FOR THE GUESTS: ENTERTAINMENT AND CONVENIENCE.
Your guide to going above and beyond for your wedding guests.
Weddings are meant to be fun, especially the reception! Luckily, there are many ways to keep your guests entertained and enjoying the event. If you’re looking for fun ways to entertain guests between the wedding ceremony & reception and beyond, keep on reading. I’ll be covering;
Entertainment and Music
Transport
Games
Gifts
Wedding Website
Babysitting and pet-minding
Entertainment and Music
Have you ever been to a wedding without music? I’d say it’s pretty unlikely. Whether there was a live band, or songs were being shuffled from someone’s Spotify playlist, music is often a key element in a wedding. From walking down the aisle to killing it on the dancefloor, here are a few musical options for you to consider for your Sunshine Coast wedding:
The wedding party processional, your walk down the aisle, and the recessional at your ceremony are big moments for you and your fiance! Getting the music just right is important, and there are various options you can choose from:
Live musician/band. This is a great option if you and your partner enjoy live music, and who doesn’t love a good cover song?
String quartet. A great option for those who enjoy a more traditional take on the wedding ceremony.
Phone. You can easily connect your phone via bluetooth to one of the many portable speakers on the market today. Put together your perfect playlist, delegate the task of playing the music and switching songs to someone you can trust, and bam, you’re ready to walk down the aisle!
You’ve walked down the aisle, you’ve said your ‘I do’s’, now it’s time to party! Here are a few options for reception music for you to consider:
Live musicians and bands are a good idea if, like previously mentioned, you enjoy live music.
DJ’s are a popular choice these days as they can play a variety of music and also often stand in as MC’s.
Phone, speaker, and Spotify playlist. Great for those that want to save a little money and have someone to manage the devices and playlist on the day.
Transport
Most of your wedding guests will likely be travelling from afar, so if they don’t have their own car, here are a few options to consider when getting them to and from your wedding safely:
A mini-bus is a great way to transport guests from a pick-up location to the ceremony to the reception. For example, if most of your guests are staying in Mooloolaba, have everyone meet at one central location to be picked up and transported to and from the wedding venue.
Venue Courtesy Bus. Call ahead and inquire with your venue about a courtesy bus.
Uber/Taxi. The Sunshine Coast has various taxi options and Uber is available in the more populated suburbs.
Walking. Always be sure to recommend adequate accommodation close to your venue as well, this will make it easier for guests to walk to and from the event.
Games
Games and activities are a great way to keep guests entertained during photo hour and the reception:
Lawn games are great for outdoor venues with plenty of room for guests to roam about. Consider hiring a few classics like life-size chess, or Jenga for guests to use.
For smaller venues, try asking your guests to sign or write something that represents the wedding. Have them write well wishes in a guest book or around a photo of the two of you, or set up a ‘Date Jar’ for them to write date ideas on paper slips and put them in the jar.
Photo booths are a fun and effective way of documenting memories of your special night. Check with your venue if they allow you to hire one and set it up for your guests to have a blast with!
Gifts
Thanking guests for attending your special day with bonbonnieres has remained a popular tradition for decades now. Here are a few simple but classic ideas to give your guests:
Small potted succulents. These are so easy to do as you can cut off any part of a succulent plant, plant it in a pot with soil, and it will grow into it’s own succulent!
Candle votives are always a popular choice.
Loose leaf tea in a small pouch with a personalised sticker is a great idea, and isn’t likely to sit in the back of your guests’ pantry!
Sweet treats, such as macarons, lollies, or cookies, in tiny takeout boxes with a personalised sticker are very popular.
Keep in mind that bonbonnieres take time, effort, and money, so you want to offer something meaningful and useful to your guests. More often than not, a coaster or mug with “X and Y’s Wedding 2021” is not going to be used a lot by your guests. The last thing you want is to spend all those resources making the gifts, only for guests to leave them at the table.
Wedding Website
Wedding websites are becoming a new trend amongst modern bridal couples to stay organised and streamline their wedding planning process. Here are a few ways a wedding website can help you:
It’s a one-stop-shop for all your wedding details. Guests can easily view the date, time, and location. Couples will usually include more information than you can fit on an invitation, including directions, dress code, etc.
A wedding website is an easy way to send out invitations and streamline RSVPs to confirm numbers.
It can easily display accommodation options and suggestions for those travelling from afar.
Day-after breakfast details can be posted on the site.
Babysitting and Petminding
Some guests will have kids and some will have pets. It’s always a nice idea to include options for guests. Consider looking into babysitting services at the reception or accommodation, especially if you know most of your guests have kids. Also be sure to offer pet-friendly accommodation suggestions for guests that wish to bring their pets along for the journey!
If you’ve ever been a guest at a wedding, you may have noticed that there is a window of downtime between the end of the ceremony and the start of the reception. Like everything else involved with a wedding, you need a plan to keep your guests from getting bored before the reception commences. As you plan your own wedding celebration, you might want to consider what your guests will be doing in this time, as well as other services that will make your guests weddings experience a stress-free and fun one.
Finding the best wedding suppliers can be overwhelming. To help plan your wedding on the Sunshine Coast, I have created a wedding directory of my favourite wedding suppliers, vendors, and services that I know will go the extra mile to ensure your wedding is special and unique to you.
Entertainment
If you’re looking for a photographer who is more like a friend than a stranger and one that is there to cheer you on and get excited about your wedding day, I'm your girl. I'd love to be your photographer and help make your wedding dream come true.