Are you looking for ways to make your wedding reception more personal and less cookie-cutter yet still classy? I thought you might be so I checked in with NYC wedding planner Leslie Short of K.I.M. Media. Short was the marketing mastermind behind groundbreaking sportswear label FUBU. These days she’s orchestrating jaw-dropping nuptials — her work has been featured in The New York Times — and working her mojo to help couples get the most bank for their bridal buck. She’s a beast when it comes to planning events so take heed to her advice. Oh and none of her tips will send you to the poorhouse!
1 – Keep Your Eyes on the Prize Stay focused on a theme. Less can sometimes be more.
2 – Tell Your Story What is the story you want guests to speak about after the wedding? Its the small, personal touches that guests will remember. Whether it be the first song that the two of you dance to or how you bought items of your heritage into the ceremony or reception.
3 – Stay True to You Couples need to remember why they are getting married and discuss the things they like and don’t like before they take in everyone else’s ideas. This way it stays about the couple and not about everyone else’s dream wedding.
4 – Name It & Claim It A couple can personalize their wedding by naming tables at the reception. The names should have meaning to you and your guests. [Triple B Note: If you and your beloved enjoy traveling, you can name reception tables after your favorite travel destinations. Or consider naming tables after your favorite songs…The possibilities are endless and will undoubedlty be great conversation starters!]
5 – Do Your Guests a Favor For my last two weddings, instead of traditional favors we went with a candy bar and on the way out guests received satin bags with the bride and groom names on them that they were able to fill and take home. The second was mini cakes since there was an amazing dessert bar that came along with the couple’s package it made no sense to cut a huge cake for people not to eat. The mini cakes were wrapped in a box with ribbon in the coordinating colors of the wedding along with the bride and groom’s names and wedding date. If you are going to spend money on favors make sure they’re items you would cherish if you received them.
What are you doing to personalize your wedding reception? A slide show? A choreographed first dance? Tell me about it!
I’ll take number no. 4 “Name It and Claim It”and use it, thats a great idea!