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AIBU?

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Original poster

What's the best thing you did at your wedding

159 replies

Horriblewoman · 29/08/2021 20:48

Something you're glad you spent money on? Or didn't think would matter but definitely did?

A month to go and planning is under control so I'm looking for anything we might have missed to make the day even more special (around 90 guests, non-church, in the countryside).

OP posts:
Angrymum22 · 30/08/2021 19:33

No official photographer , I’ve been to so many weddings ruined by an over zealous photographer. How many people get their wedding album out regularly. My favourite photo was taken by my dad when we cut the cake.
We also asked the DJ to play background music until 10pm so everyone could chat. By 10 they were all well oiled and ready to boogy, the dance floor was packed from the off and the guests were collecting money to pay the DJ the extra to play until the early hours ( we only found out the day after). I think it was still going strong when we left at 3am.

Mum233 · 30/08/2021 20:26

Doing what we wanted. Didn’t want a fancy drinks reception so went to a local bar for beers and shots. MIL was horrified but we loved it!

caketiger · 30/08/2021 21:24

This is a different answer than you wanted. But. We got married in 2012 and didn't have an official photographer just friends that took photos. My memory of the day is very much my own Internal musings at what was occurring. I regretted not having it videoed which is so easily done now with smart phones.

The wedding day did matter, and I loved it but it's the marriage that brings me joy.

Haggisfish3 · 30/08/2021 21:26

I would say we paid for a good photographer and we do actually get the album out about four times a year!😆 I love the photos we got.

Haggisfish3 · 30/08/2021 21:26

We didn’t pay for cars.

Original poster
Horriblewoman · 30/08/2021 21:26

I'm a little reassured that the decisions we've made reflect some of your good ideas (apart from magicians, they are inherently creepy and I won't be convinced otherwise).

We've got an incredible reportage photographer

My dress I got two years ago back when covid wasn't even a twinkle in the world's eye and was a sample dress so half price.

We've prioritised food and booze and music. Our three favourite things!

OP posts:
JuliaBlackberry · 30/08/2021 21:28

Had a box of flip flops in various sizes for when the dancing got too much for the high heeled contingent (including me).

Streamside · 30/08/2021 21:30

As a wedding photographer, I'd recommend the couple spend a while together accompanied only by their photographer at a discreet distance for reportage photos.Even ten minutes away from the fray is amazing.

Notdoingthis · 30/08/2021 21:31

Bouncy castle
Good band
Photo booth

SimonJT · 30/08/2021 21:31

@Brollypackedforscottishholiday

Uninvited mil!! Grin
Snap
Worried234 · 30/08/2021 23:19

Could those of you who had a magician please PM me the details and recommendation? Thank you :) @DuckieBubbles @stressedPest @Kintsugi16 x

cakewench · 31/08/2021 00:12

Make sure you have a photographer and make sure you get the boring pictures of you and all your extended family members. These type of events are often the rare times entire families get together, and I have friends who deeply regret not having a designated photographer and relying on people to take pictures with their phones or whatever. (It sounds like a good idea, and some people might have some luck with it, but what you end up with are a lot of photos of that person’s table mates/ friend group, they might not know who grandma is and why you’d want pictures of her as well, etc etc. Also the only pictures one friend has of her wedding party, we’re all in sunglasses etc randomly standing outside the church. It’s not the end of the world but she’s sad about it now)

Also an open bar of course Grin

Mum233 · 31/08/2021 00:29

Oh and make sure you get a good photographer
My husband is an amazing reportage photographer and couples always contact him after absolutely delighted with their pics x

DaphneDeloresMoorhead · 31/08/2021 00:55

Really good food, not your boring wedding stuff. We prioritised our money on having a really good do. 14 years later guests still talk about how great it was. We had lovely canapés, a trio of seafood starter, lamb for main course and raspberry & lychee macarons - years before the macaron trend kicked off.
We had burgers, wedges and an ice cream stand at our evening do years before it was fashionable (got marrried in 2007) and it went down a storm.

DaphneDeloresMoorhead · 31/08/2021 00:56

And a very discreet photographer that did barely any staged shots.

Damnloginpopup · 31/08/2021 02:01

My grandmother.

delilahbucket · 31/08/2021 08:13

Brilliant photographer, barely even knew he was there, with just 45 minutes of formal photos that were posted so names could be called.
The pizza served in the evening was demolished. We were supposed to have a full on buffet but our caterer cancelled at the last minute so our venue stepped in and just made loads of pizzas and salads.
Bouquets went in coffee jars as table centerpieces.
Colour! We had a bright theme and it looks amazing on the photos and we got so many compliments. We even had a blue VW camper as our transport.
We had a mini photoshoot after the ceremony and it was absolutely brilliant. Guests were sent to the venue for drinks and canapés while we went off, and it was nice to escape the madness and just be us for half an hour. My only regret is I missed my canapés. We got to the venue and I had to go to the loo and touch up my make up which was a 20 minute affair and while everyone else ate, I didn't get chance. It was one of my biggest regrets as I was really looking forward to trying them. I didn't eat much of my meal either and my cheeseboard was sent away while I went to the loo as my husband thought I had finished.

StayOrGoOrWhat · 31/08/2021 08:25

The children had a room all set up with Jenga and a Wii. I didn’t go in it (other than a quick look round the door) but I’ve been told that it was fantastic and much better than expecting them to sit around after the meal.

PurBal · 31/08/2021 08:34

Choir for our church wedding. The hymns were belted out instead of mumbled and because DH isn’t a fan of hymns we had a sung psalm and anthem in place of some hymns. I also walked down the aisle to choral music. I’m a Christian but most of our guests weren’t and everyone commented on how nice it was to have the singing.

loafcake · 31/08/2021 08:40

@Booknooks

I ate meat at the time and we had a hog roast at the evening do- it was fab as lasted a lot of the night, people who hadn't been to the meal had some food, and as the alcohol kicked in it was appreciated towards the end of the night! Had some buffet stuff as well, and a table of sweets, but it was worth every penny. Also had a photo booth and it printed 2 of everyone's photos, one for them and one for our guestbook; I absolutely love looking back on the photos and the messages from guests.
This sounds the exact same as a wedding I waitressed at, at Shuttleworth house! If by some crazy chance this is the same wedding, the hog roast was really really appreciated by the staff working all day too!! I was a hungry 19 year old at the time. (And if not, I'm sure the people working around your wedding would have also appreciated it loads).

It's actually stayed in my mind to have for my own wedding, should that day ever come!

atleastitswarm · 31/08/2021 08:41

I’d honestly say (within reason) have whatever you want and don’t overly stress about guests as long as they’ll have food and drink and somewhere warm to sit. I say this because your guests will be so different and you can’t please everybody - some of the suggestions on this thread I would find really odd at a wedding whereas other people have loved it (for example, I’d find it so weird to see a photo of myself being used as bunting at someone’s wedding!) So just try and nail the basics - food, drink, music, somewhere to sit and chill if you’re not one who wants to be on the dance floor. Congrats!

DaisyDaisydoo · 31/08/2021 08:47

A live band rather than a DJ. On the flip side I regret not having a videographer

Chocoqueen · 31/08/2021 09:00

Photo booth! Set up in the reception so people could go in for most of the evening. They printed out 2 copies of every photo, one for those in the booth and one which got stuck in our guest book, which our guests could sign. It was a lovely momento and we're really happy we did it that way - especially as you can see our guests get merrier and merrier as the night continues.... 😆

Subbaxeo · 31/08/2021 09:01

We wanted a particular hotel for our wedding so our guests were limited to 22! But it was a second wedding for us so didn’t fancy a huge do but we did want fabulous food, drinks and wonderful service and that’s what we got. We wanted an open bar so guests could have what they wanted without having to open their wallets. We had a photographer for a couple of hours for the registry office ceremony, the walk through the city to our hotel and a little while afterwards.

One of the best things about the day was free but priceless. My teenage daughter printed out some photos over the preceding years from when we met, put them in an album and then went round the guests, asking them to put nice messages in for us. I still tear up when I think about that.

bravotango · 31/08/2021 09:03

We paid for a minibus to be available from 8pm til the end of the night (about 1am) to shuttle guests to their accommodation so no one had to worry about being the designated driver or find local taxi companies.

THIS! Went to a wedding last weekend. 100 people tried to leave at the same time and the local taxi company only had 8 cars on.

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