature drink, or a simple welcome mocktail can be a nice touch too. If you really want to get fancy, a new trend is having edible drink toppers.
9. Sketch Artist /Live Painter
This has become popular over the years and we can see why - it’s such a fun touch to any celebration! Hiring a live painter will be entertainment for the guests as they paint your ceremony design during your reception. The best part? You have a custom painting of when you said “I Do”.
Sketch artists or illustrators will be available for your guests, usually during cocktail hour and into dinner. They’ll snap a photo of your guests, then put a design together for your guests to take, making the perfect guest favor!
Some artists we love:
10. Audio Guest Book
Ditch the boring guest book where people just sign their names. Instead have your guests be interactive and leave voice messages with your audio guest book.
The company we’ve used is FeteFone. They have a few phone options available, so you can choose the style that best matches your wedding theme. The phone will be mailed to you with instructions and your guests will be able to record the message when they pick up the phone. You’ll have some pretty amazing voice notes to listen to the next day since it’s available the entire wedding.
These are just a few ways to maximize your wedding guest experience. Remember, you don’t need to include everything listed, but when you’re planning your wedding be sure to keep your guests in mind. You want them to have just as much fun as you. Always make your wedding about you, but when you include some cool ideas that you and your guests will both love, you know it’s going to be a hit!
If you’re not sure which ideas to add to your wedding, then consider hiring a wedding planner. They’ll be able to suggest different entertainment options based on the style of wedding you’re having, your budget and overall vibe of your special day. Contact us today to see if we have your wedding date available and let us help make your wedding a fun and memorable one!