Your friends are an essential part of your life that you carry with you as you grow as an individual. There are certain crossroads when you become more close to certain individuals than others, and you may have several friends who moved away but whom you still talk to. When the time comes to plan your wedding, you may only want to include a handful of your friends or might not have the budget to invite everyone you care about, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
In a new era of wedding planning, some couples are catching on to the idea of more inclusive wedding parties.Here are some ways you can show your friends how much they mean to you and how to include them in your wedding party.
Invite Friends as Honored Guests
There are so many creative ways to exemplify friends as honored guests at your wedding. Think about which of your closest friends you’d like to highlight at your wedding party. You can send each of them a personalized invitation naming them as honored guests. When they visit your wedding site,they will see their name pop up with a bio of how you and your soon-to-be spouse know them, with a funny story about how you met.
When you make the schedule of events, include your friends’ names as part of the list of honored guests. You can even designate special seating for this tight-knit group sothe audience can clearly identify them as special people in your life.
How to Make Use of Friends’ Special Talents
Similar to honored guests, leveraging your friends’ talents is a beautiful and thoughtful way for both of you to enjoy your wedding day. Here are some clever ways to create those memories:
- Invite your friend as a guest photographer
- Ask your friend to sing at your reception
- Have your friend create a drawing or painting of your ceremony
- Invite your friend to read a poem during the ceremony
- Ask an artistic friend to design your wedding invitations
Whatever the talent is, make sure you also are mindful of whether that is also their profession. If you offer to pay a nominal fee for their time and effort, let them be the ones to decline to accept payment.
Have a Friend Officiate Your Wedding
This is a classic example of including your friends in your wedding party, and is becoming more popular in 2020 as more couples want a friend or family member to officiate their wedding. In some cases, the person has to be certified as an ordained minister. While it might take some work, having a friend officiate your wedding can be a beautiful one-of-a-kind experience you share on your big day. Your friend can also participate in helping you plan the details of your ceremony and provide emotional support.
Wedding Photos Just for Friends
When you look back on your wedding day, you’ll want to remember everyone who was there, what they were wearing, who they came with, and all the fun you had on that special day. Set aside time for a friends-only photo session with your wedding photographer. In some cases, you can take it to the next level and tell your friends ahead of time to wear your wedding colors to make these friend photos really pop!
Captain of the Dancefloor
You know exactly who I’m talking about. This person has always taken center stage in your life and at social gatherings. After the ceremony and photos, you’ll want to be rejuvenated walking into your reception with a room full of energy. As Captain of the Dancefloor, this person will have your guests, even Grandma, up and excited to greet you as the new Mr. & Mrs.
At one wedding reception, friends leading the dancefloor did a reception warm-up with costumes and a dance line of guests. Led by friends of the couple, guests put on wigs and funny costumes to put on dance skits. The couple sat in the middle while friends, family, and yes, even Grandma did a little boogie for the couple. Make it fun, make it memorable.
Contact Windows on the Water to Plan Your Wedding Festivities
Do you need assistance planning your outdoor wedding in Central New Jersey and want help coming up with fun and unique ideas? Contact us today at (609) 208-9475 to talk with our expert wedding and event staff to create the most memorable wedding experience. We’re available to host outdoor and tent weddings in Central Jersey that will blow your guests away.