Essence of Events, LLC

Let’s face it, when you’re at your reception the majority of the time you will be posing for photos, visiting friends and family, and heck, just enjoying the fact that you just got married. The last thing on your mind is wanting to worry about whether or not every single guest is enjoying themselves. So why not plan ahead and find great ways to entertain guests and minimize potential wedding stress?
Essence of Events has come up with a few unique and easy ways to engage your friends and family during your special day and ensure that your wedding will be one to remember. These are great ideas to entertain your guests throughout your reception and to make sure they always have something to do.

Alternatives to Photobooths

Photobooths are great, but have you ever thought of adding a unique twist to this popular phenomonon? While your guests are taking photos, there are so many different ways to get them chatting with each other. One of our favorite ways to make your photobooth unique for you and your guests is to have them write wedding advice on a chalkboard – they’ll get to talk about their experiences, and you’ll reap the benefits of having tons of smart marriage advice!

Simple and Sophisticated Games

Games can be an easy way to entertain guests, and we’ve seen getting-to-know-you games that are classy, too. Popular picks include “I Spy,” wedding guest bingo, and Mad Libs, though we love the simple “Icebreakers” (above) which is perfect for guests waiting for the buffet line or a food to be served.

Memorable Guest Books

One of the first things your guests will do at your reception is sign a guest book. Make a lasting impression on them by picking a unique guest book that they’ll remember. We love creative ideas like having them sign Jenga blocks, pieces of a puzzle, or contributing to an artful display that you’ll keep forever.

An Excellent Seating Chart

Every guest will need to figure out where they’re seated at your reception, and unfortunately this process is usually more disorganized than fun. Why not try and create a charming experience for your guests instead? We love the idea of having guests find their placecard, and leaving behind a Polaroid picture of themselves before they’re seated. This doubles as a fun seating experience for your guests and a simple, visual way to remember everyone who attended your wedding.

Use a Social Wedding App to Share Moments

Everyone has a smartphone these days, and you can bet that they’ll be Instagramming their favorite moments and trying to look up their fellow guests on Facebook. Why not make it easy for them to get to know each other and share your wedding moments with a personal wedding app? Create an Instagram or Twitter account just for your wedding so your guests can personally hashtag your day and you can collect their photos after the night is over.

A DIY bar

Almost all of your wedding is planned to a T, so why not leave some parts up to the creativity of your guests? Let guests put together their own tasty treats with a DIY dessert bar. Some easy ideas might include a custom ice cream sandwich bar or a gourmet s’mores assembly station. We also love the idea of a DIY confetti bar, where guests can put together a colorful, custom bag of confetti to throw at your getaway.

A Kissing Menu for the Bride and Groom

Clinking glasses all night long to see the bride and groom exchange a couple of pecks can get a bit trite. Why not jazz it up a bit with a kissing menu? This way your guests will need to work together (and have some fun!) before you reward them with a smooch.

A Drink Tasting or Pairing

A little bit of Alcohol is always one way to get people more social – but why not add a twist and make it a little more interesting? Get an expert on your favorite alcohol (your BFF Sarah?) to hold a tasting or pairing for your guests at your reception. If the groom is a scotch aficionado, hold a scotch and chocolate pairing. Other great ideas could be a wine and cheese pairing, or a specialty beer tasting (for all you hipsters out there).

A Spectacular Send-off

Once guests are riding high on a night of dancing and drinks (open bar, right?) sending you off in style can be a fun way to end the night. Make sure you have a fun way to let them participate in your send-off. Sparklers and confetti are tried and true choices, but don’t limit yourself to these! Other ideas may include having guests create and toss paper airplanes, or having them attach a secret note for the bride and groom on a balloon and letting it go!

Door Hangers for the Morning After

Chances are some of your guests over the age of 21 will have a headache to nurse in the morning. It’s the mark of a truly successful wedding, after all! Charm them by leaving the guests staying in hotels with custom do-not-disturb door hangers. They’ll thank you (and think you’re a genius) in the morning.

Written by Samantha Macrae

For help utilizing these great ideas and more for your upcoming wedding, contact Essence of Events, LLC today to set up your free, initial consultation. Call 253.292.1482 or email contact@essenceofevents.com

Looking for a unique experience for you and your guests? Look no further, Essence of Events is to the rescue! Most couples choose a DJ or a band for their musical delight, but why not ditch the traditional and hire an imposter, I mean impersonator?! Surprise your guests with your favorite artists’ look alike.

A highly popular choice for both young and old would be Michael Jackson.

Looking to please a younger crowd? Try Justin Bieber.

For slightly older guests with country roots, hire Dolly Parton.

Already have your band or DJ booked but like the idea of an impersonator? Never fear, hire trained actors to mingle with your guests. A favorite for all would be Marilyn Monroe.

For these and other great ideas, contact Essence of Events at 253.292.1482 or contact@essenceofevents.com to set up your free initial consultation.

Written by Katie Kerbell

At Essence of Events, LLC we have had over 20 years of experience in the wedding industry, which means that not only have we planned a lot of weddings, but of course we have been at every reception we have coordinated.

Over the years, although tastes in décor have changed, music still seems to gravitate back to some great classics, and some fun party songs too (Gangnam Style, anyone?). Today we are going to share 25 of the most requested wedding songs of all time, in no particular order.

“Bust a Move” by Young MC

“Celebration” by Kool and the Gang

“Dancing Queen” by ABBA

“Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey

“Don’t Stop the Music” by Rihanna

“Electric Slide” by Marcia Griffiths

“Footloose” by Kenny Loggins

“Forever” by Chris Brown

“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper

“Give Me Everything” by Pitbull

“Gotta Feeling” by Black Eyed Peas

“I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith

“I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz

“Just Dance” by Lady Gaga

“Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green

“Marry Me” by Train

“Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO

“Shout” by Isley Brothers

“Single Ladies” Beyoncé

“Summer of ‘69” by Bryan Adams

“Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond

“The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra

“Thriller” by Michael Jackson

“Tik Tok” by Ke$ha

“YMCA” by Village People

As you may have noticed, these songs range from genre to generation, and from style to suitability for age ranges, so when you are selecting music for your wedding make sure you play a variety too. Put some slow songs on to give your guests a break, but try not to pick too many so the reception doesn’t get boring.

Make sure to play an assortment of music toward the beginning of the reception to please all the generations in attendance, and then toward the middle and end of the night tailor it to the people who are still there (mostly your friends, so the music can get a little wilder).

For referrals of DJs who can help you create the perfect ambiance for your wedding day, and help you come up with your dream playlist, contact Essence of Events today. And to set up your free, initial consultation call 253.292.1482 or email contact@essenceofevents.com

Written by Samantha Macrae

At Essence of Events, LLC we have planned many different types of events, bridal showers included. With all the planning that goes into preparing for the ultimate bridal shower, here are top-tips you are sure to find helpful. Whether you are the Maid of Honor, bridesmaid, part of the planning committee, bride, or anyone looking for some pointers, we’ve got you covered with all these tips and tricks we’ve learned along the way with all our planning expertise.

Create the guest list. This might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s the first step you need to take, and it is a lot easier if you have multiple people helping you create it. Other girls might help you come up with names you may not have thought of before. Remember to run the list by the bride before you send out the invites though.

Think of the location and time. Your bridal shower, the theme, and kind of event it will be really depend on where you plan on hosting it and the time of day. Will it be a brunch, spa day, or evening night club extravaganza? These are key details to the type of event.

Theme. This is another big one, because it again dictates how the entire day or evening will run and what kind of event it will be; sophisticated and chic, relaxing and calming, wild and fun, or some combination of the above? Of course your shower doesn’t have to have a theme, but choosing one can lend a cohesive ambience to your party, not to mention that invitees will probably appreciate being given direction when it comes to gift giving.

Décor. This is where a theme may come in handy, because if you have something specific, you can decorate accordingly. However, you can always decorate with a color scheme in mind. We recommend drawing inspiration from colors that remind you of the bride and groom and their happiness and love for one another.

The top areas to decorate are the guest tables, cake table, food tables, gift table, and activities area. Be sure not to be afraid to think outside the box and draw inspiration from things that bring good feelings and your favorite things.

Food and Drinks. A major one, because no one wants to starve (no matter how good they want to look the day of the wedding!) and having a dry shower is no fun either! Plan the menu according to the time, and having plenty of bubbly to go around and a signature cocktail wouldn't hurt either! Think of your theme, colors, or incorporating the bride’s favorites to come up with a menu plan.

Activities. No one goes to a shower expecting to sit around and shoot the breeze; the games and activities are the best part! We’ve included some alternatives of the best non-traditional bridal shower activities for your soirée (and by non-traditional, I mean not the typical Vegas-style, cringe-worthy night club shower activities, if you know what I mean!). Make sure to capture all the memories throughout the day or evening photobooth style with your camera or iPad. Ask your guests to bring a photo of themselves with the bachelorette to make a photo board as people arrive. Give guests cute, printed index cards to write down a piece of advice to the bride-to-be and then have that guest share their piece of wisdom when their gift is opened during the present-opening portion. Have a rapid-fire Q-and-A session with the bride, with questions about her groom (the answers you will have already received from him).

Favors. This is more or less the finishing touch to the party, and it’s the hostess’s job to send all of the party-goers home with a little favor. You want to be sure all your guests know how much you appreciate their support for the bride. Make sure your favor isn't too extravagant but useful, meaningful, and it's always a plus when you are able to tie it in with the theme of the bridal shower.

For more tips on bridal shower planning, event planning, wedding advice, contact our coordinators today. Need help planning your shower, party, or event? Schedule your free, initial consultation today!

contact@essenceofevents.com