Wedding Blog
Guests don’t care about the wedding’s details like we do. But there are certain sentimental aspects that give all of us warm fuzzies. I don’t know about you, but for me, the best weddings are the ones where I come home and I want to fall in love all over again. Here are some things I guarantee they will and won’t remember.
WILL: That the bride looked radiantly blissful and confident in her dress.
WON’T: That the bride was five pounds thinner.
WILL: Vows said with meaning and heartfelt sentiment.
WON’T: Brilliant, original vows that showcased impeccable writing style, but failed to say what you truly meant.
WILL: A fun reception where everyone got a chance to dance and shake their booty without judgment.
WON’T: That every single song you told your DJ to play got played.
WILL: A warm ambience and welcoming decor.
WON’T: The exact flowers used in each centerpiece or that the shade of mauve in the table linens matched the mauve in the napkins.
WILL: That the bride and groom mingled with their guests and had a good time.
WON’T: That the flow of the day did not exactly follow the specified timeline.
WILL: Bridesmaids and groomsmen that were truly happy for the couple.
WON’T: That the bridal party was perfectly matching from head to toe.
And lastly, guests will always remember a happy couple newly married and in love. Because that is definitely something worth remembering. 
(Yes, those are the pretty Penguins, looking nothing short of perfect at their reception.)
Image Source: The Pengys’ wedding photographer, Sarah K. Chen Photography
What are some of the things you’ve remembered most as a guest at a wedding?
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Share this post: What Guests Will Remember
Great post! Thanks for the dose of reality, and reminder to not sweat the small stuff (much).
I remember the sweet details, like a couple having fun with their first dance, or an icing-on-nose smoosh (a la Mrs. Tiramisu).
Great reality check! Yes, I want to believe that I’m not so fastidious as to want/need perfect and that relaxing and letting the natural flow of the day take its course is important! You’re right about what people remember.
For me, I always remember the food! Whether it’s good or bad…I remember! So that’s what I’ve focused on. If anything, I think people will remember being very, very full!
Btw, great pic of Pengies!
Those are some great suggestions….I am such a detailed oriented person. I have been slaving on a lot of the little stuff.
I always remember the music and the food.
Things that I remember are things that the bride and groom rarely notice.
-a floral arrangement with candles in a window in the back of the church catches fire.
-the oh so hot bartendar
-the crazy cousin who should probably put the drink down.
-bridesmaids who clearly are thinking about something other than the fact that they are at the front of the church in a wedding - hello? hello? are you awake up there?
-little kids that fall asleep during the ceromony
-cake. I always remember the cake.
I agree this was much needed. I just noticed that I have been getting lost in all these details and Mr. FF keeps telling me just to emjoy the journey. In the end I marry the man i love more then anything and is my best friend.
Just like you pointed out I remember how the couple looked so in love and how they had their personal “in love” moments that are so special to them.
THANKS!!
Most definitely; great post. It’s important for brides to be happy during the planning process, but they need to attempt not to stress out completely prior to the wedding. The day of your wedding flies by so quickly, so enjoy it! If the day isn’t 100% perfect…no one will remember.
i always remember the cake. and the first glimpse of the bride as she comes down the aisle.
Thank you for reminding me that I’m the only one that cares about all those tiny details!
Thanks for this post
Some great words of wisedom and much needed perspective to start my day
I think you made a wonderful point with this post! One small thing for me, though…my Asian friends and I all know that appearances are big in the culture, and little details ARE noticed by your guests because they tend to compare the weddings to each other. Don’t get me started on the stress of my wedding planning - I have two weddings from other church members this year before my own, and I need to be on my toes! For those of you who don’t have to worry, thank your lucky stars! Wish me luck!
BTW - I always remember the gown, the DJ and music(and how good they were about keeping things organized), and the food! Definitely the food!
Thanks for the reminder!! I always remember whether or not the groom cries during the ceremony.
I needed this too! there’s a time to worry about details, and a time to let go!
Before planning the wedding:
I noticed the dance music and the food…(possibly because I drank too much to remember anything else)
Now that we are planning:
The readings in church - Meaningful? fitting for the couple?
The programs
The centerpieces
Heck even the color of the ribbon!!!
Words of wisdom for sure. Knowing what to let go of is really the secret to a happy life.
P.S. Any brides in the NYC area? The best of the best wedding gown cleaning and restoration is Meurice. Check them out http://www.garmentcare.com/blog/?p=9
Things that our guests commented on after the wedding were:
- the amount of food (make sure nobody goes home hungry!) and that it was good
- the overall look of the church and the reception venue
- our first dance (because it stood out as uniquely us)
- the vintage car we rode in (because it stood out as unique)
- that the day was about our love and that it showed our personalities and not just traditions (even though it was VERY traditional)
- that everyone got along and that we had a really friendly, nice crowd of people that actually meant a lot to us (a.k.a. we only invited family and people we wanted there, not “have to invite” people or “and guests”
-our hand-made thank you cards with personalized messages in each one–I think I would rather to have made them easier and less time-consuming than to get the very few compliments that I got on them
Few people (I mean fewer than 5 people) noticed:
- that I hand-wrote all the favor tags, place cards, etc. so that the handwriting would be the same on everything.
- that the paper from the invitation matched the favor tags, which matched the place cards, which matched the thank you cards, etc.
- that I didn’t use flowers for my centerpieces (yay for saving money!)
It’s so hard to get caught up in everything!
I keep thinking that the guests will notice (and care) if everything single shade of blue we use aren’t the exact same.
Sometimes you just have to remind yourself what the wedding really is about :).
Great post Miss Glitter and a good reminder to not sweat the small stuff
My favorite weddings I remember how happy the bride and groom were
Beautiful post!
An excellent dose of reality when things that don’t matter often occupy our minds.
I agree completely, that the average guest won’t notice these things. Although I am the kind of guest that does notice the details. I think the only people who would notice the little things are guests who are aslo brides to be. I used to go to weddings and just have fun. I noticed the music and the cake.
Ever since me and my FI got serious, I started noticing every detail.
I’ve noticed the guys I know remember, food, open bar and music.
So unless you have brides to be in attendance, I think the music, food and how you treat your guests are the most important aspects of the day.
I think guests notice what made that wedding different from all the rest they have been to. Sometimes that is one big thing…liike a clambake at a fort…sometimes it is a bunch of little things…like many details that all come together to create a different experience. You don’t have to do everything to make your wedding ‘you’…you just have to be yourselves, and that will automatically make it different from everyone elses’ wedding.
Thank you! I think we all need to take a step back and breathe every once in a while! Great reality check! Ahhhh…
Completely agree! It’s so easy to get sucked into every small detail but the guests just remember the feelings they had - we should concentrate on that - be happy and smile.. heehee
@angeldoc: I get what you mean about Asian crowds. In fact, this has been a source of worry for me and our many Asian guests. But let’s hope that in ten years they aren’t still harping on and comparing little details. And if they are, they need to move on! Hahaha! Good luck though. I totally understand what you are saying.
Its true we (brides-to-be) stress over many things through out the planning stages but fail to think about what do you really remember from a wedding.
I love the Dos and Donts!! Its a great way of putting ourselves in check!
Couldn’t have said it better myself! Excellent post to keep all of us grounded and stress free.
That’s exactly how I feel about it so I really don’t stress about the little details - but I know it’s easier said than done for some people.
The most memorable thing to me was always the couple and how much in love and happy they are. Everything else took a backseat.
It is hard to remember to keep your eyes on the prize when it comes to wedding planning! While we had a wonderful time (thanks for reminding me of my wedding day by including that pic! It made me smile so big!), we did lose sight of many things you included. The ceremony music got screwed up (my fault for getting it to my dj/friend so late!) and I thought about it so much on the honeymoon… how I’d spent hours picking the perfect songs, only for them to get messed up. But… SO WHAT! Luckily I got over it quickly. You just hate to dwell on the negative… and I’m kind of a glass-half-empty person, so it took a lot of self talking for me to say to myself, “HEY! WHO CARES what went wrong! SERIOUSLY! Get over it self!”
So, I hope that people can step back and soak it in… perfect, not perfect, whatever. Because really, all you want to remember being on your wedding day is happy and in love!!!
You are bang on, Miss Glitter! Our guests still talk about how much fun they had and how much they laughed all day long, not about my ugly flowers (heh). And that’s what I remember about weddings I’ve attended, too. Great post.
Great post, Miss G! I think it’s also important for brides to distinguish whether a certain touch or task or detail is for their enjoyment, or for their guests. Sometimes we get all wrapped up in what we think guests will want, we forget that it’s important to plan details according to what we want. IMHO Perfection and pessimism are wedding planning’s biggest enemies, I think! Banish both, and the whole process seems a lot less yucky some days!
GREAT POST.
I need to remember this…because on my honeymoon I don’t want to be thinking about what went wrong!
What I remember: the first dance song. And the favors. That’s it!
This is so true. I think everyone can keep this in mind not only for their weddings but in other things in their lives that they are planning. Thank you for writing this to remind me to “not sweat the small stuff”
Amen! I have been to very few weddings and like Mrs corn said, I only remember the things that made each different from the others. The kind of details that are important are the ones that make the day unique, not the ones like the shade of mauve.
I love this post! Our wedding could have been a complete disaster if we weren’t having so darn much fun!
I love this post. I totally agree with what you’re saying. My boyfriend is half-Italian and when we talk about the things that are typical at the Italian weddings we have been to together (expensive decor, tons of perfectly matched attendants, elaborate fruit sculptures, cappucino bars), we realize that the only things we really remember are the dinner, the dancing, and the speeches. Not all of the million little details that the bride (and maybe groom) probably fussed over. Definitely something to keep in mind when wedding planning.
i abso’f-lutely love sarah chen!
One of the things I remember the most, and always look for at weddings are bored bridesmaids. I know you aren’t getting married, honey, but SMILE or at least look like you are listening to the ceremony. I was at one wedding where a younger sister BM stared straight out guests with a death look.
But sadly, the little details are the ones I tend to overlook and just get swept up in the feeling of the day.
Great post!! It;s all about the love at a wedding. Not the linens and such.
@Mrs. Penguin: You both looked perfect. Maybe the wedding wasn’t perfect, but you looked so gorgeous and happy. Seriously. xo
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Mrs. Glitter, Los Angeles
Age and Occupation: 27, Research Consultant/Writer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Accounting
Engagement Date: May 6, 2007
Wedding Date: June, 2009
Venue: Millenium Biltmore Hotel
About Me: I was born and raised in West Los Angeles, California. I spent eight years in the Northeast working and completing my education. Having split time between two sides of the country has given me a true appreciation for both coasts. It has also provided an overabundance of cross country drives, flights and long distance relationship fun/misery! I love my family, my doggy Emma, fabulous wine, Anthropologie, politics, reading, being outdoors, exploring new cities, and good movies! My fiance and I are complete opposites, but somehow we have managed to fall completely and hopelessly in love.
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