Feel Like a Professional & Delight Your Reception Guests
Food & Beverage
- Have a caramel apple station, pumpkin decorating booth and cotton candy machine at a fall wedding.
- Serve finger sandwiches on heart-shaped bread.
- Dress up reception food tables with ice sculptures and breads in animal shapes.
- Replace the open bar with sophisticated tea, juice and cappuccino bars.
- Break a loaf of bread to ceremoniously start the reception meal since it’s a sign of good fortune. Place a loaf on each guest table so all can break bread together.
- Serve cocktails from a surfboard placed on painted saw horses at a summer beach themed wedding or from ice-filled painted canoe.
- Replace the traditional cake-topper with a miniature tent and serving smores along with the cake
- Host “Happy Hour” before your ceremony. Greet guests with canapes and champagne and thank them for attending.
- Serve dinner food family-style in heirloom bowls at elongated dining tables.
- Serve chocolate banana cake instead of wedding cake. Toast with hot chocolate for a winter wedding.
- Dress food servers in period clothing or outfits matching the wedding style and theme and ask them to sing while serving.
- Order a square wedding cake or serve heart-shaped brownies.
Guest Registry
- Ask guests to legibly sign a designated tablecloth with a cloth pen. Afterwards, embroider the names on your marriage tablecloth.
- Collect guest signatures on an unglazed piece of pottery in lieu of a guestbook. Glaze and keep as a keepsake.
- Create a thumbprint guest book. Guests place colored thumbprints as leaves, peacock feathers or balloons and then add their names to the print.
- Guests pen messages on river rocks that later are covered with clear acrylic gloss to keep from fading.
- Ask guests to make wishes for you by writing them on a card they hang on a wishing tree.
Decorations
- String unmatched, interesting lights and Chinese lanterns at an outdoor reception.
- Decorate guest tables with the state flower.
- Etch “love” “hug” or “just married” on to flat, smooth stones and place at each table setting as a favor.
- Design floral chandeliers to hang above each guest table. Place ribbon-wrapped votive candle holders on each table.
- Use acrylic ballroom chairs with monogrammed pillows placed on them for color and comfort. Guests take the pillows as a party favor.
- Hang wedding themed pinatas from the ceiling.
- Place fun-filled globe ornaments on tables as centerpieces.
- Hang glow-in-the-dark stars from the ceiling above the cake table. Turn the lights off for maximum effect.
- Replace floral centerpieces with appetizer trays. As the reception proceeds, replace these trays with dessert trays.
- Present guests pear-shaped candles with a tag that includes the bride and groom names, wedding date and “We’re a perfect pair!”
Entertainment
- Have a hula-hoop contest and award prizes.
- Toss the garter strapped to a football, baseball or whiffleball. Watch unmarried males guests run for it.
- Hire jazz musicians, children’s choir, drum majorette or baton twirlers to lead guests from the ceremony to the reception location.
- Ask guests to play musical chairs at the reception.
- Hire troubadours (group of singers or musicians) from the local college who move around the room entertaining guests during the dinner reception.
- Give the “toss bouquet” to the longest married couple.
- Ask the DJ to host a lip sync contest with your three favorite songs.
Departure
- Leave the reception showered with yellow-colored paper smiley faces, “Just Married” confetti and multi-colored paper streamers.
- Adorn the go-away vehicle’s hood or hitch with a heart-shaped arrangement of rosebuds and place “Just Married” flag on window. Ask a grandfather to be the chauffeur.
- Decorate and fill colorful bags for guests to take when leaving. Contents include breakfast items like bagels or mini-muffins, juice boxes and a piece of fruit. Include a small note of thanks and appreciation. Seal with new initials. Favors left by the door do not need to be as elaborate as those left on the guest tables.
- Send guests home with a heart-shaped cookie cutter and family sugar cookie recipe.
- Express your joy with a helium balloon release, fireworks, a plane-flown banner or a sky-written message.
- Let guests toss pre-made paper airplanes as you leave.
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Linda Leier Thomason is a former CEO who writes freelance business and travel stories, along with feature articles. Her work experiences include a Fortune 500 corporation, federal government, entrepreneurship and small business. Find out more about Linda by clicking the “Meet Linda” tab above. Interested in working together? Complete this form below.
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©Copyright. February 2016. Linda Leier Thomason
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