6 Ways To Pleasantly Surprise Your Wedding Guests

When it comes to wedding ceremonies and receptions, so much of the attention and spotlight is (deservedly) cast upon the happy couple. But, as one of the biggest parties you’ll ever throw in your life, you don’t want to forget about your guests. They, too, deserve to enjoy in the glitz, glamour, and surprises that come with your ultimate wedding bash.

And while traditional wedding receptions are entertaining enough, we here at Planet DJ Productions of Washington D.C. wanted to help you up the ante. Here are six ways you can surprise your wedding guests so that they have a night they’ll truly cherish forever.

1. Think about those feet!

Most weddings we help organize and provide entertainment for are at least somewhat formal. That means women wear high-heels and men slip on stiff (often rented) shoes. That’s okay for the ceremony, but what happens when it’s time to dance?

One way to surprise your guests with something useful is to leave boxes of flip-flops along the perimeter of the dance floor for guests to use as they wish. Trust us, they, and their feet, will thank you!

2. Bring the photo booth!

Weddings and pictures are, by no means, strangers to one another. But photo booths bring your picture game to a whole new level. Add a few silly props into the mix and what you’ll end up with is not only an entertaining party feature – but the pictures to prove it!

3. Waiters who wow

As one of the most sought after wedding entertainment agencies in the mid-Atlantic region, we know how much wedding guests love their entertainers. But do you know what they love even more – surprise entertainment. Why not book professional singers and party motivators, disguised as waiters, who’ll burst into song while serving your meal? The look on your guests’ faces will be well worth it.

4. End the night with a food truck

There’s simply no denying that food trucks are in right now. We’re not saying you should replace your official meal with food trucks (although that is an option) but rather, at the end of the night, when the dancing is done, why not surprise exiting guests with a food truck (or two) parked outside the venue? This way they can grab a late-night snack to fuel up after a night of partying.

5. Book a star – or a somewhat star

Weddings are already expensive, so we don’t expect you to want (or be able) to afford to hire an a-list star. But here’s the good news: extremely talented contestants on shows like the X Factor, American Idol and The Voice are available to perform at weddings, and can be somewhat affordable. Perhaps a good idea is to book these stars to perform one or two songs, but then book a more professional – and affordable – wedding musician for the rest of your evening.

6. Go with DIY treats

Fill a long table with tubs of ice cream, wafers, sundae dishes and toppings, and allow your guests to make their own dessert masterpieces. Your guests – from young nieces to 90-year-old grandparents, will love this opportunity to get creative.

Still not sure how best to wow your wedding guests? Not to worry. We here at Planet DJ Productions have put on countless weddings and other celebrations throughout D.C., Maryland, Virginia and abroad. We can work with you, directly, to help you come up with your own unique, and memorable wedding ideas to keep your guests talking about your party for years to come.

Contact us today to learn more.

Is a Virtual Wedding Planner Right for You?

Even the most energetic and excited bride or groom will eventually accept that planning a wedding is stressful, overwhelming, and, at times, more than they can handle.

Having someone else handle your wedding plans seems like quite the logical expense, but not every couple is on board with spending that money – especially since the wedding alone is quite the budget buster.

But in this age of technology and smartphones, couples now have another option to choose from – the virtual wedding planner.

Companies such as Loverly help you stay organized and put you directly in touch with vendors, as well as allow you to communicate with – and get advice from – leaders and experts in the wedding industry. But why would you want to ditch the traditional wedding planner for one you can use on your smartphone?

Here are five reasons why couples throughout Washington D.C., Virginia and beyond are turning to virtual wedding planners.

 1. Of course it comes down to cost!

Some apps up free, but more times than not you’ll need to purchase the app’s packages or bundle (like the $399 Loverly signature package, which includes vendor recommendations, registry creation, and a personalized budget sheet). Still, even at $399, that is far less expensive than what it would cost to hire an actual wedding planner.

Day-of planners often cost around $1,500, while a full-service planner could cost anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000.

2. Planning on your schedule

When you use a virtual planner, you don’t have to figure out scheduling conflicts to meet with your planner. Simply check your budget, timeline, RSVP status and more when you want to.

3. Easy organization

When you use an app to plan your wedding, there’s no need for paper trails or endless email threads. Everything is found in one place, including your to-do lists, your vendors’ contact information and more.

4. Virtual planners connect you with likeminded people

Often times it can feel like you’re alone on your quest of planning the perfect wedding. But you’re not. There are thousands of people just like you. Apps like Wedding Wire allow you to connect with other couples to trade ideas, share advice and offer tips from personal experiences.

In other words, you get feedback from multiple people, rather than just one wedding planner.

5. You’ll almost certainly stay within your budget

We’ve known clients who’ve come to us and said that they unexpectedly surpassed their budget with their wedding planner, but didn’t realize it until it was too late.

With wedding planning apps, however, you’ll actually get push notifications and texts alerting you to your spending and letting you know if you’re getting close to your limits.

Embrace technology but, in the end, trust your gut

We here at Planet DJ love how technology has worked its way into the wedding planning space. We’re always supportive of making life easier for couples as they plan this momentous time in their lives.

But we also believe that you should keep things personal and trust your gut. If, for example, your virtual wedding planner app gives you 8 music vendors to choose from, we’d urge you to then take that list and meet with these DJs and entertainers in person.

This is particularly important for your choice of entertainment, as your DJ or musicians won’t just play music – they’re supposed to help entertain the crowd with their personality.

Dig Deeper: 5 Tips on How to Choose the Right Wedding Entertainment for Your Big Day

The only way you can tell if your DJ or musician is the right fit for your wedding is if you meet them face to face.

Want to learn more about how a DJ or musician can completely transform your wedding celebration? Contact us today to learn more.