admin

Keeping Your Guests Happy, Whatever Their Age

By Georgina Clatworthy



No matter what the age range of your guests you should strive to lay on entertainment that will appeal to everyone. A sign of the success of your wedding (& all your hard work) is how much your guests talk about it & the wonderful time they have had. Whilst it is vital you both enjoy yourselves - it is your day after all, you should consider your other guests, be they young or old when organizing your entertainment. Here are some tips on keeping them happy.

Entertaining the Younger Generation

If you are inviting children to your wedding you should make special provision to entertain them & prevent them from getting bored. All the fine food, decorations & speeches mean nothing to your younger guests & unfortunately the wedding reception can some become a tiresome place to be. The last thing you want is for restless children to amuse themselves by tucking into the wedding cake early or run amok in the reception room. With children at the reception it is worth considering a children table where the older children can all sit together away from their parents & enjoy each other's company (hopefully!). Set one up with a paper table cloth & arrange pots of pens & pencils so they can happily doodle away whilst you & your guests get on with 'grown up stuff'! Instead of the traditional favors you maybe giving your guests, put together little bags of toys or games to keep them amused & include some sweets as well.

You could go the extra mile & arrange a challenge for the day for them, such as a treasure hunt or quiz. Give the winner a special prize, but also make sure the other children get a little something too, for taking part. If you are having an outdoor, summer wedding, you could even consider hiring a bouncy castle or face painter. A creche area may seem a little extravagant, but your reception venue may be able to offer this service & it could make the difference between parents of babies & toddlers relaxing & enjoying themselves or missing key moments between nappy changes & feeds! Ask the parents of invited children what their thoughts are.

For the Older Generation

Your wedding is probably as much a big deal to the older members of your families as it is to you both. So give some consideration to making the day as enjoyable from them as it is for yourselves & your other guests. Give careful thought to where you seat them at the reception - they may not appreciate being too close to the musical entertainment, but may have difficulty hearing the speeches if seated too far away from the top table.

If your evening entertainment is a musical act, discuss the possibility of playing some classic songs that that your older guests would appreciate. Great Aunt Maud would likely love a dance, but not to this noisy modern music! Even if they don't want to dance, it doesn't mean they won't want to have a good time. Think about providing a comfortable seating area in a quiet corner where your older guests can meet & chat. And, don't assume they won't want to join in any alternative entertainment you lay on either, such as magicians or a fun casino.