Welcome to the Magnolia Blossom Events and Design’s blog. My goal is to showcase some of my favorite weddings, trends that I am in love, and some that I could do without. I will also be offering tips and tricks to make your wedding smoother. Welcome to this journey. I can’t wait to see where this takes us.
Today I want to touch on a topic that has been on my mind for several weeks- Wedding Guests. Guests are the people that we love, and want to witness the biggest day of a couple’s life. Sadly, some wedding traditions are no longer observed, and it detracts from a couple’s wedding day. Shall we get started?
Punctuality- There is a grey area between showing up on time, and showing up too early. I have found that twenty minutes is the magic number. It gives you time to sign the Guest Book, be ushered to your seat, and some time to enjoy the Prelude. Cutting it too close to the time for the ceremony to start could possibly cause the ceremony to start late, thus throwing the carefully curated timeline off. We’ve covered showing up on time, but let’s take some time to talk about showing up late for the wedding. Most Wedding Coordinators will hold you until the Bride walks down the aisle. I was recently presented with a situation when the guests were fifty minutes late. It was the end of the service, and I could not allow them to sneak in. I lost popular points, but the sacredness of the ceremony was not disturbed.
Plus Ones- It is very common to not include a ”plus one” when inviting a single friend. There are many reasons the couple may choose to opt out of allowing you a date. Budget, the size of the venue, and large guest lists are just a few of the many reasons to exclude plus ones. You should never invite a guest that the couple didn’t invite. That goes for everyone, not just the single guests. Most weddings are budgeted “per head”, and when a budget is tight an extra ten people can make a difference.
Attire- My, my, my…. Where do I begin? Let’s start with my number one ick. Guests that wear white, cream, or ivory. This is the bride’s day to shine, and her dress should be the center of attention. Rule of thumb, unless the invitation or wedding website specifically requests guests to wear white, just avoid it all together. Moving on…. Try to dress for the venue. A mini body con dress is not appropriate for most churches, country clubs, and chic hotels. This hits my heart hard because at our wedding we had a plus one that dressed for a night club for my
afternoon garden wedding.
Unplugged Ceremony- Please be respectful, and turn your mobile phone off during the ceremony. The couple have hired amazing photographers and videographers to capture their special. No one wants to see a bevy of cell phones in some of the most cherished pictures of their lives.
Show kindness to the Event Staff- Being a wedding vendor is hard, back breaking work. On a good day, we have five people working a crowd of two hundred guests. We are trying our best to refill drinks, transition from Cocktail to Dinner, and get you through the buffet as fast as possible. While the newlyweds are our number one priority, I promise we are trying to keep you as happy as well. A smile or a compliment can really get you a long way.
Wedding Gifts- With some many couples living together (guilty!) or combining households, many couples no longer need the tradition gifts (i.e. towels, toasters, blenders, and knick knacks). That is why it is important to shop from the couple‘s registry. Another great gift for couples in to contribute to their Honeymoon Fund. Some couple‘s will have a a card box and/or a Venmo QR Code to make gift giving easier.
Be mindful of your alcohol intake- Most receptions mean alcohol. Whether it is a beer, a glass of wine, or an. incredible signature drink, please take it easy on the alcohol. Remember that you are at a wedding, and not a tailgating party. Unwind, enjoy your buzz, but please try to avoid getting sloppy drunk . If you do decide to drink, please arrange for a sober driver or call Uber.
Enjoy the party
As a woman who has done the Cha Cha Slide more times than I can count, I will tell you that there are some amazing DJs that really know how to get the party going. Get out on the dance floor, and turn the night into an epic dance party. I don‘t care if you look like Elaine from “Seinfield“ or one of the Teen Rom Com movies where EVERYONE at the prom knew every beat of choreography. Just get out there and have a blast!
This day is about the couple, and no one else- I know it is hard to get our egos aside, and allow someone to take the limelight, but that is exactly what a wedding day is for. Please leave all drama at home. Allow the couple to have a day that is solely about them.
Cameras at the reception- While at the reception, pull out those phones, and grab as many fabulous candids as you can. It the couple has a hashtag or digital uploader, please use them. The couple will cherish these pictures for years to come.
Thank you so much for the launch of my new blog. What kind of content would you like to see? I am willing to deep dive into an Event/Wedding Planning topic.
Let love blossom,
De Anna Hicks
Magnolia Blossom Events and Design
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