What Do People REALLY Remember At Weddings? Or NOT Care About??

Question

Hi all...I'm trying to figure out where I should spend, and where I can save! I think I should spend more on food, music, and an open bar. Agree/disagree? Anything else?

Do people REALLY notice centerpieces or decorations?

Answer 1

Most people don't remember most things at weddings like what kind of flowers you hade, or your center pieces, or decorations. That's why when I hear Bridezillas obsessing over trivial things it drives me crazy because in the end nobody really gives a s''''t about it. Trust me.
Good luck in your upcoming marriage.

Answer 2

If you go to places like the Knot, everyone there will say food, alcohol and music are what makes or breaks the event that everyone remembers.

Most people don't remember centerpieces unless they're cumbersome. I've been to dinners (not at weddings) where one of the main things I remember is that the centerpieces restricted all conversations. Most weddings I've been to didn't have any centerpieces and no one remembers that. Most folks on the wedding sites (Knot, etc) say that wedding food has a reputation for being bad. So it is important that your guests enjoy it it's not so important that they need to remember it 5 yrs down the road. Music is important as well. Either people are dancers or they aren't. But it does make or break the party. I've been to weddings where not even the bride and groom danced (they went the ipod route and chose music they liked to hear on the radio but was not danceable at all so they were stuck with what they chose) and weddings where most of the guests had a great time on the dance floor.

Never been to an open bar wedding so I can't comment on that.

Photography is very important as well because at the end of the day, the food will be eaten, flowers will die, but your pictures will be all you have left other than your new spouse. But it's not something for the guests' enjoyment or that they'll remember.

Answer 3

Since I am a bride to be the last couple fo weddings I have attended I looked at everything and tool it all in. I looked at centerpieces, dresses, the food (display and taste), favors, EVERYTHING!!! But that's because I was in the planning process. But like I can go back before that and remember nothing about any weddings I ever went to. Honestly though now that I am older I think the major thing people remember is where you have it at. I remember where every single reception hall that I have been to and whether they were tacky or beautiful. But if the food is not phemomenal nobody will remember it, if you had a cash bar instead of an open bar people will remember that. If your dj played the same song twice people will remember that. If your cake is unique and not traditional people will remember that. I think the more unique you are the more you will stand out and be remembered. Girls will remember your dress and your bridesmaids dresses but nobody will remember the tuxes. Guys especially will not. But yes I do think that you should spend more on the food and music and most definitely an open bar. Everything else won't matter. Good Luck!

Answer 4

They remember centerpieces if they are wayyyyyy over the top or very unique. Word from the wise: Don't waste your money! be practical. remember you must mulitply the cost for each centerpiece by the number of tables you have $60 a centerpiece x 12 tables= $720! Don't skimp on great food and great drinks and great entertainment. For some reason my guests loved the cake! Who remembers that? They WILL remember the really bad things. Like a long ceremony, awful food, a crammped space, a bad band, being put at a table with people they don't know, etc. Save on big gift bags for guest, outlandish decorations (they will go in the trash the next day). A BIG WAY TO SAVE: DO IT YOURSELF! I did our centerpieces, placecards, our programs, our decorations, my mother made runners for the tables, our ceremony music, and sooooo much more. I must say I am pretty creative though. Not creative? Enlists your bridesmaids! That's what they are there for! Hope this helps!
Congratulations!

Answer 5

People rememberfood, music and the mood of the wedding (was it fun?). That's it. Think about every other wedding you've ever attended. What did the centerpieces look like? Describe the bridesmaids' dresses (beyond the color). How about the church flowers? Favors?

Honestly, people will be there because they are thrilled for the two of you and they want to celebrate with you. They may comment on how pretty the centerpieces/decorations are, but they won't remember them.

Try not to get caught up in the details. Planning is a lot less stressful that way, and you'll be WAY more relaxed.

The other two things I think that are worth the money are a good photographer and a good videographer - that way you've got wonderful memories of your special day.

Best of luck to you!!!

Answer 6

My wedding is in a little over two weeks, and I've been to tons of weddings. Do not skimp on the food (try before buying, if possible). Make it tasty and light if you can help it.. You don't want stuffed people trying to dance the Electric Slide :) Music---just find a good dj that you have heard good things about...they generally know what they are doing. Do not have an open bar....if you do that that is where most of your money will be drained. I will be having one keg for free, and after that the guests are on their own. Believe me, they know that they need to bring money to drink. My wedding is not a bar, it is an event that I want to share with other people. Cut the open bar, and spend more on flowers. Go with fresh flowers, and they are really not that much more than fake (unless you are going with roses). Decorations really do set the mood for the night. Centerpieces don't have to be flowers, they can be floating candles, floating flowers, mirrors, candy, etc. Centerpieces should not set you back that much. I'm having my wedding with 125 invites and it will cost around $6,000 with my plan above. Please let me know if this helps you, and good luck!

Answer 7

I've only been to a few weddings in my life. From the first one I remember how beautiful the church was inside and how beautiful the bridesmaids dresses were. From the second one I can't think of anything very memorable at all except the bride hugging every single guest on the way out of the church. From the third I will always remember the singing of "Valentine" and the bride jumping up and down holding onto her new husband. The groom also played a song on the piano for her during the reception. Unless you are able to spend a fortune on food the guests will not remember it. I've always liked the idea of cake and champagne receptions. I think displaying photographs is a nice personal touch. I think that the decorations set the mood of a wedding and it's important to make the setting look nice.

Answer 8

Two weddings I've been a guest at (out of the can't-even-count-how-many I've been to) the bride and groom didn't come to my/our table. That made a HUGE impression...and not all impressions are good. Be gracious to your guests.

Two weddings I've been to (not the same two) had an open bar for the first hour. These two weddings don't stand out in any way for this particular reason.

One wedding I've been to had a band instead of a DJ. I was bumming. They didn't play any slow songs (except the first dance) and they didn't play any "popular" music. I am quite a music buff, and I only recognized one or two songs.

The same wedding didn't have the traditional "cake cutting" ceremony. I didn't miss it at all.

My favorite weddings were the ones where everyone was up dancing, the DJ kept the party moving. I'd say the DJ and the hall/food would be the best places to keep your eye on the product, not the price. Pay what you have to to get what you want.

Answer 9

People notice the food, then they notice the entertainment. They do NOT notice centerpieces, decorations, favors, etc. Those are nice too, but if there's beautiful centerpieces, decor, etc., and the food stinks, guests will feel let down. On wedding favors, if you feel you MUST do them, keep it edible or consumable. I always throw away the little personalized wedding things (picture frames, CD's, shot glasses, etc) anyway when I get home, and hate that the bride and groom spent their money on this "thing" that will only clutter up my house. At least if they've given a bag of candy or something, I have something I can eat! Good luck with planning your wedding!

Answer 10

They don't really care about centerpieces or wedding favors. Music is important, but strobes and color lights and smoke aren't. Food is important, but in some cases your guests will be tied up in your wedding for 12 hours (if you have a noon wedding, then dinner, then dancing...) and may want quantity instead of quality. Have little snacks on their table that they can eat while waiting for the main course, chips, peanuts, chocolates, etc.

The only thing that I really recall about decorations after a wedding is use of color. A big plastic table cloth in your wedding color will do more visually than little streamers and balloons everywhere.

Answer 11

What you're talking about isn't the Wedding, per se, it's the Reception. The reception is "just" a party. A party for you and your brand new spouse. A party for you and your spouse with cake. Usually a really big cake.

I've been to receptions big and small, expensive and frugal.

All the wedding receptions were fun and memorable. Remember there seems to be far more "ritual" in today's receptions than in today's wedding ceremonies. Do what you want, communicate your expectations, this is YOUR party.

So, that said, spend money in places where you know that your guest list will enjoy themselves more, be it in food, music, or bar... have a little gift for everyone at their seat.

Gifts for guests are nice and serve as a reminder of the fun they had at your wedding. They can be sweet or fun or both. I still have a frisbee, a bell, a refrigerator magnet, and a picture frame that came to me as wedding souveniers. You can get all kinds of fun stuff personalized these days.