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BANQUETS, RECEPTIONS, SHOWERS & PARTIES

18 | SPRING 2018

CHICAGO WEDDING & PARTY RESOURCE

CHICAGOWEDDINGRESOURCE.COM

By Jill Jaracz, CTW Features

Your wedding is the biggest party you’ll ever

throw, but for family and friends, it might be

just one of several weddings they’re attending

this year. Make yours stand out from the

crowd with these memorable tips.

1. CEREMONIAL TOUCHES

If you have a flexible venue, try a different

configuration for your ceremony than the

traditional bride’s side, groom’s side and a

center aisle. Positioning your ceremony in

the round can make it more intimate.

Instead of having designated speakers come

to the front for their reading, have them

stand up from their seat and read from the

audience. It creates an impromptu-like

feeling and allows you to involve a handful

of people to be involved in your marital

exchange.

2. DAZZLING DESIGN

When you and your groom have a definitive

design and know how you want the day

to look, pay close attention to details like

napkins, chairs, flowers and vases to really set

the scene.

When a bride and groom pay attention to

those details and are cohesive in their design,

that’s when a venue really shines beyond its

capabilities.

Don’t limit yourselves to one big guest area.

Create your own personal nightclub with

a lounge area, couches and tables that’s

separate and distinct from the main dining

room.

3. CUSTOMIZE THE MENU

Food is so important. It’s the way to

everyone’s mind. While many venues have

packaged menus, skilled chefs can do custom

menus. If you want to recreate a favorite

meal, consult with your chef to see if it’s

doable.

Don’t be afraid to steer away from typical

wedding entrees, such as filet mignonl.

Consider serving something like gourmet

cheeseburgers and sweet potato fries for your

main course. These are unexpected comfort

foods that will make everyone talk and

definitely satisfy your crowd.

The menu itself can literally stand out if you

use a material other than traditional paper.

5 simple tips to make your wedding

the one everyone can’t stop talking about

Party

of the Year

Think about interesting textiles and materials

like wood, metal or acrylic.

4. NEXT-LEVEL DÉCOR

Take your centerpieces up a notch by

incorporating creative materials that invoke

your theme. For example, summertime-

themed centerpieces can include water beads

and sand, as opposed to the played-out trend

of burlap-wrapped mason jars.

5. KICK UP THE BEAT

You don’t have to wait until after the meal to

start jamming. Get your band or DJ to play

dance music in between courses to build

the energy at your reception. Once dinner

service is complete, everyone will then be

that much more excited to continue the party

on the dance floor.

Include all types of music during the night,

not just what you and your friends like. Make

sure your DJ plays tunes all generations will

enjoy and dance to; otherwise they might

remember that the DJ wouldn’t play anything

they wanted to hear.

5. FAREWELL SURPRISE

Send your guests off with an unexpected

treat. When they leave, at shuttle boarding

or the valet stand, have offer fun favors

like cookies and mini milk jars. The sweet

surprise will make for a great end to the

evening!.

Or give out $5 to $10 gift cards to places

such as Starbucks or a burger joint so guests

can use them as they travel home. It’s a nice

gesture to send your guests on their way and

say thank you for attending your wedding.

© CTW Features