5 ways to go the extra mile for your guests
Part of a fabulous wedding is thinking about the experience your guests will have. I like to have couples walk themselves through how their guests will experience the wedding day. From entrance to exit.
#1 How to Go The Extra Mile for Your Guests: Shower Them With Flowers
Flowers make people feel loved, honored and well cared for.
You can shower your guests with flowers in a variety of ways:
Corsages for the extra-special women.
Boutonnieres for the extra-special men.
Beautiful flowers on the table while your guests dine. This could come in the form of a garland, cluster of bud vases or luxurious centerpieces.
Wow them with lush and romantic backdrops. This could come in the form of floral arches, floral walls and extra-lush arrangements placed at the bar, the welcome table and wherever else guests will be spending time. You could also give them an opportunity to have their picture taken with some of the florals.
Curios what wedding flowers cost? GO HERE to read our blog: “What do Wedding Flowers Cost?”
A floral arch is a popular way to adorn the ceremony with lush floral. GO HERE to read more about the floral arch
Corsages are an inexpensive way to honor your guests and make them feel extra special.
#2 How to Go The Extra Mile for Your Guests: Write a personal note to each guest.
We all know how it feels to travel to a wedding and then barely get to see the couple. And let’s face it, you’re going to be busy! It’s unlikely you will get to spend as much time as you like with each of your guests.
That’s why I love this simple act of writing an individual note to each guest.
I received a note from my step brother on his wedding day and I’m still thinking about it many years later.
If you plan ahead, you can pull this off in relatively little time. Plan to write a few notes per day so that you’re all finished by your wedding day. In addition, this note can serve as a marker for your assigned seats.
What a fabulous exercise in practicing gratitude. You will generate so many warm, loving and positive emotions in regards to each of your guests that you will be overflowing with joy.
And joy is the place where you need to be spending most of your wedding day!
I gave the idea of the personal note to Nicole and Garrett who were married in July of 2022 at The Salted Roots Cabins in Seward, AK.
#3 How to Go The Extra Mile for Your Guests: Give toasts to your guests of honor.
Everyone likes to be recognized. This is such a lovely and traditional way to call people out, and recognize them.
Think of 3-5 people you and your spouse could recognize and write a quick 30 - 60 second toast to each.
If you’re shy about speaking up in front of a crowd of people (like I was at my wedding), practice before-hand, know it’s OK to feel nervous and don’t be afraid to use notes.
#4 How to Go The Extra Mile for Your Guests: Make a point to look each guest in the eye at least once and give them a hug or warm handshake.
Your wedding is not only for you and your spouse. That’s what elopements are for!
Make time in your wedding schedule to connect one on one with each guest, even if it’s just for a few minutes each.
If you have a longer guest list, you could make this happen by organizing a receiving line, or scheduling in a time to visit each person during dinner.
Another idea I love is setting up a small table behind the bride and groom with two chairs. Folks can be invited to visit this table and spend some one-on-one time with the bride and groom.
#5 How to Go The Extra Mile for Your Guests: Write Thank-You notes.
There’s nothing better than a hand-written thank you note mailed to someone’s door a week after they attended your wedding.
Give yourself a deadline for this, so you don’t forget. Then set aside 30 minutes per day until it’s completed.
Make sure you put this task in your calendar or planner so you know it will get done.
If you take a few of these ideas and implement them, your guests will leave your wedding feel loved, cherished and full of warmth.
Photos courtesy of Chugach Peaks Photography and Kristian Iray Photography.
What is a floral installation? Wedding Floral Pieces Defined
This blog is to help define all the wedding flower terms out there. So when you hop on a call with me or another florist you know exactly what we’re talking about.
A la Carte Wedding:
Florists throw around this term often. It usually refers to a couple who chooses to order their flowers piece by piece and not as part of a package.
In my floral design business, most of my weddings are completely custom and thus a la carte. I do not offer packages since each couple has unique desires for their florals.
When talking to your florist, ask them to define this for their particular business. There are no stupid questions!
Full Service Wedding:
This terms usually applies to someone who wants delivery, set up and take down for their wedding florals.
Folks who choose a full service option usually want centerpieces or tablescapes set up and ceremony flowers. That could include an arch, alter flowers and aisle flowers.
In my design business any couple can add on delivery, set up and take down for orders over 3,000.00.
Wedding flowers for less than that are picked up from my warehouse studio.
When talking to your florist, ask them to define this for their particular business.
Cascading bouquet using Alaskan Grown Flowers.
The Bridal Bouquet:
This is arguably the most important wedding flower piece. The bridal bouquet is held by the bride in pre-ceremony pictures and of course accompanies the bride down the aisle.
I do want to emphasize that not only a bride can carry the bridal bouquet. Groom’s Bouquet anyone? And of course in a queer wedding, there can be one, two, or none of these gorgeous flower pieces to adorn part of the couple.
In fact, I think we need a new name for this piece. Shall I suggest “Wedding Bouquet”?
This bride opted for single flower dahlias for her bridesmaids. It is stunning, simple and luxurious. Photo credit: Joshua Veldstra Photography
Wedding Party Bouquet (AKA Bridesmaids Bouquet):
The bouquet that anyone in the wedding party chooses to carry for the wedding ceremony.
Usually the women carry these. But increasingly, anyone on either side of the couple can carry a bouquet.
Boutonniere:
A small cluster of flowers and foliage designed to be pinned to the coat of a man in the wedding party.
Who gets a boutonniere? Usually any significant man in the couple’s life: fathers, sons, brothers, grandfathers, and men in the bridal party.
Gender is not a qualifier for a boutonniere! Feel free to break the rules here.
Corsage (pin-on):
Often couples choose to honor their mothers or other significant female figures in their life with a pin-on corsage.
These tend to be larger and slightly more elaborate than a traditional boutonniere.
Corsage (wrist):
A similar idea to the above but made to be worn on the wrist. I’ve seen women in a bridal party wear these in lieu of a bouquet.
Wrist corsages can be a bit more elaborate then pin-ons.
Who gets a corsage? The answer is there are no hard rules here but usually I see couples get them for their mothers, aunts, grandmothers, and sisters.
Again, this can be for any significant woman figure they want to honor.
Altar Flowers:
Flower arrangements that are placed at the altar or the place where the couple is to exchange vows.
Altar flowers can be arrangements in low or elevated vases. They can be placed on the floor or set up on pillars or other structures.
Altar flowers can also include installations and arches and anything else you can imagine fo accompany you or to give you an amazing backdrop while you exchange vows.
Aisle Flowers:
Flowers to adorn the chairs, or benches along the aisle leading to the altar.
Flowers and foliage can also run the length of the aisle in a garland type of arrangement.
A full arch near the reflection pool at Raven Glacier Lodge. Photo credit: Joshua Veldstra Photography
Arch Flowers:
Often couples want a backdrop to their wedding ceremony.
Arches make your ceremony extra special and provide a stunning addition to any of your bride and groom pictures and ceremony pictures. These can be simple and small or elaborate and full.
Floral Installation:
The word “installation” encompasses many different elaborate arrangements: floral chandeliers, any sort of hanging floral piece, arches, floral walls, your imagination is the limit here!
Installations are most commonly used as a backdrop for the ceremony or at the reception.
Chuppah:
The chuppah is a four posted canopy covered with cloth for a Jewish wedding. Flowers usually adorn the front and can be almost any size.
Mandap:
A traditional four posted canopy for a Sikh wedding, covered with cloth and traditionally adorned with 4 floral arrangements, one on each of the four posts.
A centerpiece for a sweetheart table or anywhere else you might want a pop of flowers.
Centerpiece:
Any floral arrangement to decorate the reception tables.
These can vary greatly by size or style but they usually are placed on every table in your reception area.
Bar Arrangement:
The bar is a highly used place at your wedding reception!
Couples often choose to dress it up with a larger floral arrangement.
Welcome Arrangement:
When guests enter your reception area or wedding space there is often a welcome table with photos, cards, gifts, table numbers, guest lists and a more elaborate floral arrangement.
A simple and full sweetheart table arrangement with a floral installation backdrop.
Sweetheart Table Arrangement:
If the couple is choosing to dine at a sweetheart table you’ll need some decoration for your table-for-two. This can be small to large. Simple to elaborate.
Head Table Arrangement:
If you and your wedding party are dining together at a head table, you’ll need to decide how to decorate.
You can choose almost any style of floral piece for this table.
Garland:
Foliage bundled together and spanning the length of a table. These are usually used on longer, rectangle tables. They can also flow over the end and toward the floor.
Garlands are traditionally just foliage but having a sprinkling of loose flowers in them is also beautiful.
Tablescapes:
This is a loose term to define anything to decorate your reception tables.
Tablescapes can include: candles, bud vase groupings, garland, loose flowers, loose foliage and small or larger vase arrangements.
Couples can also choose to add fruit, stones, shells, fabric runners, or anything else that they can imagine being beautiful.
Hey, it’s me Greta! Your wedding floral designer. I cannot wait to talk to you about your flowers. Photo credit: Lauren Roberts
There you have it! This is meant to empower you and not overwhelm you.
Feeling overwhelmed? I can help.
Inquire by clicking the button below so we can set up your free floral consultation.
I can help you find out what you really need to get the most amazing wedding planned.