Planning a Wedding? Remember Guest Care

BY REBECCA TALLY

If you're planning your wedding, you're sure to be aiming for a beautiful and romantic event and quite right, too. But don't lose sight of the basic essentials while dreaming up your perfect day. Your guests will enjoy your wedding all the more if they're comfortable and relaxed, so be sure to have all the basic creature comforts firmly in place. Here's a checklist of the key ones, to factor in at each stage of your planning:

Venue Directions

When choosing your venue, consider how easily your guests will be able to locate and reach it. If the journey is likely to involve substantial expense, time, or practical difficulties for your guests, think twice before going ahead. While some may have no difficulties, others may be considerably inconvenienced or financially embarrassed, with stress and anxiety as knock-on issues. You may need to cover costs yourselves in these circumstances if proceeding with the venue.

An obscure wedding venue may also be hard to find, in which case your guests will need comprehensive directions and warnings of any potential confusion along the way. Remote settings do not always show up on electronic maps, and roads which are steep, twisty, or narrow will be tricky for some drivers. All in all, a standard, local venue could win out over an exotic one, for the sake of ease of access.

Mobility and Seating Provision

Wedding venues come in all shapes and sizes these days, but whatever kind you choose, make sure it's one where guests can sit and rest throughout the celebrations. Some people may be glad to sit or perch while group photos are taking place, for instance, and during mingling times between events. Older or infirm attendees may need support when walking from one area to another, and access may be required for wheel chairs and strollers.

Bathroom Facilities

Guests will need and expect suitable restroom facilities throughout the day. Ensure that there are sufficient toilet and washing provisions made, and that they include the essential accessories of paper, soap, hand towels and waste bins with lids for personal hygiene needs. An otherwise wonderful wedding could be marred by a lack or shortage of such facilities, but they're normally easy to arrange.

Sometimes, problems in this department can arise during the day, with issues such as flushes jamming, toilet roll running out and bins over-filling, so ask your venue staff or personal helpers to keep a check on restroom conditions throughout the day.

Dietary Needs

When planning your wedding breakfast and other refreshments for the day, it's important to allow for different dietary preferences, including standard carnivore, vegetarian and vegan choices. Some guests may also have allergies and special dietary needs, calling for specific provisions. Many people are allergic to gluten, dairy products, or nuts, for instance, and some are allergic to all these and more. Such dietary details may seem tedious and unromantic, but they'll make a world of difference to your guests, and could be of vital importance for some. If everyone can tuck into their food with pleasure and confidence, the ambiance will be fantastic.

If your celebrations are set to continue over several hours, guests will need replenishments at intervals, with the same dietary needs factored in each time. If in doubt about any guest needs, don't be afraid to check back with the person concerned. They will be sure to be grateful.

Safety

Check that your venue is safe for the elderly, the young, and the infirm. The last thing you want on your wedding day is an accident. Besides the distress and disruption of having an injured member of your party, you would have the added concern of being responsible for the incident. Check for any slippery or uneven floors, steep steps and other potential dangers, and do what you can to protect yourselves and your guests accordingly.

Extreme weather conditions could also pose health and safety issues, especially with an outdoor wedding. Alert your guests to any possible risks that you're not able to resolve completely. If you're getting married on a clifftop, say, or at the sea, it might be advisable to send out your alert both in writing beforehand and in announcements on the day, for good measure.

With all these practicalities in place, you can relax and enjoy your dream day to the fullest. Your wedding will be all the more wonderful for the seamless flow of events and the radiant smiles all around.