Every bride and groom has a unique personality – both individually and as a couple – so it’s important to embrace the elements that you love in order to create a wedding reception that feels personal to you. This can help to make the event even more enjoyable for you both and can keep you feeling calm and comfortable on this exciting (and sometimes stressful) day.
Whether it’s getting the ambience just right, choosing a unique detail for your wedding outfits or creating something special for the reception, read on to find out how to bring a dose of personality to your party. How can you feel more comfortable on your wedding day? Here I’ve shared some often-overlooked details that will help to personalise your big day and make it both truly memorable and relaxing…
Know what you love
At the very least, on your wedding day you should feel happy and comfortable so why not do everything you can to make the day feel welcoming and personal to you? That includes your clothing, the decorations, music, the meal and everything else you can think of. Don’t worry about what other people would expect or what is considered ‘traditional’ – the only people who matter are the couple getting married so, if you’re happy, it’s right for you.
If you would be more comfortable with trainers beneath your wedding dress (or don’t want to go for a traditional dress at all!) then go for it! If your partner wants to inject a dash of personality with patterned socks, special accessories or vibrant colours, brilliant! These little touches will not only help you to feel physically more comfortable but they’ll help you to subconsciously relax because you’ll be wearing your favourite pieces.
Focus on table settings
Just having the right number of chairs for your guests isn’t really the end of the story – the tables need to look attractive when people come into your reception and it’s the perfect opportunity to add a personalised touch. Since your guests are going to remember how it all looked and felt, you can elevate the venue’s plain white crockery and tablecloths with colourful runners, placemats and napkins – pick your favourite colours or even bring pieces from your house to help you feel literally ‘at home’ during your wedding reception.
Plus, it’s possible to get personalised favours and even custom wine glasses that feature your initials or a pretty design that you’ve created yourself. That’s going to add a personalised touch to the table and you can either keep the collection of glassware for your future home together, or you could allow guests to take their glasses home as a keepsake from the big day.
Clever use of lighting
Lighting is going to play a big part in the ambience of your wedding reception and can therefore help you to feel comfortable. So, whenever possible, try to include as much natural light as you can so that the photos of your big day will be clear, flattering and bright. You can make use of the windows, skylights and any outdoor spaces you might have at the venue.
Then, in the evening, it’s even more important to consider the lighting so that the reception feels welcoming and inviting for your guests and gives you that magical feeling. When you use artificial lighting well it can also create a lovely atmosphere – think candles (although LED candles are safer!) and twinkling fairy lights strung up on every surface. Even uplighters with colourful bulbs can flood the walls and ceiling with vibrant hues, ‘painting’ the surfaces with the colour from the theme of your wedding.
Background sounds
You may not realise it but sound plays a part in helping us to feel comfortable in most settings – just consider how relaxing it feels to listen to birdsong, trees rustling or a babbling stream. If your venue is near to any of these natural features, be sure to open the windows and doors to invite those peaceful sounds of nature into the space for an extra dose of wellbeing.
You’ll probably have background music on your big day and your choice of music can completely change the atmosphere at your event. Lively music will feel more fun and help to get the party started however, you can also make sure that everyone feels comfortable by playing more relaxing music, like jazz, folk guitar or gentle bossa nova.
If you create a playlist that you personally love as a couple, you’re sure to enjoy yourself and feel calm with your favourite tunes playing. Keep the sound levels low during meals and mingling to maintain that calm vibe and allow guests to enjoy their meals and conversations in comfort.
I hope that these ideas will help you both to feel comfortable and relaxed on your big day and that your guests will enjoy the lovely ambience of your event. Let me know your own tips for creating a personalised reception in the comments below, I’d love to hear what you did on your own wedding day.
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