Planning
an outdoor wedding? It’s a good idea to have an alternate plan in case
of bad weather. Check your contract and make sure your reception hall will let
you set-up inside if need be.
Where has the reception hall staff placed the DJ and what is the seating arrangement?
It is important that your DJ is set-up near the dance floor with his speakers
facing the guests. You don't want your DJ behind guests shooting over them.
Nor do you want your DJ so far away from the dance floor that to provide adequate
sound for the people dancing that those closest to the speakers are rendered
deaf. It's always a good idea for your DJ to meet the person(s) whose job it
is to set-up your reception.
See if your photographer can shoot certain wedding photos before the wedding.
Most receptions run four or five hours and some photographers take longer than
others to set-up their shots. Any amount of time you can save that gets you
to the reception earlier is a big help.
It’s always a good idea for the bride and groom to eat first if the reception
features a buffet. By finishing first, it gives them time to make the rounds
and thank friends and relatives who they haven’t seen for some time or
have traveled great distances to attend.
Champagne should be uncorked and ready to be poured about 10-15 minutes before
the last table is through eating. This ensures there isn’t any downtime.
Making a toast to the bride and groom is a time-honored tradition – not
an invitation to an “open mike night.” It’s OK for the best man
and the maid/matron of honor to make a toast. It’s is also OK for the bride’s
father to make a toast (thanking the guests and bridal party.) Each toast should
be no longer than five minutes as to not lose your audience.
May through October are peak wedding months and you need to book everything
well in advanced. You might want to think about January through March as a time
for your wedding. It’s usually a slow time for certain businesses and you
might be able to get a better price for goods and services.
Always let the wedding photographer get his shot first before snapping away
at the bride and groom cutting the cake, garter removal, etc. Your flash could
very well interfere with his or her shot.
Think twice before shoving that piece of cake into your new spouse’s face.
I’ve seen instances where the bride and/or groom took a half-hour to clean
up and the reception come to a complete halt.