Not only will you be getting married at your wedding, but you’ll also be playing the ultimate party host. And in this role as host, part of your responsibility is to ensure your guests are as comfortable and happy as possible. Many of your friends and family will be coming in from out of town, so even though your happiness and comfort level is of utmost importance, the comfort of others is crucial as well.
After you finalize your guest list into an easily referenced directory of names—perhaps on a spreadsheet—you can assess the people you plan on inviting and decide what sort of small touches you can add to your wedding to increase their comfort. This is especially helpful if all or most of your guests are staying at a hotel nearby the wedding venue—or at the wedding venue, if you’re lucky enough to hold your wedding at a venue with a hotel on site, like the Fox Hollow’s Inn at Fox Hollow.
Long Island Hotel Wedding Comforts
Staging your wedding at a Long Island hotel and catering venue is a unique endeavor boasting its own characteristics and plenty of exclusive advantages. Blocking rooms for your guests guarantees them a place to sleep after a long day of celebrating and a long time of revelry. And if you don’t want the party to end, host an after party where you can keep the wedding party going before you hit the sack.
Not only that, you can host a goodbye breakfast or a goodbye brunch the following morning for an added layer of appreciation. The morning after a wedding, some awake refreshed and glowing, while others are a tad groggy and bleary-eyed—but everyone’s up for rehashing the events of the previous night over breakfast foods and maybe one or two mimosas. At the Inn at Fox Hollow, all guests receive a complimentary continental breakfast each morning of their stay, whether they are wedding guests or not. But if you’re planning your wedding and looking to go the extra mile for your guests, you can coordinate with the professionals at the Inn at Fox Hollow to reserve a private banquet room to hold an official farewell wedding brunch.
Wedding Welcome Bags For Long Island Hotel Guests
Welcome bags are a great way to let your wedding guests know how happy you are that they’ve chosen to be there in person to witness your incredibly special day—especially if they are out-of-town guests. It’s also a fun and playful way to express you and your partner’s personality in a neat, little package. Also, who doesn’t love receiving a goodie bag? Your guests will be delighted merely being there, but getting a sweet array of gifts in a tote bag will make it that much more of a celebratory experience.
Some of the elements of the perfect wedding guest welcome bag include the bag itself, often a canvas tote or even a decorative box; a heartfelt thank-you note, perfect for you to drop a message of appreciation to your cherished wedding guests; a wedding day schedule, which is ideal for cluing your guests into the timeline of events; a sweet or savory treat, as your guests will likely be dealing with a bit of hunger upon arriving; and a wedding hangover kit, which your guests will need if they fully enjoyed themselves at your wedding.
Wedding Reception & Ceremony Seating Arrangement
Guest comfort often boils down to where and with whom they sit. This is the same during your wedding ceremony as it is during your wedding reception. For the most part, your guests will sit where they please during the ceremony. Inevitably, they’ll show up, spot some familiar faces and gravitate towards them to witness the nuptials. Just make sure you have plenty of seats! You don’t want to make this a standing-room-only type of situation.
However, at your reception, it’s your responsibility to chart exactly where all of your guests are going to station themselves while they cheer you on during your grand entrance and where they’ll rest their feet in between songs or during the meal. While designing the seating arrangements, keep your guests’ comfort in mind by grouping people together who you feel like either know each other already or you think will get along famously. But if any of your single guests request to be seated near an eligible bachelor or bachelorette, consider accommodating them in the interest of making a love connection!
See That Your Guests Get Home Safely
Even though this is a hotel wedding, there’s a chance at least a few of your guests will decide that they’d rather sleep in their own beds. No judgements! But if anyone is hitting the road after the wedding, consider taking extra precautions to ensure everyone gets home safely. Try to provide transportation options for your guests, eliminating the need for them to get behind the wheel. You can contact local transportation companies, or simply arrange an Uber or taxi for those you need a lift. This will let you and your guests rest easy that they're being taken care of at the end of the night.
Miscellaneous Wedding Reception Comforts
There are some wedding comfort options that don’t fit into other categories. For example, personalized glasses for the reception. Think about cool and clever ways for your guests to personalize their beverage holders, either by letting them write their names on their own glass or by using cute drink identifiers. This is a small gesture, but grand events are often marked by small gestures!
Another subtle gesture is vases for your bridesmaids’ bouquets. This is the perfect remedy for your bridesmaids having to carry their bouquets around all night or leave them lying somewhere in danger of being crushed. Your bridesmaids can also use this vase to display their bouquet as a decorative piece at their home!
And finally, let your guests kick off their heels by giving them something as simple as flip flops to slip into their feet during the reception. No matter how great their shoes look, chances are their feet are going to need a break from being squeezed into a pair of heels or dress shoes!
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