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Original poster

Extras at a wedding - what do you actually enjoy?

470 replies

Bridecilla · 26/05/2020 14:57

Guests will be fed and watered. Not wanting to go mad with £££ that won't make a jot of difference.

We've booked a really good wedding DJ. Beer on tap.

Glitter bar? Photo booth??

OP posts:
sunrainwind · 27/05/2020 08:55

Yes to having wine too - lots of people don't drink beer or gin.

BigusBumus · 27/05/2020 08:57

Did you say no wine!? God don't do that! I'd hate that and so would everyone I know pretty much! If you don't know much about wine ask someone that does and get say a NZ Sauvignon Blanc or a good Pinot Grigio for a white and a Merlot or Argentinian Malbec as your red. Cover most tastes with. Return any unopened. I'd hate to only have gin on offer at a wedding.

TryingToBeBold · 27/05/2020 09:06

@RiverCrossing that sounds lovely!

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Weddings
GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 27/05/2020 09:11

A fairly recent family wedding we went to had afternoon tea after the ceremony - laid at tables with seating for everybody, pretty, mismatched junk-shop china and simple garden flowers in teapots - plenty of tea-type food, and wine added! It was the nicest wedding we’d been to for ages (apart from dd’s, obvs. 🙂)
There was a disco and a hot dinner later.

WombatChocolate · 27/05/2020 09:26

Best weddings have some kind of food and drink immediately after the ceremony. I've seen the wedding cake cut immediately after and served with cups of tea or with champagne - either is good. Fine for not all drink to be booze as long as booze happens too.

I've been to one where there were the usual Buck's Fizz on arrival type thing but the whole day, a tea urn and cups so there was tea and coffee and jugs of water to help yourself to.

I've seen some people invite the whole hoard to the Church and afterwards have a tea for everyone - loads of cakes etc. This was instead of an evening do. Some local friends who couldn't be invited to the main reception saw the wedding itself and had a nice tea afterwards before going home - no hanging around and having to come back later for an evening do. There was then a short gap before the main reception part started.

Fancy canapés are lovely, but better to have something of a decent size that means you won't pass out before the meal. Really difficult if a wedding is at 12.30 but the reception meal isn't until 6/7 - you miss a whole meal and so more than 2 canapés is needed. Perhaps the bacon roll would fit better there than in the late evening??

Limit photos to 1 HR max and make sure there is somewhere for people to sit and as a minimum, drinks during that time.

NailsNeedDoing · 27/05/2020 09:37

You can’t have no wine and only 120 pints of beer, unless you are having a very small wedding. Even beer drinkers often don’t want beer while they’re eating.

Honestly, providing enough to drink, as well as a little choice, is essential. It makes all the difference to the atmosphere, and that’s what people will remember.

Personally, I’m not a fan of hog roasts, the sight of a dead pig, face, eyes and everything is not appealing. I have been to a couple of dos with hog roasts and even for the people that like them, it didn’t provide enough food. One pork roll with a bit of apple sauce isn’t enough for an evening meal. Make sure there’s lots to go with it if you do go for it.

Original poster
Bridecilla · 27/05/2020 10:08

Rethinking Drinks: how does this sound?!

Welcome: Beer pull / pimms station / kilner of elderflower presse (bar for anything else)

Toast: fizzy

Meal: most of our guests don't drink wine or it wouldn't be their first choice. Drink token?

Beer pump and elderflower on the go all day / night. Tea and coffee on a tab all day

OP posts:
Runnerduck34 · 27/05/2020 10:08

Definitely drinks , canapes and seating at any point guests need to wait around while venue reorganises the room or lengthy photos are being done.
The extra thing we really enjoyed was the photo booth, photos to take home and a copy for bride and groom. If you are having children at the wedding a sweetie bar was popular ( tbh adults also liked this!) One wedding I went to had a magician going round each table doing magic tricks, he was fab. But honestly you dont need lots of bells and whistles to have a lovely wedding, enjoy your day.

Original poster
Bridecilla · 27/05/2020 10:10

And gin favours as I've already bought the bottles and they're very pretty Grin

OP posts:
burnoutbabe · 27/05/2020 10:11

Charging for tea and coffee seems odd if beer is free? A cup of tea is hot water and a tea bag. I've seen them at weddings with a big urn on the go, rather than any fancy latte etc.

Original poster
Bridecilla · 27/05/2020 10:14

Sorry @burnoutbabe I mean tea and coffee on our tab all day. So people can have one if they want (or 5) butbwe only pay for what people have!

OP posts:
SuziLikeSuziQ · 27/05/2020 10:15

We had have-a-go archery (friends attending, who are licensed, volunteered to run it as the wedding was actually in the barn at their archery site) and a ceilidh band. That seemed to be good enough for our guests!

Franticbutterfly · 27/05/2020 10:17

The magician at mine was amazing and reactions made for some amazing photos.

HotDogGuy · 27/05/2020 10:18

We went to one where someone was doing caricatures they were brilliant and 6 years later we still have it up on our wall.
We did a lake cruise (wedding was in the Lake District) with a free bar and guests raves about it

Original poster
Bridecilla · 27/05/2020 10:20

@Mysilverlining that's great info. Thanks

Can I ask - did you put transport on for your guests?

OP posts:
Original poster
Bridecilla · 27/05/2020 10:21

@HotDogGuy weirdly I've just priced up a caricature artist!

OP posts:
DuckALaurent · 27/05/2020 10:23

I used to work in the wedding industry and from that I realised that Guests always remember good food, good drink and good entertainment. They also remember bad versions of these things too.

HotDogGuy · 27/05/2020 10:26

@Bridecilla we had one son at the time and now have 2. We’re thinking of paying to get another one done by the same guy. Definitely the best extra at a wedding I’ve been to.

maxelly · 27/05/2020 11:11

I think I like your new drinks structure better - even if people aren't normally wine drinkers, I think people will expect to have wine at a wedding with the meal/just out of habit really - I like both gin and beer too but I wouldn't want to have either with a fancy/special meal. So if you really don't want to go with the normal bottles of wine on the table approach (which is also more economical than buying wine by the glass especially if the venue will let you bring your own and just charge corkage), I'd definitely go with the drinks token so people can get their own...

Original poster
Bridecilla · 27/05/2020 11:58

@maxelly I've only been to a couple of weddings as an adult but at the last one the wine was all baffled by 2 people on our table as the rest of didn't drink it. They were pissed and left at 8pm!

It's hopefully the kind of venue where we can avoid doing things just out of wedding habit but don't want to piss people off. I might ask for the venue staff to hover with wine and offer an alternative to those who don't want it. They're seriously laid back so it's possible

OP posts:
Mysilverlining · 27/05/2020 12:01

@Bridecilla we didn't because we had people coming from all over the place on the day. If we'd had the majority coming from the same place, either local hotel or local area, we would have done as it is very remote and guests really need to make sure they have pre booked taxis or transport home.

Feel free to PM me if you have more questions Smile.

Original poster
Bridecilla · 27/05/2020 12:29

@Mysilverlining you might regret offering Grin

OP posts:
maxelly · 27/05/2020 13:12

Well unfortunately at most weddings there is at least one person who is determined to get trollied on the free booze just cos its free, I'm not sure it being wine or beer makes a huge difference Grin. But I do get you, having the bottles out on the table does probably encourage people a bit more - "go on Dave just finish the bottle" [etc] - having waiters circulate during the meal with a few bottles of wine and offer to anyone who does want some sounds perfect if you can arrange that!

Original poster
Bridecilla · 27/05/2020 16:43

Very true @maxelly Grin

OP posts:
gerbo · 27/05/2020 17:18

The worst thing at a wedding is being hungry.....without a doubt. So maybe plenty of canopes during photos etc, and/or snacks brought out at 11pm to soak up beer!

Also at my wedding I put pretty baskets containing spare 'smellies' in the ladies- baby wipes, hairspray, deodorant, spare tights, tampax, gel pads for sore toes, etc. That went down well.