After many years of being in the wedding business, we have picked up quite a few tips that you may find helpful when planning your wedding. We hope that you will find these tips useful.

INVITATIONS

Always order 25 extra than what you think that you will need. Just in case that you forgot someone. It is very costly to go back and reorder 25 later.

Number your guest list. Then as you are addressing your invitations, put the number that corresponds on your list on the bottom back corner of the response card. You would be suprised at how many guests forget to put their names on the response cards. If you get one that has no name, all you need to do is flip over the card and look at the number. Then match it up with your guest list and your mystery guest is solved!

TIME BETWEEN CEREMONY & RECEPTION

It is important not to make your guests wait too long from the end of your ceremony to the start of dinner. Even if you put that your reception is to start at a later time. 90% of your guests will still go directly to the reception. You guests will start to get impatient if they have to wait too long between.

SEATING

Assigned seating is generally the best way to go. It may be a challenge to do this, but very much worth the effort. When you have general seating, it is human nature for guests to leave spaces in between themselves and another guest. If you have a family of 4 that arrives a bit late, chances are they will not be able to sit together.

When planning your seating arrangements it is always important to make sure that your DJ, Photographer and Videographer are all seated at the same table and in the same room as your guests. Your wedding professionals willl be coordinating your events of the evening as they dine. There are a few reasons as to why they all should be in the same room as you and your guests. From the Photographer and Videographer standpoint, quite often during dinner something impromptu can occur, if they are in another room they will not be able to get the footage of what is happening. From the Disc Jockey's standpoint, if there would be a malfunction with their equipment, they would have no way of knowing if they are not in the room.

Put your Place Cards in alphabetical order and not by Table #'s.

Seat your younger guests closest to the dance floor.

Head Table - The easiest and best way to seat your Bridal Party is to put your Bridesmaids on one side and the Groomsman on the other. If you have ever seen a Bridal Party that has been seated by couples two things generally take place. Immediately after dinner they all move so that they are sitting in the way mentioned above. And during dinner the Bridesmaids are leaning back in their chairs to talk with the other ladies and the Groomsman are leaning forward doing the same. They feel more comfortable in groups.

ITEMS THAT ARE FORGOTTEN THE MOST

Pen for the guest book
Cake Knife & Server
Throw away bouquet (Not all florists will provide this automatically, you must ask.)
Bridal Bag or Apron for Dollar Dance
Slippers
Helpers for afterwards. You will be surprised at how much stuff that you will have to try to pack into vehicles while still leaving a place for passengers.


IDEAS TO KEEP KIDS AND ADULTS ENTERTAINED

Activity Bag as a favor for your child guests. (Crayons, Coloring Books, Cards, etc...)

Decks of cards at the tables. (This is a great idea to pass the time while your guests are waiting for you to arrive. And even for your non-dancing guests for later in the reception.)

Candy Bouquet Toss for the children before the Garter - Bouquet Toss

OTHER SUGGESTIONS

It is generally customary for a couple to greet their guests at the tables after dinner. The best time to start this is as soon as you have finished eating. But do not take too long. Once again think from your guests perspective. They have been sitting for a very long time and they want to dance. Most couples will go to the most important tables, get the first dance started and then mingle around to greet other guests throughout the evening.

In the Rest Room put together a basket of items that may be needed. Your guests will appreciate your thoughtfulness. And you will be amazed at how many of these items get used.

Band aids
Tylenol
Aspirin
Safety Pins
Sewing Kit
Mints
Gum
Hair Spray
Shout Wipes
Feminine Products
Nylons
Tums
Immodium AD
Dental Floss
Comb
Hand Lotion
Tissues
Nail File

Another very important factor is to not give your DJ a long list of requests. You want for your guests to be able to make requests as well. And of course there are many songs that you may not like, but your guests will expect to hear played at your wedding. So try limit the number of songs that you ask not to be played as well. Your DJ will try to get as many requests played that time allows. But do not expect your DJ to play every request. The reality is that after dinner and your Traditional Events there will generally only be time at the most for about 30-35 other songs to be played throughout the course of dancing. And the biggest suprise to most couples is that you will be so busy that you will not even be aware that a song had been played. It is common for a couple to come up and ask when a particular song will be played and then shocked to hear it was played 5 minutes before.

Not all receptions are adult only. If you are planning on having children at your reception, a few years ago a family had us make an announcement at their reception. And we have had quite a few since then who have had us do the same. Kids will be kids and that is a fact. Kids like to run around and play on the dance floor which can deter your adult guests from dancing. And can get dangerous, we have seen many kids get injured during a reception. The announcement that was given to us was this, "For the safety of those here this evening, the families have requested that all children under the age of 12 be accompanied by an adult at all times. We thank you in advance for your cooperation." All of your guests will appreciate your concern over their safety.

The most important tip of all is to enjoy your day! Your Wedding Day will be here and over before you know it, so enjoy the moment and rely on your professionals to make it a Stress Free Day for you.