Archive for the ‘guests’ Category

How to be a good wedding guest

Wednesday, April 13th, 2011

It’s been said that florists make the worst wedding guests, but I think there is a rising trend in rude wedding guests.  From arriving late to the ceremony to talking & texting through the vows to stocking up on asprin courtesy of the amenity basket in the ladies’ room; I think wedding guests could use a few reminders when it comes to modern-day manners.

A few tips on How To Be A Good Wedding Guest

♥RSVP on time please…pretty please!  (That’s what the SVP stands for after all!…it’s French for please.)  Don’t force the couple to call you to ask if you are coming to their wedding.  Don’t make anyone wonder whether or not you are coming.  This thing is not about you.

♥Put your cell phone on silent before you even walk into the ceremony so you won’t forget!  Interruptions by the sounds of crazy ringtones in the middle of the ceremony is an epidemic that has overtaken the “baby screaming through the vows” of yesteryear.

♥Arrive on time.  No, arrive a half hour early.  This is an important day for someone who cares about you enough to invite you to their wedding.  Show up.  On time.  Or a little bit early.  Consider this part of your gift to the couple.

♥Be nice.  Say hello to the other guests around you at your table or during the cocktail hour.  These are not just random strangers on the subway; you have a mutual friend (or two) in common.  Ask, “how do you know the happy couple?”  Say hi to grandparents and maybe let them cut you in line at the buffet.  Compliment someone’s fabulous shoes or make a new friend on the dance floor.

♥Don’t raid the bathroom amenity basket.  It’s not a shopping spree.  It’s for everyone.  When someone catches you stocking up on hairspray and lint rollers you might be embarrassed.

♥If alcoholic beverages are served before the ceremony, limit yourself to 1 drink.  Manners people.  Manners.

♥Sign the guest book or participate in whatever “sign in” ritual the couple has chosen.  Sign the book or plate or picture frame, leave your recipe for love and happiness, offer your best wishes…whatever it is just find it and sign it.  They’ll be so glad you did.

♥Say hello and congratulations to the couple’s parents.  It’s a big day for them, too.  A little, “Thanks for inviting us,” or a compliment on how beautiful the wedding has been wouldn’t hurt either.

Do you have any tips for how to be a good wedding guest?

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Planning an ideal wedding

Wednesday, December 29th, 2010

I am sure that most people have been to a wedding ceremony or reception and thought to themselves, “I would do THIS differently!”  While it’s probably impossible to please all of your guests all of the time I think an ideal wedding from a guest’s perspective (ie. moi!) would go a little something like this:

–The hotel room that the bride and groom suggest would not exceed $150 per night…especially if I have to travel a distance to get to the wedding.  Between the plane ticket(s), the hotel stay, a rental car, the new dress or shoes or purse I inevitably bought, and the wedding gift I am feeling tapped out.  It could be costing me upwards of $1,500 to witness your nuptials. 

–Upon arrival to my hotel I would be presented with a welcome package (preferably in some sort of reusable, eco-friendly bag) including a note welcoming guests, 2 bottles of water, some mints, a small package of aleeve or asprin, a few pieces of chocolate or something sweet, a granola bar and/or a bag of pretzels or chips, a local map and some suggestions of places of interest in the area worth checking out, some info about what time guests might want to leave from the hotel for the wedding (in order to arrive on time!), info about the rehearsal dinner or next morning’s brunch or any other activities I happen to be invited to over the weekend.

–The ceremony should begin not more than 15-20 minutes after the time I was told to arrive.  If for some reason 150 people will be waiting around for the ceremony to start it would be nice to be greeted with a smile and a glass of champagne for a pre-ceremony cocktail.

–A cocktail hour with warm hors d’oeuvres begins immediately after the ceremony and there are several highboy cocktail tables so I may both eat the delicious finger foods being served and sip my beverage without performing a circus act.

–There would be no cash-bar and no tip jar for the bartender.

–There aren’t constant interruptions throughout the reception from the deejay demanding my attention and telling me to “look over here” and watch five different couples dance to special songs.  If you dance well and are doing something worth watching that’s a different story, but if you are uncomfortable dancing in front of 150 people, then you can skip having half the room turn around in their chairs to witness your awkward sidesteps.

–I would not be subjected to watching the groom remove the bride’s garter…AND I would not be made to watch the guy who caught the garter put it on the embarassed girl who happened to catch the bride’s toss bouquet.  This is one tradition that someone has to put a stop to.

–Transportation would be provided to and from the ceremony and reception OR everything takes place at the hotel where we are staying (in which case if I had to pay $200 per night for my room I’d probably be OK with it!).

Perhaps this sounds like a long list of complaints from a cranky ‘ol florist, but I’d bet most of your wedding guests would agree. 

What would make a wedding “ideal” from your experience?

photo by Shem Roose

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Gild the Lily

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

When it comes to hosting your wedding guests it feels great to gild the lily whenever possible.  Of course it’s easier to gild if you’ve got a gold leaf budget, but here are seven simple ways:

Greet your guests with cocktails upon arrival at the ceremony site (if it’s not religious, or at 10am that is!).  If it’s a mid-afternoon ceremony in the summer or you’d prefer not to serve alcohol you may want to serve lemonade and iced tea before the ceremony. 

Have a slightly longer cocktail hour (an hour and a half will do) with ample food offerings.  Serve a signature cocktail or two and allow folks to mingle and enjoy being your guest.  Don’t forget to include some non-alcoholic beverages, too.

Place a flower or fresh herb at each table setting either in the napkin fold or on the edge of the plate. 

Go for a live band.  If dancing is something you love to do there is nothing like live music!

Serve a small slice of cake to each guest with a chocolate truffle and/or cream puff on one small plate with a piece of fruit as a ‘dessert course’.

Offer coffee and hot cider to guests as they leave your reception along with chocolate-chip cookies or cider donuts for a final treat as they walk out the door!

Arrange for transportation back to the hotel/inn from the wedding for your guests.  You can skip the limo for your wedding party and arrange for everyone to get a lift that may want one.

Orange mokara orchid with lavender.

Photo:  Daria Bishop Photographers.

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Wait! I’m in the middle of nowhere!

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

For some of your guests travelling to Vermont may seem like a far away place.  Introduce your guests to the state you love so much by telling them why you chose Vermont for your wedding weekend (if it is not already obvious!) and give them a list of fun things to do.  Aside from a local map it’s a great idea to give some insider tips about breakfast, lunch and dinner spots (including whether or not they should expect a long wait for a particular location or can make a reservation) and suggest activities for different ages & physical abilities considering your friends with children as well as avid bikers, hikers and hard core shoppers.

Try to steer people in the right direction so they see the best of what your chosen location has to offer.  For example if you are having a wedding in Burlington during Jazz Fest it would be great to give your guests a heads up or if there is a farmer’s market nearby you could direct them to it.  Free concerts, museums, parks, wineries, pick-your-own blueberries/raspberries/apples, orchard-made cider donuts and much more are ripe for the picking.  Find travel tips on vermontvacation.com.

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Out-of-town Guests

Monday, January 18th, 2010

Whether you are a destination couple or a hometown crew it is likely that you will have a portion of your guest list travelling to your Vermont wedding.  Planning from your guests’ perspective is the key to planning a great wedding weekend.  Consider these tips to be the ultimate host-and-hostess with the mostess:

  1. Host a welcome reception the day or two before your wedding.  This can be as informal as a BBQ or cocktail hour at a local pub or something a step away from a rehearsal dinner depending on your budget and style of the wedding.
  2. Create a printed itinerary or newsletter that your guests will receive upon check-in at their hotel.  Include a local map, a list of your favorite dinner and breakfast spots, shopping or hiking areas (depending on your sport!) and information about the weekend (like directions and timing for the wedding day so people don’t arrive late).
  3. Invite as many out-of-town guests to the rehearsal dinner as you possibly can.  
  4. Put welcome baskets in the hotel rooms of your guests with a note welcoming them to VT!  It can be as simple as a couple of water bottles, some local baked goods and chocolates or as elaborate as a bottle of wine, local bread or crackers, chocolate truffles or toffee, fresh fruit and granola bars.  If you can’t do the basket at least do the note or the newsletter!
  5. Budget Tip:  Consider taking your “favor funds” and putting them towards welcome baskets or a welcome reception.
  6. Try to provide 2 options for your guests’ lodging so they can select a room with a rate that suits their budget.  Some guests may stay an extra night to enjoy a long weekend! 

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