Wedding Vibes by Tori Rogers

You are the hosts of your wedding day celebration. As hosts, your responsibility is to create a positive wedding vibe for you and your guests from start to finish. Your Wedding Vibe is how you want your wedding day to look and feel, and it begins with your Save-the-Dates. Sounds easy, right? So, what goes into determining your wedding vibe?

• Wedding Venue

• Wedding Party Attire

• Wedding Guest Attire

• Color Palettes

• Wedding Theme

• Climate

• Décor and Rentals

• Florals

• Entertainment

• Food Service

• Menu

• Bar Service

• Beverage Selection

• Accessibility

• Comfort

• Lighting

• Transportation

• Timing and Flow of your wedding celebration

• Quality of Professionals

• Event Management

• Your Personal Style

• Your Personalities

• Guest List

• Guest Experience

The most important thing to remember is that your guests want to see you enjoying yourselves. As hosts, it is not always easy to be happy participants. FACT: If you look like you are having a great time, then THEY will have a great time. Only you and your hired professionals know your wedding details and plans. Your guests have NO IDEA if something is not quite perfect or according to plan. YOUR REACTION to these details will affect the FEEL and MOOD of your wedding day, so don't sweat the small stuff and just have a good time. Your wedding day is about celebrating your love for each other with your closest relatives and friends, so be present in the moment because it all goes by quickly.

Your guest list is a very big contributor to your wedding vibe. We always suggest hosting some kind of meet and greet the day before the wedding so that your guests can get to know each other and reduce the awkwardness between strangers on your wedding day. Keep your guests informed and provide an inclusive environment. When someone is personally invested in something he/she/they will care more about its success and show more interest in the day's events. For example, have your guests send in their favorite song that gets them on the dance floor and have your DJ play those songs. If you do a photo montage, include photos of you with your guests. Perhaps have your photographer take a photo of you with each guest or guest grouping and send the photo to them with your thank you notes post-wedding. Write a personal note to each guest and put it at their place settings. Whatever ideas you implement, make them thoughtful.

The overall Guest Experience will affect the energy of your wedding. Consider everyone's comfort from start to finish. Is your venue easily accessible? Is there plenty of space to move around? Will you have seating for your ceremony? Is your timeline rushed? Are you hiring a shuttle for transportation or do they need to drive themselves? Is there enough parking? What will happen once they've arrived? Guests LOVE when they are GREETED upon their arrival. A water station should be available and a welcome beverage is a classy and memorable way to begin your celebration. A popular trend is a champagne wall. Another popular trend we are seeing is a pre-ceremony cocktail reception with some type of snack (ie. charcuterie) and beverage service. This allows time for your late guests, as well. Inform your guests of the typical weather for that time of year so they can wear the appropriate attire. Is your wedding outdoors? Does it get chilly at night? Are your guests protected from the elements at your outdoor wedding? Do you have umbrellas just in case? Where are restrooms located? If it is hot outside will you have hand fans? If your wedding is on the lawn, you may want to tell your guests to wear the appropriate shoes. Keep your ceremony meaningful and brief if possible, with personal touches included. You may even want a family member or friend to officiate to keep it personal and harmonious for you both. Is there a program to describe the special customs you are including in your ceremony? Keeping the day interactive, comfortable, accommodating, and inclusive for your guests will create the perfect guest experience.

Your wedding's aesthetic, including the rentals, floor plan, color palette, décor, printed items, signage, theme, florals, lighting, and personal style all influence the overall vibe. Is it colorful or neutral? Keep your aesthetic cohesive and functional. For example, centerpieces that are too high make it impossible to converse with other guests at your table. So, when designing your centerpiece, consider its size, height, and vessel, as well as the table shape, lighting and centerpiece elements. How do you want your photos to look? What are the special items you want to be photographed? Consider the appearance of your place setting, glassware, flatware, glassware, China, linens, chairs, type/shape/size of your tables, etc. Is there a tent, canopy, or some other type of structure? Whatever you do, make sure your floor plan is functional and flows comfortably.

Wedding Entertainment is a crucial component of your wedding vibe. What type of music do you want for your ceremony and reception? Recorded or live? Instrumental or with lyrics? Acoustic or amplified? What is the sound like at your venue? Song choice is important. How much dance time is allotted in your timeline? Music is not the only form of entertainment. Your guests will typically be at your event for five hours, so how will they keep busy? Lawn games? Flower Bar? Performers? Photo Booth or Selfie Station? How will you ensure your guests don't get bored and leave your celebration? If you are a foodie like myself, the foods and beverages provided at your wedding will make or break your event. Your guests WILL complain about the food if it does not meet their expectations. They WON'T complain about the color of your flowers or whether or not they received a wedding favor. If your venue offers a bar elsewhere that serves something better than what you are providing, your guests WILL leave your event to purchased their desired beverage elsewhere. Your guests should NEVER be hungry or thirsty, and you should do everything possible to make sure you consider their needs and wants. Dietary restrictions need to be collected and c

ommunicated to your caterer IN ADVANCE. For plated dinners servers need some type of indicator for each guest to display their meal selection. Label buffet foods. Provide a menu. Create a fun signature drink and drink name.

Most important, who is responsible for making sure your timeline flows? Who will handle the hiccups that occur throughout the day? When your professionals are setting up, who will direct them and answer their questions?

As you can see, the overall WEDDING VIBE is not just the aesthetic. Your wedding vibe is determined by your energy, your guests' energy, and anything that contributes to the mood of your day. The details matter, A LOT. Your wedding details are woven together to create your wedding quilt. How will you keep your quilt from falling apart at the seams? HIRE PROFESSIONALS who know what they are doing and who will work as a team to bring your vision to life.

POSITIVE VIBES ONLY!