A Guest's Point Of View

Image source

Obviously the most important people at a wedding are the couple that is getting married. But it is also true that a wedding is transformed into a true happy occasion by your friends and family enjoying themselves. That is what gives your day a celebratory atmosphere! To this end, it can be useful when planning your wedding, to put yourselves in your guests shoes now and again. By seeing things from their point of view (POV), you can make sure that you will the celebration is as enjoyable for them as possible. Which in turn to should add to the overall atmosphere and success of your special day.

Timings

OK, so the time that you have your wedding, can depends on a lot of different things. For example, it can be limited to when the church, venue or officiants are free. It could also be based on a particular time of day, such as a sunset wedding. But you also need to think about how the time of the ceremony will affect your guests.

Image

An early ceremony might be great for you as you are just raring to tie the knot. But it may mean your guests can�t travel to the venue on the day. So they have to pay for an extra night�s accommodation to be there in time. Earlier morning wedding can also be tricky if you don't lay on a very structured day, with a lot of entertainment and refreshments. It is easy for people to lose momentum if they are left to their own devices while the photos are being taken, and the room rag-ganged. Don't let this happen by booking a later ceremony, and provide cocktails and hors d'oeuvres to keep your guest occupied before the main meal. This will definitely help to keep the party atmosphere going.

Gifts

For the guests, giving a wedding gift can often cause undue hassle. First They have to pay for it, on top of the travel and outfits they had to shell out for. Then they have to choose something appropriate, at the right price. Something classy, that doesn't cost too much, but isn't too cheap either! Make this a lot easier for them, by providing the option of donating cash for a honeymoon. Or pick you wedding gift selection from a website with a registry. Then your guests can just pick something from the list that will be delivered to you after the wedding. Minimal hassle and everyone is happy.

Dress code

Image source

From a guest's point of view, it can really help to make the dress code clear. Then they won't be worried about being too formal or too casual for the day. This can alleviate a lot of stress, especially on those that like to go out and buy a new outfit for each wedding they attend. Something you should probably avoid though, is limiting the colors of the guests outfits. For example to black and white. While this can look super classy, people often feel a little restricted with this sort of thing, and it may cause them to be negative about the event.