Common Wedding Guest Complaints
How To Consider Your Wedding Guests
I have heard several wedding guest complaints over the years. When planning a wedding we are always told it is about the Bride and Groom, but what about your guests? Just because it is your big day does not mean you should ignore your guests needs or accommodations. The people we invite to our wedding all have a special place in our hearts and we should be considerate of them when we are making arrangements for the big day. Here are some things to take into consideration regarding your guests at your wedding.
- YOUR WEDDING DATE
- Sometimes venues and vendors offer a discount on a holiday weekend, however your guests may have regular standing plans with family or friends on those dates that put them in a hard place when sending in their RSVP. Many people travel on holiday weekends to visit family and when you put a wedding in the middle of that then it can get tricky for everyone.
- HOTEL RATES
- It is a good idea to choose a few options for guest accommodations as not everyone can afford the high-end resort. Having choices in different price ranges for your guests to choose from may make it easier for them to say yes if they have to travel and need to keep expenses down. I have seen it happen many times that guests do not come to the wedding because they cannot afford the traveling costs.
- CEREMONY + RECEPTION START TIME
- If you have a 2:00pm ceremony and your reception does not start until 6:00pm there is a lot of down time for the guests with nothing to do. If this is something you cannot control I recommend giving guests options of places to visit or even a local bar/restaurant for them to stop at. An added bonus would be to offer drinks and appetizers for those people while they wait.
- CENTERPIECES
- A common complaint we hear from guests is that when they are sitting at the reception table they cannot see or talk to the guest sitting on the other side of the table. If you choose to have tall centerpieces they should be at least 24″ above the table. Another good way to test this is to sit at a table with one of your centerpieces or containers and see how it looks and where the arrangement would begin.
- THE COCKTAIL HOUR
- It is very frustrating when you go to a wedding and during the cocktail hour you get a drink and also want to eat, but there is nowhere to set your drink or food down. Try eating a plate of food while holding a glass, you are most likely going to drop one of them. Make sure to have some form of seating or pub tables around the room for guests to utilize.
Now, that being said, it is YOUR wedding and you can do what you wish, but your guests will enjoy their time more if you take these complaints into consideration. Please feel free to leave your comments below. I would love to hear if you have any other ideas or stories to share about guest complaints.
Photo Credit: Valen Studios
