Details that made a wedding

Another vote for this! Forgot to add it to my list!

Make sure you say hello to every single guest at some point throughout the day. We went to a wedding where the Bride stuck with the same small group of friends all day and ignored everyone else. Rude!

A relative, on the other hand, put a personalised handwritten note on every guest’s place at the reception. That was a lovely gesture.

Just make people feel welcome and included and all will be good.

Another vote for flip flops. I've been to a wedding that had this... Great idea!

Plenty of booze. That really is the key.

Me too but if you have lots of children attending, they're amazing. The parents enjoyed the whole evening as the kids spent the whole time playing in it. They loved having the prints to take away. It really depends on your audience.

Magician, one that mingles with the guests and brings people together, doing card type tricks etc. the wedding we went to that had one timed it straight after ceremony whilst 1st drink was being served.

A free drink token was a nice touch at a wedding recently.
I like scratch cards as a favour aswell

Single venue is good
Meaningful ceremony
Thoughtful decorations that aren't overdone
A good dinner
An old fashioned iced fruit wedding cake
Great music
Quieter areas to sit that aren't too far away
Really important... bar and main reception area very close
Rooms onsite so that guests can freshen up/take timeout
Relaxed couple, I love seeing them going round together chatting to everyone
Clear cake cutting and first dance
Right sized or definitely not too big venue
Place names and favours etc but nothing to fussy/twee
I love a lineup so that everyone can congratulate the bride and groom
Short speeches including the women if they want to
Something that occupies but doesn't segregate the children
Opportunity for family/friend groups to have pictures together
Lots of laughter, not too much posing
Individual teas/coffees available on request
Good non alcoholic drinks
Generally nothing that looks as though it might have skinted the happy couple!

Amen! Was so excited to have a child free wedding as I was really looking forward to catching up with friends I never get to talk to properly (bc we all have kids constantly interrupting). Instead I spent four hours next to people I'd never met before and will never see again. Was so disappointed.

Oh and if you are providing hot drinks, please offer decaf options, some of us have sensitivity to caffeine but do like a warm drink

For the love of god, do the speeches AFTER the food and not before. Nothing worse as a guest than sitting there starving and wanting a drink while the father of the bride drones on for what feels like forever. Much, much better to do them when everyone’s fed, relaxed and well oiled, makes for a far more enjoyable atmosphere!

I'm getting married (in 2 weeks..eek!) I personally don't give a shit about details at other people's weddings and think people remember more about the flow of the day.

So we aren't having any photos, just having a buffet and a free bar as I think that's what people care about (or maybe I do...)

Interesting that so many PPs are saying 'no gaps'. I agree 100%. Once went to a wedding where there was a 'lull' built into the day – bride and groom went off and had endless arty photos taken – where we were all expected to go and amuse ourselves for a couple of hours. I think the bar was open but it wasn't free and there was no food or entertainment of any sort. Some people went to the pub (not sure if they came back…), others went to get something to eat etc. It killed the vibe stone dead and the reception never really recovered.

So the couple have lovely photos as a memento of their special day, while the rest of the friendship group laugh over the 'lull', even now 25+ years later, it has become a symbol of what not to do at a wedding.

The best weddings I’ve been to are those where the bride and groom consider themselves as hosts and prioritise the comfort and enjoyment of their guests. Basically all the things that have already been mentioned (plenty of food and drink with dietary needs catered for, no hanging around, convenient location, etc.). It may be an old-fashioned attitude, but I don’t believe weddings are ‘all about’ the bride and groom, they’re about celebrating with your nearest and dearest. And no-one feels very celebratory if they’re hungry/thirsty/bored!

The other thing that makes a huge difference is how relaxed (or not!) the bride and groom are. No one cares if things don’t go exactly to plan, but there will be a very awkward atmosphere if the bride goes into meltdown over it.

When it comes to details, things that I appreciate are detailed instructions about the logistics of the day (timings, parking, etc) and a thoughtful seating plan. For example, when we got married the venue was unable to provide drinks or snacks before the ceremony so I made sure that guests were aware of this and the timing of the meal so that those who were travelling some distance had the option to stop for a quick bite on the way if they wanted. We also made a real effort to ensure that everyone was seated with people they knew.

If you’re having a DJ or doing your own playlist, you could ask each guest in advance for a request. My brother did this at his wedding and there was some fantastic music, much more eclectic than the standard wedding playlist stuff.

All of this. Also if the venue says it’s accessible be sure that the lift is big enough for a wheelchair and carer. I couldn’t actually get inside one wedding venue so DH and I went out for a meal instead dressed in all our finery!

There was another wedding where the only route from the accessible lift to the wedding seating was a narrow path across the room which had loads of flower arrangements around the edges. I accidentally ran over a few flowers which was a bit awkward

Sitting people together who know each other. I’m not there to make new friends with someone I’m never going to see; reuniting with my old friends is also a part of the Joy of the occasion

Agreed! Saw one recently where the bride was organising jiving lessons to "fill a time gap" in the middle of the day!

No long waits between stuff without food or entertainment.

Short photography bit.

Short speeches

We had 90 minutes between food and night do we hired a casino to entertain everyone

Definitely no large gaps so guests aren't cold, hungry, thirty, bored to death. No long photo shoots for the same reasons. Guests would way rather have good food and generous booze instead of favors and gimmicks. Don't hold the reception in a fancy hotel in the middle of bloody nowhere as it will be a pain in the arse for most guests. Don't try to replicate something from OK! magazine. People prefer more personal, informal weddings and anything too showy can be, how can I phrase this - nauseating!

The most important things as far as I am concerned are:

1 - there should be plenty of places to sit down and take the weight off your vastly uncomfortable shoes while all the photos and goodness knows what else is going on all afternoon, and

2 - there should be an endless supply of cups of tea (or coffee) for anybody who wants one. I don't want to drink Bucks Fizz or anything else alcoholic in the afternoon gap between ceremony and sit-down meal, I want a cup of tea and some Victoria sponge cake.

Jeez, photo booths and dress-up, and entertainment etc makes me cringe.

A displayed time schedule so we knew what was coming up when!

People will want to be fed and watered, and to see the bride and groom having a wonderful day. Don’t be stressed, love the moment and your guests will be thrilled for you.

Easy to get to.
Not all day long.
Good food and drink.
Places to sit.
Indoors, whatever the season.
Music not too loud.
Happy bride and groom with no family tension to feel awkward around.
Zero showing off for cameras.
No "rules" or dress code requirements.
No gift requests.
One single venue.

All I care about is food and plenty of places to sit down