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Many brides are asking us "What do most guests prefer?" when
they are trying to make their decisions. Taking care of their guests is a high priority with our brides and we'd like you
to help them out. Do you enjoy or dislike the dollar-dance? Are the toasts too corny or the best part of the reception?
Band or DJ? Should their be a social/cocktail hour before dinner or not? Assigned seating or sitting wherever you want?
Please complete our short questions to enable our brides to plan the perfect reception for their guests!
Scroll
past the surveys to see the results from our respondents!!
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SURVEY SAYS.......!
As a guest at a wedding,
I really would prefer it if the bridal couple would NOT ......
• Spend hours taking photos between ceremony
and reception leaving us waiting; have different food at the head table or make different bar arrangements for groups of guests
(if we aren't A-list enough, don't invite us!)
• take pictures between the wedding and the reception. It's
pretty rude to make your guests wait for hours while you take pictures.
• smash cake.
• play
the silly games to call tables to the buffet like "Does any table have a person with a silver dollar in their pocket?" etc.
Just have the M.C. call them in an orderly fashion.
• Do anything that we have to pay for. It is awkward
and tacky to many people. There should be no cash bar, no creepy dollar dances etc. It may be your tradition but it reeks
of tackiness and guests often feel forced to participate.
• I hate long, drawn toasts that are delivered by
maids of honor and best men who are uncomfortable with public speaking. This isn't in the control of the bridal couple but
it's just something I dread at a reception.
• shove cake up each other's nose.
• Feed some
guests one thing and others another without it being a meal option on the RSVP. What comes to mind are those flat tiny slices
of cake when some guests get something that's got multiple layers and fillings to it, same goes for kiddie cupcakes. I sort
of feel like I've been cheaped out on when I've just spent $300 or so just to show up at the wedding after all of the
transportation, hotel, gift, etc.\
• do basically any of the traditional things.. I do not like seeing the
bride being given away like she's a piece of property, I dislike the corny toasts by drunken groomsmen, who really wants to
do the chicken dance, the dollar dance is tacky, the gartar toss is icky (especially when the groom goes up under the brides
dress and gets the garter with his teeth, the bouquet toss is uncomfortable for some single women who do not want to be singled
out because of their single status. I sound like I'm a fuddy duddy...actually, I'm engaged, and I'm going to have a wedding
and celebration that represents who my fiance and I are ---we will not be offering a choreographed stage production and call
it a wedding.
• have a receiving line
• wait until the end of the reception to cut the
cake!
• Assigned seating, LONG receptions, chicken dance (or anything else odd), waiting a forever before
the couple make their appearance after the wedding (once waiting over 2 hours)
• The dollar dance
• The
couple takes "....SO LONG....!" to get to the reception! So brides, try to get as many photos done before the ceremony as
possible! Your guests need your attention!
• The couple tells off-color jokes of their courtship
• The
couples serves only food that the couple likes instead of having a good variety that most of their guests like.
• The
foods selected for the dinner/buffet are inconsiderate of guests with special dietary needs or food allergies.
•
Along with the above, guests don't like waiting more than 30 minutes for the couple to arrive at the reception, and then don't
like waiting for add'l pictures to be taken before feeding the guests. One respondant pointed out that "....guests get bored
and hungry!"
• Assigned seating
• Cake smashing into each other's face.
As
a guest at a wedding, I really like it when ....
• The bride and groom take time to circulate and
say Hi. Even if you don't get to me, I can see you making the effort. Have a seating chart...it's a pain to do, but it gets
people where they ought to be, and with the people that they will most enjoy.
• Everything is located at the
same location and you don't have to drive anywhere, but if you need to drive to the reception that it's within about 20 minutes
of the ceremony\
• the speeches are short and sweet
• the couple visits each table.
• Wehn
there is some sort of entertainment at the reception site before the bride and groom arrive. I have seen too often that there
is not a listed start time for the reception but people go
• there straight away after the wedding ceremony
is over. Please make sure that there is food out and available, drinks available, and prefereabily some sort of entertainment
so people are just waiting around like idiots
• They get the formalities over with right away.
• the
couple personalizes the ceremony.
• The food is good, cold/hot (whichever the option requires), filling, and
delish. I also like buffets! There's nothing worse than getting to a site, being herded like cattle into an assigned seat,
then being stuck with a plated meal that I or my IL's can't eat half of because of dietary restrictions. I don't expect the
bride and groom to keep track of them, but it really is nicer to have a buffet because we can all stay away from the things
that are going to literally make us sick and not from any food borne illnesses..
• the couple pays attention
to the reason WHY there is a wedding -- joining with the other person they love in marriage...I like sincere, heartfelt ceremonies.
I like when a reception feels like something the couple sould chose -- that they are not just doing things becasuse that is
what tradition mandates! Can you tell that I am not big on tradition and the multi-billion dollar "Wedding Industry Complex."
• The
food is served quickly.
• the reception flows smoothly, without waiting for the bride and groom to show up,
then take endless numbers of photos!
• Toasts (especially from bridal party, parents), bouquet toss, open
bar
• The couple coming to each table to thank each guest for coming. The couple spending more time with the
guests and less time with the bridal party.
• Getting edible wedding favors (Debi's note: See our wedding cookie
favors on our cookie site!)
• A buffet to enable more choices for guests with small children, food allergies
and dietary restrictions.
• An open bar.
• A good variety of music by the DJ.
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