Small Finishing Touches That Make Your Big Day

When it comes to planning a wedding, everyone knows about the ‘big’ things you need to get sorted – the venue, the dress, the cake… Yet I think it’s those really small details, the ones you might not even think to do, that can turn a great wedding into a truly spectacular one.

Without a wedding planner who’s done a hundred weddings before and comes armed with a 2-metre checklist of all the details, big and small, that need to be arranged, it can be easy to forget a few things.

So whether they’re those tiny finishing touches that make your guests go home even happier, or the personal touches that you, the happy couple, will remember more than how the cake tasted or the band sounded, here are some great ideas to add to your wedding planner…

Wedding Program

Just because your guests know the major events that are going to happen during your wedding – the ceremony, the breakfast, cutting the cake, the first dance and so on – that’s no reason not to provide them with a program so that they know what’s going to happen and exactly when.

That way, no one misses out on a major event because they popped to the loo for five minutes! Plus, a wedding program makes for a lovely keepsake to remember the day by. Check out these wedding program ideas on Pinterest for inspiration.

Confetti

Don’t want to miss out on that traditional shot of the two of you stepping out of the ceremony venue and being showered in colorful confetti? Don’t rely on your guests to bring it along with them – some will, but some won’t and they might feel like they’re missing out if they don’t have any confetti (or rice, in some European countries) to throw.

So fill a basket with small organza pouches stuffed full of confetti, tie a ribbon around the handle and place it near the exit door of the ceremony venue so guests can take a bag as they walk past.

Snacks

Just because you’re having a sit-down meal followed by wedding cake doesn’t mean catering considerations should stop there. Most weddings are long, drawn-out affairs and you don’t want guests going hungry – which is an instant mood killer!

Make sure there are snacks available throughout the reception, either in the form of a small buffet or simply baskets filled with foil-wrapped chocolates or other delicacies dotted around the tables.

Gifts for the Bridesmaids

Don’t forget to say thank you to your bridesmaids – and the groom should thank his ushers too – by buying them a little something that you can give them on the day. You know your bridesmaids best so I won’t tell you what to buy, but if you don’t have any ideas then why not buy them a luxury photoalbum that they can fill with their favourite pictures from the wedding?

Guest Camera

Your wedding is all about you (both of you!) but it’s still a good idea to do everything you can to make your guests feel involved. After all, you want them to go home feeling like they’ve had an excellent time!

A great way to do this is to buy a cheap ‘guest camera’ (or a small basket of disposable cameras if you’re worried about things getting broken) and let the guests go wild taking photos of whatever takes their fancy through the day.

After your honeymoon, you can get the photos processed and turned into a fun wedding album to go along with your official one – it’ll be great to see your big day from everyone else’s perspective!

Another great idea is to have a wedding guest book or note cards like these ones for the guests to scribble down happy wishes, funny/serious advice or anything else that takes their fancy – you’ll love reading through them on the aeroplane to your honeymoon destination!

Bridal Garter

A garter is a somewhat dying tradition – at one point, garters were the norm not just for weddings but as everyday wear! They were used to hold your stockings up but since the invention of stretchy tights and suspender belts for stockings, they’re not such a common thing.

However, a beautiful garter can add that luxury finishing touch to your bridal lingerie and make it extra special and unique, especially if you’re not normally a garter wearer. I adore these handmade garters from Esty Lingerie – there are well over 100 so you can be sure you’ll find the perfect match for the rest of your lingerie!

Something for the Kids

If you’re having children at your wedding, especially young ones, it pays to take some time planning small details especially for them. Try to step back and look at your wedding through the eyes of a five-year old. Will the long ceremony get too boring? Will that plate of seared asparagus and goat’s cheese be more ‘ew’ than ‘fine cuisine’?

If you’re worried about having your big moment at the altar interrupted by a chorus of ‘Mum, I’m booooored‘s coming from the audience, consider hiring a small room in the ceremony venue and paying for a childminder who can do some fun activities with the kids whilst the adults watch the ceremony.

At meal times, it’s a good idea to have a separate menu for the kids. I’d also recommend having some toy gifts, either one at each table setting or a lucky dip they can pick from, that they can play with during the reception. For younger kids especially, dedicate a ‘napping’ area with cushions and blankets so parents don’t have to leave early when their little ones get tired.

Those are just some ‘finishing touch’ ideas. Do you have any more?