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06th Nov 2008

There's an age old saying "you can't please them all". While that is certainly true, surely your wedding guests would be very happy on your special day ?
Well, it's an unfortunate fact that most weddings always seem to upset someone within your family or circle of friends. Little petty things often spoil the day for someone, so address them now and ensure that all the wedding guests have fantastic memories of your wedding day.

Here's some top gripes from wedding day whingers, in no particular order -

1. I had to sit right at the back of the ceremony.
Some people see this as some sort of ranking system, close relatives expect to be near the front, with your friends behind them. Avoid any problems by simply placing names on seats for those that you want near the front. Leave all the others unreserved for a first come first served basis.

2. The DJ was just too loud.
Ensure your wedding DJ is experienced at playing wedding receptions, never book a DJ on price alone, you'll regret it. These guys are the entertainment for the evening, so ensure they know what they're doing. Also consider finding a quiet area in the wedding venue for your older wedding guests.

3. The speeches dragged on, or couldn't be heard at the back.
How long is a perfect best man speech ? Long enough to cover the essentials, but short enough to keep people interested - like a mini skirt. (You can use that one.) Make sure your wedding reception venue has a microphone, and that the volume is set correctly for the entire hall.

4. We didn't know any of the people on our table.
Carefully plan the seating arrangements, again, stick to "nearest and dearest" closest to the top table.
Consider who is sitting with who, and could you see them having a good time together. People won't mind sitting with strangers at your wedding if you think they'll have common ground to make conversation.

5. The receiving line took forever.
Just keep it to the bride & groom and your parents, don't worry about the Best Man or Bridesmaids, or even consider just the newlyweds greeting the guests instead (if that doesn't offend your parents.) Try and get the older and younger guests through first, so they can get themselves seated.

6. There was a lot of hanging around throughout the day.
There can be times between the ceremony, the photographs, the meal, the disco when things go a little quiet for the guests, not really something that they should gripe about - but you want them to enjoy every single moment of the day too. Why not hire a magician, or caricaturist to keep the guests entertained during gaps in the day's timetable.

7. Parents friends weren't invited.
The age old dilemma, you want an intimate wedding, yet your parents have contributed to the cost and expect you to invite some distant relative, or their friend who's known you since you were a baby (but you've not spoken to since). It's a tricky subject, so tread carefully. Perhaps agree on an evening invitation as a compromise.

8. Paying for drinks.
Let's get one thing straight, anyone who moans about paying for a drink at your wedding, can go straight home in our opinion. If you budget stretches to an open bar, then great. If not, other options are to consider just paying for wine & beer, subsidize the bar, or just have an hour when you buy your guests a drink. Don't be pressured into spending a fortune on a free bar.

9. We barely spoke to the bride or groom.
Make sure between you, that you pay a short visit to each table, the guests will enjoy the attention and will appreciate that you've made the effort to share a conversation with them. They'll understand that it's your day and you need to keep mingling.

10. I didn't get a thank you for my gift !
If you've received wedding presents, and not sent a thank-you note, then shame on you ! Arrange your thank you cards before the wedding, and get them all hand written shortly after returning from your honeymoon. Post them out as soon as you can.

Hopefully these little tips will assist you in avoiding upsetting any of your wedding guests.

Good Luck & Happy Wedding Planning !

Content kindly supplied by: David Thurston
Owner of www.EssexWeddingServices.com