Your wedding day. It's going to be one of the best, most special days of your life. You want to enjoy every minute. So of course you want to make it last as long as possible.
Better stop right there. In that case you need to be giving serious thought to just how you are going to keep your guests entertained and well fed for a whole day.
You want to be sure to avoid the dreaded "wedding guest fatigue." Haven't heard of it? Read on. You don't want everyone looking at their watches, thinking, "How much longer before I can leave?" because they've gotten restless, tired and hungry at your wedding. Do you? Of course not.
I once went to a wedding where the church ceremony started at 11 a.m. So we're all sitting in our pews by 10:30 a.m listening to the organ, chatting. The bride walks down the aisle fashionably late at 11:15 a.m. Then the service. Lovely. Next we're all waiting outside for the photographs, confetti and waving at the newly married couple before being shipped off to the reception which started at about 1:30 p.m.
Drinks and light canapés were passed around for a very short while and we all mingled, but in actual fact, we didn't sit down to eat until the evening at 6:30 p.m, which was far too long to wait with grumbling tummies and tired feet. As the afternoon wore on, sadly the mood amongst the guests had shifted from being celebratory to impatient and a little irritable.
It was a shame because all the bride and groom had wanted was for everyone to share in the great day and enjoy every minute. Thankfully, the atmosphere changed over dinner, but here are some pointers they should have followed to avoid the wedding guest fatigue:
- If you can't afford to feed your guests at lunchtime and in the evening, then you should be opting for a shorter wedding day.
- Consider serving a sit-down lunch immediately after the ceremony and then a less expensive buffet dinner in the evening. To keep to within your budget, invite your ceremony guests to the lunch and the bulk of your friends along later on.
So when you are planning your wedding, just think about who you have invited to your big day and how to entertain them and really look after them. As a result, your wedding day will be one that your guests never want to end.