If your Facebook is anything like mine, it’s filled with photos of engagements and teasers of imminent engagements (you know, those friends that are “engaged to be engaged”). And, as Christmas and New Years approach, the engagement photos, “Save the Date” cards and wedding invitations are only going to continue to flood your Instagram, newsfeed and inbox as the bride-to-be books a venue and says “yes” to the dress. Now, engagements are a wonderful thing, but not all view weddings as a picture-perfect, “Father of the Bride” affair. Here are 10 ways to “simplifique” your special day and say “Thank You!” to all those that supported you and your betrothed on your way to the altar.
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10. Sparks aren’t just for the happy couple.
Rice and birdseed are too difficult to clean up and bubbles are sticky. The solution? Sparklers! They’re especially great for summer weddings that go late into the night.
9. A little bit of libation goes a long way …
Maybe you and your betrothed are paying for the wedding without much financial support and are therefore on a tight budget, or maybe some of your family and friends have religious or personal objections to alcohol. Either way, try to meet in the middle and set aside money for a champagne toast and perhaps a bottle of red and white wine for each table — just enough to say, “Yes, we want you on the dance floor having a good time” but not so much of an open-bar wedding that the dance floor becomes a Slip’N Slide.
8. Forego the favors …
Whether it’s generic hard candy or a monogrammed tea bag, chances are the wedding favors will go to waste along with the time and money spent on them. Consider donating money to charity in honor of your guests and leaving them a note informing them of the contribution.
7. Vow and “chow”
It really depends on the size of the wedding but, if you don’t want your guests waiting around too long after the ceremony, head immediately out for the reception and greet your guests table-by-table after they’ve had some refreshments. This way, you and your spouse will be able to savor the time right after the ceremony and not be faced with those sometimes-awkward receiving-line moments, like a guest accidentally ripping off the bride’s veil mid-hug or an ex-girlfriend staring a bit too longingly at the groom.
6. “Spin that record, babe”
Whether a disc jockey or live band is jamming out, make sure there are upbeat tunes and ample space available on the dance floor for all of your guests.
5. Just say “no” to …
… the garter toss. It’s an insult to your guests’ imaginations and is just way too much information. If you must, spice up the party with a groomsmen or bridesmaids dance number.
4. Gum galore!
Whether in a remote country setting with Sani-Kans or at the Ritz-Carlton, leaving packages of gum in restrooms throughout the reception venue is a thoughtful gesture that should be more commonplace than it is — especially if your entree or hors d’oeuvres have garlic in them.
3. Play off the season.
Having difficulty deciding on your wedding colors? Pick colors and themes that revolve around the season in which your wedding will take place. If it’s a Christmas wedding, play off the romanticism of twinkle lights and spruce trees; if it’s a June wedding, play up baby blue hydrangeas and yellow forsythia.
2. Chicken is for dinner, not the dance floor.
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(The exception being a Phil Collins slow chicken dance with Zooey Deschanel.)
1. Go out with a bang.
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For those especially ambitious soon-to-be newlyweds, choreograph and practice a dance routine that’s sure to entertain your guests and show them that, in the words of Boys Like Girls, “two is better than one.”