4 Ways to Make Your Wedding Reception More Special

Every wedding is about the details that come together to create a beautiful day. There are a few special details you can include at your wedding reception to ensure that your guests are having a wonderful time and that they won’t soon forget your big day.

Hire a Great DJ

Your DJ can get the crowd up and moving and ensure they’re having a great time by taking requests, interacting with them and keeping things moving along. You will never be sorry for putting out that extra money to get a fantastic DJ.

Personalize Things

Provide your guests with personalized wedding favors that they’ll cherish for a long time after the ceremony. There are many, many different options for personalized wedding favors so it’s easy to find something that suits your personality and theme.

Photo Source: favorcouture.theaspenshops.com

Pass Out Disposable Cameras

When guests come into the reception venue, have a “helper” hand them a disposable camera. They can use it to take fun pictures during the ceremony and then deposit the camera into a bin at the end. You can develop the pictures and find some real treasures.

Photo Source: shop.weddingsonline.ie

Delicious Food

Whether it’s a laid-back barbecue or a more formal seated dinner, great food will win your guests hearts over easily. Try to accommodate all guests by having a range of items served including vegetarian choices and sugar-free desserts.

By seeing to these 4 simple things, you can make your wedding reception as special as possible and a lot of fun for your guests.

DIY Hot Chocolate Bar

Who says you can’t have hot chocolate whenever you want? If you’re planning a wedding or wedding shower and want to make your guests very happy, create a DIY hot chocolate bar. It’s easy and who doesn’t love hot chocolate? Here are a few ways to make it ultra special.

The Water

There are various ways to deliver hot water so your guests can create their own hot chocolate. Coffee pots that are filled with water and left to stay hot, carafes, electric tea kettles, etc. are all great ideas.  You can also use the ingenious suggestion of creating your own hot chocolate mix and putting it in a crockpot for guests to ladle out like punch.

Mix-Ins

Add a variety of syrups so guests can flavor their hot chocolate however they’d like. Peppermint, caramel, hazelnut, crème brulee and vanilla are all great ideas. You can also leave out dishes of marshmallows with pretty little scoops.

Mixer Spoons

If you want to make it special, create mixer spoons for guests to take back to their tables. Simply melt some chocolate in a double boiler, dip plastic spoons in the chocolate and then dip in various other items – crushed peppermint candies, sprinkles, white chocolate, etc.

Photo Source: candyshopvintage.com

These are just a few ideas for a fantastic DIY hot chocolate bar that your guests are sure to love. You can add hot tea and coffee as alternatives as well for a great (and very popular) reception station.

Cute Chalkboard Wedding Ideas

Have you seen the super cute pins featuring chalkboard menus for weddings, and various other items? Did you know that it’s super easy to create your own chalkboard paint to make all those adorable chalkboard items. Here’s how it’s done, and some great projects you can make with it!

What you’ll need:

• Paint in any color you want.
• Baking Soda

How it’s done:

Mix 1 cup of paint with 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Paint it on the item you want to transform into a chalk “board” and allow it to dry for at least 24 hours. It’s that easy – the baking soda changes the paint’s texture and as it dries it becomes a surface that you can easily write on with chalk. Here are some great projects you can create:

Chalkboard Wine Glasses

For this project, just take your wine or champagne glasses and paint the bottom of the stem. Then, everyone can write their name or initials on the glass so there is no confusion during the reception.

Photo Source: empirestilettos.com

Chalkboard Menus

For this project, you’ll need thin wood that will fit inside a frame. Paint the wood with the chalkboard paint and allow it to dry. Then, put it in the frame with no glass. You will be able to write the menu or candy bar/dessert bar items on the wood and it looks decorative and pretty.

Photo Source: weddingpins.net

This is a super cute idea and there is no limit to the things you can create. A simple Pinterest search for chalkboard items can reveal the hundreds of projects you can use your chalkboard paint for!

3 DIY Wedding Candle Ideas

Candles make beautiful wedding décor, and although it can be expensive to buy hundreds of pillar candles, you can create cheap and beautiful candle holders to fill with tea lights. It’s much more economical and just as beautiful. Here are 3 great DIY wedding candle ideas.

Paper Covered Glass Candle Holders

From your local dollar or craft store, you can purchase tall white candles in glass containers for about a dollar each. They’re okay on their own, but with a little fix-me-up, they can be gorgeous. Simply use whatever color tissue paper you want, and tear it into pieces. Use school glue to coat parts of the glass and cover with the paper. Then place another coat of glue over the paper. Cover the entire candle in this way and the result is really beautiful.

Wine Glass Centerpieces

Use beautiful wine goblets to create fascinating centerpieces. Fill the goblet part of the glass with whatever decoration you’d like (a glittery pine cone is great for winter weddings) and turn the glass over on the table so it’s upside down and your decoration is trapped inside. Then, place a tea light candle on the bottom of the glass and voila – you have a beautiful centerpiece that’s very inexpensive.

Photo Source: kosherscoop.com

Floating Candle Centerpieces

You can purchase large glass containers at your local craft store inexpensively. Place pretty silk flowers in the containers and fill with water. Then, place a floating candle on top and light it for a beautiful effect.

These 3 wedding DIY candle ideas are perfect for creating a beautiful effect and they wont’ cost a lot of money to create.

What are the Responsibilities of a Maid of Honor?

If you’re wondering what exactly the job of maid of honor entails, then you’ve come to the right place. Being asked to be a maid of honor is a wonderful thing, but it’s also important to know what the responsibilities of a maid of honor are. This way, you’re not surprised when the bridesmaids ask your plans for the various events leading up to the wedding.

Plan the Wedding Shower

It’s up to you to plan the wedding shower, including the menu, events, etc. You should also invite the guests, but be sure the bride approves of everyone on your list!

Give Out the Registry Info

It’s your job to let the guests for the wedding know where the bride and groom are registered.

Photo Source: theeverygirl.com

Recording Gift Info

You should keep track of who gave which gifts so the bride can send out thank you cards to everyone who attended.

Attend Bridal Events

You should be attending the bridal events with the bride, including going dress shopping, going to fittings, etc.

Photo Source: dress2015.com

During the Wedding

You should coordinate the bridesmaids during the wedding so they all know where they’re supposed to be, etc.  You should provide assistance to the bride during the wedding, and you should also make a toast to the bride and groom. It’s traditional for the maid of honor to give a speech as well.

It’s a lot of responsibility, but it’s a wonderful service to do for the bride! If you’re unclear on certain responsibilities, you should simply ask the bride what she prefers.