TIPS | COCKTAIL HOUR

Congrats, you’re married! While you take what will feel like one million pictures (trust us, it’s all worth it), your guests will be busy drinking and schmoozing during the cocktail hour. Most cocktail hours are pretty traditional, mostly staying within the bounds of wine and passed apps, but if you’re looking for more ways to keep your guests entertained (or distracted in case pictures run long), we have some ideas!

Eat Outside the Box

Cocktail hour is the perfect time for some non-traditional snacks! Keep the classy for the formal dinner and break out the BBQ sliders.

Insta Worthy Decor

We’re talking neon signs, flower walls, or picture perfect decor. Give your guests something to insta-snap about.

Photo | Adria Lea Photography

Lawn Games

Throwback to your summer camp days with some good old fashion cornhole and horseshoes (they play those a summer camp, right?). Guests may enjoy the blast from the past, and because it’s so low effort, they won’t get all sweaty.

Caricatures

People love a good caricature artist. The fun pictures will keep people entertained, but they’ll also serve as a wedding favor your guests will actually keep.

Photo | Wilderlove Co.

Photo Booth

Now this one is different from the insta-worthy decor. Photo booths are their very own beasts. You can go glam and have your very own black and white Kardashian-inspired shoot or keep it silly with fun props and cardboard cutouts. Either way, your guests will love making memories.

Lounge Area

Wedding lounges are trending, and we’re in full support. A cozy place to sit and a stylish furniture moment, yes please!

Photo | Christina Childress Photography

Photo | The Brothers Martens

Get A Tattoo

Kinda. If it fits your vibe, layout some customized temporary tattoos. If you do this, though, make sure that you have some neat way for guests to apply the tattoos; everyone running back and forth from the bathroom is a no go.

Drink

We know this one is a no-brainer, but turn cocktail hour up a little with signature cocktails! Make up a punny name, and create a concoction of your very own.

Did you do anything special during your cocktail hour?

TIPS | RECEPTION DINING OPTIONS

The second best thing about weddings is most definitely the food. Or maybe it’s third, after the open bar? Either way, guests can’t wait for the telltale waft of yum headed towards them. Of course, based on your budget or preferred vibe, you have a few different ways to do dining. Below we’re discussing the most popular options and giving you the low down on all the ways you can throw down.

Buffet Style

Buffets are by far the most affordable dining option. Guests can be dismissed by table to choose what they want, don’t want, and how much. Buffets are also more casual and lend themselves to a mix and mingle vibe. Two significant detractors of buffets, though, are long wait times and cleanliness concerns. Depending on the buffet set up you choose (manned, unmanned, single-sided, or double-sided), buffets tend to get backed up. And in the time of Covid-19, you may be uncomfortable with guests or servers lingering over food, potentially spreading germs.

Our Favorite Buffet Menus: Mexican and BBQ

Photo | Meggie Taylor Photography

Plated Sit-Down

Plated dinners are less affordable but more traditional. Guests stay in their seats (often with named place cards depicting their preferred protein), and the waitstaff serves them a formal multi-course dinner. Plated dinners are perfect if you’re going for a more sophisticated affair, both because guests are served and that their food is professionally plated. One potential drawback is cost. Because guests are served, more waitstaff has to be hired, driving up your fees.

Potential Meal Option Icons:

Photo | Heather Thompson Photography

Family Style Dinner

Family Style dinners are one of our favorites! Guests eat communally with serving dishes in the middle of the table that they pass between them. The family style option feels upscale but its not as formal as a plated dinner. This style also gives your guests the ability to grab what they want and go back for seconds (or thirds)! One major con though is that you can’t get as creative with the your table decor because the serveware will take quite a bit of room.

Wedding Types That Go Best With Family Style: Intimate or Family-Only

Photo | Mountaintop Films

Food Stations

Food Stations are buffets but with a bit more style. Stations are scattered throughout the reception area and feature a variety of food at each. This option will get guests moving and is a great way to feature a few of the couple's favorite cuisine. You will have to keep in mind guests' dietary restrictions, making sure you have something for everyone.

Food Stations We Fawned Over: Sushi and chef attended Pizza Bars

Photo | Amy Karp Photography

Heavy Hors d'oeuvre or Cocktail Reception

A cocktail style reception will keep your wedding's vibe fluid and upbeat and cut down on catering costs. A wedding the features only heavy hors d'oeuvre doesn't need tables, seating charts, or the formality of a fully planned menu. You do have to keep your guest demographic in mind, though, if you're leaning towards this style. Older people may have a hard time standing for the entire reception and leave before things get going.

Hors d'oeuvres That Will Fill Up Your Guests: Meatballs, Sliders and Egg Rolls

Photo | Heather Thompson Photography

What’s your ideal dining style?

TIPS | TOASTS

Wedding toasts are a lovely tradition where friends and family can congratulate, share their love, and advise the newlyweds on their wedding day. Most of the time, toasts are funny, well planned, and illicit a few tears. Though, every now and then, they get a little awkward and uncomfortable, even with the best intentions. And we get it; finding the right words to say can be challenging, intimidating even. What’s the joke to serious story ratio? Which anecdotes cross the line? How long is too long? Well, funny you ask! We have the answers! This week we’re talking Wedding Toast tips!

Save Your VIPs For The Big Day

Photo | Silver Bear Creative

More than likely you’ll have a few people wanting to shower you with kind and loving words and you may be tempted to let them, but your reception should only feature your most important guest speeches. The more speeches you have the less charming they’ll be, we promise. If you want to give everyone a chance, have them speak at the rehearsal dinner! It’s a win for them and your guests.

The Couple Should Speak

Photo | Chelsea Kaye Photography

The couple should always share a few words. It doesn’t have to long and drawn out, just something quick that expresses your love and gratitude.

Short and Sweet

Photo | Reigh Walker Photo

Make sure that speakers know they don’t earn extra brownie points for longest speech. All the sentimental and funny anecdotes should stay around the five minute mark. Special allowances can be made, but choose wisely.

Advanced Notice Is The Best Notice

Photo | Jas + Mike Co.

Speakers should know they’re toasting waaay in advance. Advanced notice will give them time to calm their nerves, rehearse their quippy lines, and self-edit. A last minute speech is a risk that we don’t think you should make.

Set Boundaries

Photo | Wilderlove Co.

Set boundaries! This is a wedding not a roast or a rauchy bachelor party. Give your toast makers guidelines on what should and shouldn’t be said in front of Nana and PopPop. Thank us later.

Have Fun

Photo | Moutaintop Films

Toast can be nerve wracking for the couple and the guests. Everyone’s waiting for the perfect words and perfect story to share, but remember this is a celebration and it should be joyous. Don’t stress yourself or anyone else out trying to reach master orator status. Let your heart do the talking and you’re sure to say just the right thing.

What’s your favorite wedding toast?