Top 18 Wedding Guest Complaint and how to pre-empt them
Announced your engagement already, it comes to planning your wedding. Of course, you and your partner are the center of fashion. But your wedding day won’t be special if your family and friends aren’t there to celebrate with you. So before make any decision, you need to know the top 18 compliant from wedding guest, it is helpful to have a perfect unforgettable wedding.
Of course, it is your big day, it’s all about you two sharing your love and commitment, and celebrate with friends and family around you, it is the day filled with loving memories of guests together. But the enjoyment of guests’ is paramount to thank them for their support. Avoiding these top compliant here in your power to make sure they have a fabulous time, keep them comfortable, happy and entertained.
Here is the list of the top guest complaints to consider when planning wedding to have a fun and memorable wedding for both you and your grateful guests:
- An inconvenient date/ time
Christmas, New Year’s Eve, 4th of July or the Super Bowl day is the difficult date to wedding guests. Many people have traditions and travel plan they’d prefer not to miss. When planning the date of your wedding, think it over before asking guests to forfeit spending these days to celebrate with you.
How to deal: Trying choosing an alternative date for your big day; Or if you’re intent to having your wedding in these specific days of the year, you can minimize the complains by sending a save the date card out far in advance. This will give your guests plenty of time to rearranging their schedule, they will be more inclined to consider attending if they know about the data for months in advance.
Also, it is good idea to check your local events calendar to ensure your bi day doesn’t compete with a parade or other large-scale community event.
- Confused Wedding Invitations
Your invitee can’t make sure that if they can bring their own invitee or their children together; It will be frustrating when they bring a plus-one you had no intention of inviting, this happens even if you address the wedding invitations using proper etiquette.
How to deal: avoid confusion; when choosing your invitations and invitation verbiage, be address the miscommunication clear whether or not your invitee can bring their own invitee; writing the names of the guests you want to invite on the response card and having them check off a “will attend” or “will not attend” box.
- Travelling too far from multiple venues/ Long drive to reception
You may have grand plans for showing all of your favorite spots by utilizing multiple venues for your big day. Guests who spend the day traveling to and from different venues for your wedding will end up tired and stresses.
It’s kind of frustrating when the ceremony venue and reception location are not close together. It is real pain on the neck when a long drive to the reception, guests are going to get a bit cranky when hungry after ceremony.
How to deal: Do your best to minimize the amount of travel required; Ideally you want your ceremony and reception to be as close in proximity as possible, try to at least keep the distance within 20 miles; or offer up a shuttle service to remove the hassle of parting and allow guests to enjoy some drinks.
- Too Many Guests
There are too many guests for the size of the venue is also the most common wedding guest complaints. They are seated too closely together, can’t move around comfortably. It will be a miserable time for all.
How to deal: keep a tight rein on the guest list and know how many your venue can handle comfortably. Don’t overdo it. If you simply can’t winnow the guest list down to a more manageable size, you may need to consider a different venue.
- Reception Seating snafus
Settle down wedding guest list finally, then it comes the challenge of seating arrangements. Who will sit next to who, it’s part art and part science? Guest are bumping elbows trying to cut their steak, they can’t easily move in between tables, you crammed too many of them in one spot; they will not enjoy their evening if they are uncomfortable at their reception tables.
How to deal: If it is difficult to divvy a group of friends or family members equally, try to seat guests within the same vicinity so that they can lean over and “aww” together during the first dance instead of texting across the room. Make sure your guests are seated at a table with at least one person they know.
Consider the size of your centerpieces and the formality of your place setting when deciding how many guests will fit at each table. Also keep centerpieces at a conversation-friendly height that your centerpieces don’t obstruct views around the table, no one wants to stare into an orchid all night.
- Uncomfortable climate/ too hot or too cold
There is nothing worse than having sit through a windy and freezing outdoor wedding or melting form the sweltering heat for both indoor and outdoor wedding. Subjecting guests to extreme weather conditions will severely cramp their style, make them feel uncomfortable.
How to deal: Weather is unpredictable, you can’t help if a weather emergency happens on your wedding day. So be sure to accommodate for shifting temperatures by utilizing air conditioners, fans or heaters as necessary to ensure that guests are comfortable.
You can provide plenty of shade, double-duty fans, cold drinks and sunglasses for warmer wedding; heat lamps, cozy pashminas, scarves and blankets for colder winter wedding; it is thoughtful to gift your bridesmaids a shawl or faux fur wrap for winter weddings.
- Cash Bar: pulling out the wallet
How much do guests dislike cash bars? All the pros are in agreement that cash bars are a major no-no. it is the last thing guests want to do is open their wallet again at the bar after spending money on traveling, a hotel and wedding gift and taking the time out to join in your special day. The cash bar can forever haunt the minds and hearts of innocent wedding guest.
How to deal: Wedding guests expect an open bar at your wedding, it is the biggest way to show your guests you don’t want to provide them with all the comforts. But that doesn’t mean you have to fork over the cash for an open bar; if you’re on a budget, can’t afford it, you can serve a limited selection of wine, beer and champagne or a couple of signature drinks. By creating a custom alcohol menu, you’ll be able to save money on an open bar.
- The Food is Not Good/ Inedible food
Nothing is more disappointing to a guest than bland, cold, tasteless wedding food after ceremonies that make people hungry.
How to deal: Arrange for a food tasting before you carefully plan your menu. It’s hard to consider everyone’s requirements and preferences, serving a crowd-pleasing menu with vegetarian options will make sure most people are covered and be sure they don’t run out of food at the cocktail hour.
If you’re only having desert or some light nibbles, please mention it to your guests in advance.
- Disregarded dietary restrictions
Your guest list may include vegetarians, vegans and folks with food allergies. It is as important as to make sure the food delicious.
How to deal: Make sure to inquire with guests beforehand about any dietary restrictions so that you will have a plan for feeding them a proper meal. A RSVP car to keep organizing tally on your guest list to see what kind of food you’ll need to include on your reception menu is good ideas.
- Not expecting the unexpected / Too strict wedding guest dress code
It will be a disaster if guests arrive at a soggy garden reception site in 2-inch heels. It’s important to manage the expectations of your guests and give them a clear sense of what to expect at your wedding. And if you give guests a too-specific set of instructions, they’ll probably roll their eyes at that too.
How to deal: if you don’t want guests to show up expecting a full dinner and then going home hungry, be sure to mention that on your invitation about your wedding locations, and food supply. And make sure your dress code is appropriate to the venue.
- The ceremony is too Long/ Formalities go on forever
There are some staple formalities and wedding day traditions that every guest expects to see, like the exchanging of vows, the father/daughter dance, the toasts and the cutting of the cake. If any of these customs goes on for too long, guest will lose interest and get antsy although they love you
How to deal: Try not to have an overindulgent wedding ceremony, be merciful and understand that not everyone can sit or stand for long periods of time.
Allow your guests plenty of time to socialize and dance by keeping the timing of these rituals to a minimum;
Remind those who are giving toasts that you don’t want them to stress about writing a novel of speech, short and sweet is best and provide them with a timeframe for their remarks.
Your DJ can signal a musical cue if it’s time to wrap things up, just like the Oscars.
- The disappearing wedding couples
Your guests come to your wedding to be a part of a special day in your life. Obviously, they want to personally congratulate you, not just see you once when you walk down the aisle.
How to deal: Remember to be a gracious host and make your rounds. Make time to visit with each one of your guests individually. For a more personal touch, go table to table to thank each person for coming.
Also have your photographer follow you and take photos of you greeting every guest so that you have a complete record of who was there.
- Neglected thank you note
Yes, thank you notes are still a thing. Guests spent time and money to celebrate with you and give you special gift, your guest will definitely notice if you fail to send thank you card or note out.
How to deal: Take the time to recognize their generosity by writing a personal, meaningful thank-you note and send it in a timely fashion (we recommend sending your notes within three months of the wedding).
Even if you fall behind on you thank-you card, it’s never too late to send a handwritten, heartfelt message.
Also brides can split the duties with your husband and break it up into manageable chunks so that it doesn’t seem so overwhelming anymore.
- Please stop the loud music, DJ
The thump-thumping of techno music begin the second that the couple walked through the door and doesn’t end until the cake-cutting. Guests will escape to the bathroom to rest their pounding head, and Grandma is afraid to step foot on the dance floor lest she get clocked in the head by s stray fist pump.
How to deal: Play music that’s low enough so that guests can hear each other without having to scream; Don’t seat any elderly guests right next to the speakers.
Besides, nothing is more awkward than being at a wedding where no one wants to get up and dance. If a song or genre isn’t working, ask your DJ to switch gears.
- Disorganization of the max, Long Waiting Times
It’s hard to stick to s schedule, for a perfect wedding phots, wedding couples and guests need to wait for long time, the cocktail hour become two-and-a-half hours long; meanwhile your guests are slowly getting bored, it makes them feel like their time is being wasted and they are not being entertained.
How to deal: If you’re unable to hold your ceremony and reception within two hours of each other, make other accommodation for guests; Enough appetizers; if you can’t estimate how much you’ll need, round up your estimates.
Consider using sigh posts to direct guests to necessary landmarks, like the dance floor and bathroom.
- Can’t afford the destination
Santorini might be your dream destination, but not everyone can afford it. It is true, a destination wedding is expensive for both wedding couple and wedding guests.
How to deal: Consider saving your destination for the honeymoon and making the wedding convenient for your guests; if already settle down on a destination wedding, help your guests nab discounts and make it as easy as possible for them to attend.
Once they do, make sure they know how much you appreciate their presence.
- The hotel was too expensive
The hotel cost seems like chump change to you when planning your wedding. But it can be a large cost to your guest, especially to whom in their budget.
How to deal: Opt for a comfortable, mid-range hotel with reasonable rates to keep everyone happy.
- I couldn’t afford anything on the registry
Gift is the best wishes from guest, we can’t estimate it with money. And you might have caviar taste, but many of your guests could be on a PB&J budget. Especially if they’re booking a hotel or spending hundreds to fly to your wedding, guests will complain about your overpriced registry.
How to deal: Have a variety of price points available when you register for gifts.
Well, it’s true that you can’t please everybody, just make sure trying your best, your guest will appreciate what you do for them.
