Impress Your Guests!
Luxe lavatories, live event painting and lager tastings, oh my! Use one of these trendy reception services to take your wedding from fair to fabulous.
Every couple hopes to wow their guests on their wedding day, but with all the inspiration floating around Pinterest and other platforms, you have to go above and beyond the quirky groom’s cake or DIY photo booth to do so. Browse this list of fun ways to impress your guests and spice up the reception!
Rent A Beautiful Boutique Restroom
Are you dreaming of saying “I do” in a rustic outdoor setting but put off by the idea of renting an ordinary portable bathroom? Boutique restrooms are your answer to making the act of “going” less grimy and more glam. Restrooms are last on the list of venue must-haves, but if they’re out of the way, unsanitary or unsightly, they can easily make the guests’ experience less than delightful.
Boutique restroom trailers are compact, chic and easy to set up at your venue. They can include private toilets, urinals, floating vanities, vessel sinks and the perfect lighting for post-dinner primping and a quick selfie. These portable comfort stations can be customized with decorations and signs to match your theme. Say goodbye to ditching your drink, holding your nose, speeding and squatting through a bathroom break. Boutique restrooms are clean, cozy and sure to keep your guests comfortable throughout the night.
Hire an Artist for Live Painting
In addition to capturing the wedding with a photographer and videographer, consider hiring an event painter for an elegant, original service. Live painting doubles as reception entertainment and a valuable keepsake. An artist will paint a part of your wedding as it unfolds while guests watch a masterpiece created in real time! Popular choices for setting the scene include exchanging vows at the altar, cutting the cake, the first dance or a slow dance including the newlyweds and guests.
Event artists are for hire across the United States, each with their own style of painting. Brides can request that artists feature specific people and pets, even if they are not able to attend the wedding. Once the painting is finished, the newlyweds can put their customized canvas on display in their new home. They can also use digital copies of the painting to personalize their thank-you cards so every guest can see the finished product!
Create A Tasting Station
Bars and DIY dessert stations are popular ways to get your guests engaged in the party, but just because they’re commonplace doesn’t mean they have to be common. Allow guests to partake in wine, beer or whiskey tastings to learn more about notes that make up their favorite beverages and the history behind them.
Use this idea as a way to complement your venue. If your nuptials take place at a vintage vineyard, feature the winery’s top-selling flavors. A backyard barbeque reception calls for flights of local brews and the groom’s beloved lager. Tasting stations are one part modern, two parts entertaining, and the ultimate cherry on top of a remarkable reception.
Integrate Social Media
They say it’s the journey, not the destination, so include your guests in all the events leading up to the wedding day through the power of social media! Throughout the months of planning, utilize your wedding website by featuring members of the bridal party and a “Wedding Guest of the Week” forum that helps your guests get to know one another. Ask your bridal party to live tweet and upload photos and videos while getting ready, taking photos and riding to the ceremony venue. Use poll features on social media platforms to engage your guests in choosing reception music, the order of appetizers and their favorite drinks.
Create your custom Snapchat geo-filter for guests to save their snaps with a personalized design commemorating your wedding. For guests who can’t attend the event, live stream your reception so they can celebrate from afar and participate virtually in the cake cutting, speeches and first dance. By including your wedding hashtag on related posts, social media platforms will collect your tweets, photos and videos like a digital scrapbook. This gives your guests access to the memories made and you can look back on your posts for years to come! ■
Sources: poshprivy.com, theknot.com and the experience of the author.
