10 ways to Avoid a Boring Wedding

10 Ways to Avoid a Boring Wedding

Worried about winding up with wedding guests draped over tables and chairs, snoozing from sheer boredom (or worse, tweeting about your deathly dull nuptials)?  If you’ve lost perspective and you think the timeline for your big day could be getting out of hand, here are a few tips to keep the festivities fun and moving right along.

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  1. Remember ghosts of weddings past.  You’ve likely been to a few duds yourself on the wedding front, so you know firsthand how awful it is when the guests start to fidget and complain.  Think about how you would have improved upon those weddings and then implement a plan for your own festivities.
  2. Limit the influence of outsiders.  Everyone will try to tell you how to plan your wedding, from parents and siblings to vendors and the receptionist at your office.  While you want to be polite and take it all in (hey, there could be a few gems), you need to stay in firm control of the situation.  This is especially important when parents are paying.  You don’t want it to turn into Mom and Dad’s geriatric wed-fest, so let them know that while you appreciate their contribution, it’s still your wedding.
  3. Involve your soon-to-be spouse.  It doesn’t matter how much you wow the guests if your honey is bored to tears.  Many brides neglect to involve their other half in the planning process and while they may get the wedding of their dreams, a bored spouse could easily derail the joy of any bride’s special day.
  4. Keep it short and sweet.  Is there anybody out there who goes to a wedding thinking, “I hope it’s a 1-2 hour religious affair!”  The answer is no.  Not even people who are truly pious can sit still that long with their attention riveted.  Please, please, please do not torture your guests in this way (unless you’re keen to hear snoring during the ceremony).
  5. Self-censor.  It’s easy to get caught up in the mayhem of planning and simply say yes to every crazy tradition you come across (the lanyard, the unity candle, the broom, and the whole nine yards).  But consider how much more impact you’ll have (and how much less time you’ll waste) by keeping it simple and choosing one symbol of joining (as if exchanging vows and rings weren’t enough).
  6. Make a schedule.  You’ll certainly want to remain flexible, but having a basic schedule in hand will at least help to keep you on track for guests that are fed and entertained in a timely manner.
  7. Don’t delay.  Okay, so weddings are notorious for suffering delays.  But make every effort to keep them to a minimum, especially when it comes to the food.  You can get away with a lot, but if your guests are starving they’re going to grumble.
  8. Let them eat cake.  If you’ve been to weddings where the food service seemed to take hours, why not truncate the process (and save some money) by skipping a multi-course meal?  Small-bite weddings are gaining popularity, and themes like afternoon tea, fondue, tapas, cocktails, and dessert-bar spreads can ensure that guests get in and out with no chance of boredom.
  9. Hire a DJ.  Nothing keeps the party rocking like a DJ.  Not only do these wedding entertainers spin tunes; they also make sure that special dances, speeches, and other reception events occur on schedule.
  10. Other entertainment.  Whether you opt to hire troupe of acrobats, a fire eater, a wedding magician, or singing waiters, having extra entertainment on hand is sure to keep your guests mesmerized throughout the event.

Evan Fischer is a freelance writer and part-time student at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California.

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Thanks Evan for this great information!!

Happy Planning,

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Shafonne Myers is a certified wedding and event planner who longed for bridal inspiration that looked like her. She has created a website and magazine that brings bridal inspiration to plus size brides. She does speaking engagements educating the world about plus size brides and self confidence.
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