The letterbox flips and an envelope is lying on the mat at your front door. You know it’s a lot more interesting than a bill or advert… you open it to find an invitation to a wedding….and then you realise it’s a wedding evening invitation. At this point, a lot of us would feel a bit offended. What? We are not invited to the whole thing?? Why not? Some of us actually breathe a sigh of relief and then wonder if we should bother…will it be worth the effort?

If you are getting married and planning your wedding, make the answer to that question, YES…If the evening is the only part some guests are coming to, make it BRILLIANT and a night to remember for them. We have been to some pretty awesome wedding evenings and have really wanted to stay, despite the fact that we weren’t actually guests and had been shooting it for the last 12 hours with legs that were now aching!

If you include even some of what we are about to suggest, you are onto a winner.  So here are some tops tips (and recommendations with links) to make your wedding evening party invite really worth it!! From music to food and activities to ambience, there are some great ideas below.

1. YOU - the Bride and Groom

• Be present! Try to work with your photographer to have photos early in the evening so that you don’t miss those you have invited for just that part. 

• Have a great time with a few drinks but try not to get so drunk that you can’t interact well or even completely miss it. We have seen that before! 

• Outfits. If budgets allow, an outfit change can be SO FUN and can really set the tone for the party. If you are up for a laugh, your guests will go with you. 

2. MUSIC AND DANCING

Music sets the tone. It can make an evening fall flat or it can create brilliant fun and energy. It’s really important to get your party playlist right and a good DJ or a band will help you do this. But is it best to have a DJ or a band? 

• DJ: the benefits are that you can have your favourite tracks played by the people you love! It’s an easier and quicker set-up, takes less space and it’s usually a lot cheaper. If you go for a DJ, don’t choose one who churns out the same playlist at every wedding they do. Choose one who will tailor it to suit you and your wedding guests. The best we have come across is Hampshire Wedding DJs who have an app for you to create and tailor your own playlist with guidance.

• A wedding band: The other option is of course a wedding band. One of the best things about a band at a wedding is that they gauge their audience and can be really interactive and fun in getting a crowd going. The best we have seen get on the dance floor with their guests. They create so much energy. Some wedding bands completely blow us away - bands like Fake Tan , Bill Ding and the Skyscrapers or The London Essentials. We have often wished we were guests too! 

• Other tips would be to have some fun props. They get passed around the dance floor and create a lot of fun. A few fun hats or glasses or glow sticks really work.

• Plan a dance-off or dance number everyone can do together. 

3. FUN FOOD AND DRINK

Food is VITAL. It is what keeps people happy. We have seen some wonderful evening food over the years and it’s worth really thinking about. Here are a few ideas - we’d suggest comfort food for the evening: 

• Pizza van (e.g.Pizzawithlovedorset) is always a winner!

• cone fish and chips

• mini sliders

• mac and cheese

• bacon rolls

• mini tacos

• smores

• kebabs

• gourmet dessert bar (e.g. Ginger catering)

Drinks can also be really fun. Treat your wedding evening guests to a signature cocktail named after you is fun and adds a personal touch. Depending on budget, a free bar is appreciated! You can limit the variety of them to keep costs down. 

4. SURPRISE ELEMENTS

A wedding evening invitation will certainly be worth saying yet to when there are few surprises waiting for them!

• The band entrance. Some big bands can make grand entrances or some have a dance routine to start the whole evening off. Look up Fake Tan who are utterly entertaining from the off!

• Choreographed First Dance or Surprise Dance: Surprise everyone with a choreographed routine, maybe with a fun twist.

• Fireworks: Always a crowd pleaser!

• Live performance from a singer or magician. 

5. Wedding Entertainment

An evening is always much more fun when there are fun activities to do. Have a think about including the following:

• Photobooth. They can be BRILLIANT and they give guests something to take away and remember the evening by. They give permission to be silly. Even the most unsilly people get their sillies on in a booth and we think they are well worth it! They create fun and the photos will make you laugh for years to come! The best we have come across is SwitSwoo. 

• Games - We had table games at our wedding and they were an absolute hit. Some people are not dancers so providing some of these can be such a good idea. Other games we have seen are carnival games that people can play into the evening like Splat the Rat or Hook a duck or Giant Jenga. 

• Glitter painting …surprisingly fun! It gives such a party vibe.

6. Set up

 The way a venue is set up can really help with the atmosphere and feel to an evening. A few things to consider: 

• Lighting. It can literally make a space and turn anywhere into a wonderland. Festoon, fairy lights, light curtains, candles and even lighting trees outside the venue can make a place look incredible. And it helps your photos look beautiful. We whole heartedly recommend it. Cinematic are absolutely incredible and where it’s at for all your lighting needs!

• Quiet comfy zone - this could be inside, or outside with a fire pit, blankets, smores etc. UseThe White Chair Company to help you. They are wonderful.

• Nightcap bar: Offer a bar with warm drinks like coffee, hot chocolate, or mulled wine, especially for winter weddings.

Having been to more wedding evenings than we can count, the best ones are those where a little thought has gone into the atmosphere, the food, the music and the chance to have fun. Some people need a little encouragement (more than alcohol!). Giving your guests (particularly your wedding evening guests that have come out just for this) a fun, delicious and unforgettable time will be something you wont regret. And they will be glad they said yes to their wedding evening invitation!

Hear about about how to plan your timings for your wedding with Melanie, a wedding planner from Bellisimo here. We also have so many videos packed with advice from anything on engagement shoots to honeymoons and even things we learnt from our own wedding day.

Read more about our approach here and please do contact us. We would love to shoot for you.