Singaporebrides | Weddings 101

March 2022

10 Thoughtful Ways To Make Your Guests Feel Welcomed At Your Wedding

By Audrie Soh

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Make your guests feel welcomed at your big day with these 10 thoughtful ways.

While your wedding is a big day for you and should be entered around you and your groom, and what you like, you shouldn’t forget about the people who complete your celebration – your guests, especially as weddings getting smaller and more personalised in recent years.

As weddings get smaller and more personalised in recent years, it is all the more important for couples to focus their attention on making their guests feel welcomed and involved in the celebration with small, thoughtful touches to set the tone for a warm and comfortable experience that their guests will no doubt appreciate and love.

To give you an idea on how you can make your guests feel more welcomed, we’ve put together 10 thoughtful ways that you can easily include in your big day.

1. Make sure they can get to your venue easily

The first step in welcoming your guests is to ensure that your venue is easily accessible, no matter where it is located. Provide them with detailed instructions on how to get to your venue, such as giving them the full address of the venue or the nearest MRT station.

If your venue is not fully accessible via public transport, you can either hire limousine buses to pick up guests at a designated location, or provide hired cars for the elderly members of your family so that they have no trouble getting to the wedding.

2. Make use of signages to welcome your guests

At the venue, place easily visible signages right at the entrance of your wedding venue to guide your guests to the solemnisation or reception area. You may also have one or two members of your bridal party to station themselves at the entrance to usher your guests in.

While it may seem like a small detail to you, putting in the extra effort to make sure that your guests don’t have to figure out the way to the celebration on their own is a basic and simple, and very much appreciated way of welcoming your guests to your once-in-a-lifetime.

3. Always keep your guests comfortable in every way possible

You’d want your guests to be relaxed and comfortable at your wedding, regardless of the weather outdoors, the activity level, the seating arrangement and so on. If you plan on having an outdoor solemnisation or reception, do provide your guests with some relief from the hot weather by providing foldable fans, shades, a bottled of water, or even some ice old popsicles or cold beer.

Since Singapore’s weather is either sunny or rainy, you’d want to plan for stormy weather too, especially if your wedding is not sheltered from the elements in any way. Speak to your venue about a wet weather plan or provide umbrellas for your guests in the event of rain (they could also use it to shield them from the sun’s rays on a sunny day!)

Make your guests comfortable by planning their seating arrangement meticulously and thoughtfully. Try your best to seat guests who are acquainted with one another at a table, and avoid seating all the single guests who don’t know each other together at a table to avoid any awkward situations.

When your guests see that you’ve put in considerable effort in making them as comfortable as possible, they’ll love you for putting so much thought for their comfort on your day.

4. Keep your guests well fed and hydrated throughout the day

For outdoor solemnisations or weddings, it is a good idea to provide some refreshments for your guests in between programmes. Keep things simple by offering canapés and a variety of chilled beverages so that your guests, both young and old, can stay fed and hydrated as they wait for your solemnisation or reception to begin.

5. Don’t make them pay for their drinks

Speaking of drinks, be a good host and don’t make your guests pay for their drinks. Inform your venue to put any drinks your guests ordered on your tab and keep them merry throughout the night. After all, what’s a party without some booze?

6. Be inclusive/considerate of all your guests’ needs

The best way to make your guests feel welcomed is to remain thoughtful of their needs. Reach out to your guests and find out if they need any special arrangements in terms of transport, food or accessibility. Work with your venue to ensure that they have wheelchair or stroller friendly routes to your solemnisation or reception area, and alternative menus for guests who have special dietary needs.

7. Plan ample entertainment for your guests

The last thing you’d want your guests to feel is bored and left out at your wedding. Although it is your day, you should make your guests feel welcomed and included in your celebration. You can do so by planning some activities for them to keep them entertained. Think photo booths, a live band, videos of the morning’s activities, or a professional emcee who can engage them in fun games as they wait in between your outfit changes.

8. Don’t keep your guests waiting

While it is your wedding day, do bear in mind that your guests have taken time out of their day to celebrate your nuptials, so don’t keep them waiting for too long for the wedding to start, or in between outfit or makeup changes.

If you do need extra time to change your outfit or makeup, do plan for some activities or entertainment to keep them engaged as they wait. The last thing you want is for them to get bored. You can plan simple games that your emcee can play with your guests or play videos of the morning’s gatecrash, as you change into your next outfit or look.

9. Gift them with practical wedding favours

Instead of placing the wedding favours at every seat, how about handing them out in a welcome bag when your guests arrive? Make your guests feel welcomed to the celebration by putting in some thought for the favours.

Don’t gift them with items that they may or may not use; opt for practical favours such as hand sanitisers or face masks (a necessity for this COVID-19 time), or edible favours such as packs of snacks or bottled drinks. You can even include a short handwritten note to welcome your guests and thank them for joining in the celebration, for an extra personal touch. Your guests will definitely appreciate the extra thought you’ve put in to prepare the welcome bag and wedding favours, and feel nothing but loved and welcomed.

10. Don’t leave the children out; plan activities to keep them engaged

If you’ve chosen to include children in the guest list, don’t forget to include them in your plans. Work with your venue to create a special kid’s menu for the little ones and plan a designated kid’s area where they can occupy themselves with crafts, activities, and other forms of entertainment, so that your guests don’t have to worry about food and entertainment for their children, and can enjoy the party.

Credits: Feature image from Audrey and Fadzillah’s Intimate Cliffside Wedding at Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa by Kent Wong Photography