Think about the most fun celebrations you've been to. What has made them so much fun? I am going to guess that it wasn't the ice sculpture, seating chart or the impromptu speech the weird Uncle made. It was more likely to be the overall vibe, the other guests surrounding you and maybe the free-flowing champagne and cocktails helped a little. So, how do you create the most fun, relaxed vibe for your own special day? I've created a short list of ideas to help you avoid any boring bits and create maximum fun on your wedding day!
Don't be afraid to break traditions - It's all about you and no matter how upset you think your Mum, Dad, Great Aunt or Grandma might be that you've decided not to wear a veil, walk down the aisle just with your dad, or have a wedding cake, when it comes to the big day, they'll just be so joyful in seeing you so happy!
Introduce guests to one another pre-wedding. Avoid the small talk between guests on your wedding day by having a pre-wedding catch up with all your loved ones; hens and bucks are a great way for this to happen! This will likely create shared memories and connection between your guests so that on your wedding day they'll already know one another, cutting out any awkwardness, especially for those without a plus one! If you’re a covid couple and Hens and Bucks parties haven’t been possible, consider a zoom version!
Set your vibe right from the start, at your ceremony. Your celebrant, music and venue all play a huge part in setting the tone of your wedding from the start, even before you arrive. If your celebrant is fun, friendly, relaxed and can create a ceremony script that reflects you and your desired vibe, you'll have your guests feeling happy and laughing, even before the bride/groom arrives.
Likewise with your music, whether it be played through the celebrant's speaker, or you've got a live band, your guests will 100% enjoy listening to some relaxed tunes as they arrive and throughout the ceremony where appropriate.
As a celebrant on the Mornington Peninsula and in Geelong, most of my couples want a relaxed, lighthearted ceremony with the perfect amount of sentiment. However, once they've been pronounced as newlyweds, they want to get their party started - the first song that welcomes them back up the aisle as newlyweds is important in setting that celebratory atmosphere - reach out to some of your muso friends and stay tuned to my blog for a music post to follow!
Think carefully about your timeline. After performing over 120 weddings, I personally believe the perfect ceremony goes for a maximum of 25-30 minutes. Anything beyond this runs the risk of lacking personalisation, adding words for the sake of it and losing your guests' concentration. Another thing to think about is the timing of your photographs; traditionally, the newlyweds get whisked away from their ceremony to have their photos taken. A lot of my couples are now opting to spend the maximum amount of time with all their favourite people, and having their photographs done as a first look pre-ceremony, or once they've spent some time enjoying a drink and canapes with their guests, they sneak out for 30 minutes to get some shots before and during sunset (rather than leaving for 1-2 hours post ceremony).
Add some novelty. There’s nothing boring about a DIY cocktail station, post ceremony giant lawn games or a photo booth with ridiculous props! These examples will not only create some excitement amongst guests, but they’ll also help them to socialise and connect. Perhaps adding a few ‘truth or dare’ game cards to the dinner tables will keep the fun flowing. Whatever unique ideas you come up with, I’m sure they’ll guarantee your wedding is fun from the start until the very end!
If you need any more great ideas, feel free to get in touch - click here to contact me!
Hannah
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