Keep guests from yawning at your next event. Take, for example, a wedding. The day is supposed to be all about the bride and groom, and yet, when it comes to keeping guests entertained at the reception, there are a few simple touches that will bring the wedding from blah to wow!
- Stick to the schedule. Not wanting to rush your big day, hosts as well as the guests should have adequate time to go from place to place. That being said, it is also important to keep guests busy while formal photos are being taken. A cocktail hour in between the ceremony and reception is a great way to keep guests from feeling bored waiting around, while giving them a place to catch up with out-of-town family members or friends.
- Don’t let guests go hungry. Although a full dinner might be served, keeping guests' hunger at bay with hors d’oeuvres is a great way to allow the guests to stay busy with eating and conversing while they wait for the bride and groom’s big entrance.
- Work your seating chart. The best way to make an enjoyable dinner hour is to sit people in the best place possible. Keep high school friends at one table and college friends at another. Allow family members to sit next to each other so that they can catch up and not feel out of place as they try to make small talk with people they don’t know. Organizing your tables ensures happy guests as well as a lively atmosphere.
- Put a time limit on toasts. Hearing nice words of encouragement is great, however, keeping your list of speakers and speaking time down to a couple of minutes will make excruciatingly long speeches short and sweet. Consider having just the maid of honor, best man, and parents speak.
Keeping guests entertained at any event should not be the main priority, but it is an important factor to consider when planning the time before and during the reception.
Source: Sean Cunningham Photo: stock.xchng
