Pamper Your Wedding Guests - Reception Lounge Ideas

Give your guests a chance to relax and get a break from the dancing and high energy of your reception by providing an area reserved for peace and quiet!

For the younger generation, weddings are all about the reception—the food, music, and dancing. But for the elderly guests, the party can be exhausting! Babies and toddlers, too, can get worn out from the party and no one wants to be around a fussy baby.

The lounge will also provide a place for the guests to mingle with others and catch up with old friends and family members. Even just a small space can help all of your guests enjoy the day to its fullest.

If you’re hosting your own reception, place a couple of chairs and couches with a small table in a room close enough to the dancing that your guests will still feel included, but far enough away so that they can rest.

If you’re renting a venue, ask if they have a room or even a hallway where you could set up a few chairs.

If your reception is outside, find an area that gets plenty of shade. If shade is not an option, you might want to get a small tent.

Be sure to offer various types of seating so everyone can find somewhere comfortable to sit. Think about how long your guest list is, too. Plan accordingly to provide adequate seating. With the furniture, you might want to include a few photo albums and games. It’s also a good idea to provide some light snacks, ice water, and coffee.

If you’re not worried about guests being tired, you can use the lounge for lots of other things.

• Add a few ashtrays and make it a smoking lounge.

• Have a build-your-own drink station and provide multiple mixers and alcohols as well as different glasses and stirrers.

• Set up a photo booth next to the chairs so guests can sit and wait for their turn to take a picture or just watch everyone else pose.

• The lounge would also be a good place for a caricature artist to set up. You could set up board games or other games such as cornhole, ladder golf, or any other game that requires a lot of space.

• If you and your partner are sports fans, you could set up a television and turn on the game.

• Another option with a TV is to hook up a gaming system and have games like Just Dance or Temple Run, so multiple people can play together at one time. Make sure you have extra controllers and batteries!

There are, of course, many more ways to use a reception lounge. Comment below and share your ideas with us!

Image Credits:  Pink and gold theme outdoor reception lounge area, Wedding reception lounge with TV, Outdoor coffee table lounge, Contemporary outdoor wedding reception lounge with zebra print rug

Elizabeth Grace

Elizabeth is an undergraduate at Ohio Northern University with a double major in professional writing and creative writing and a minor in psychology. Liz writes My Wedding Reception Ideas as well as create multi-modal writing projects for Re:Media, an Ohio Northern University online publication.

Autumn Apple Inspiration Board

Fall is that exciting time of year when there is a sense of electricity in the air that seems to radiate around everything.  The air is crisp, the leaves are changing colors, the weather is getting cooler and there is nothing better than curling up with a warm mug of apple cider.  Of course we couldn't help but put together this darling apple inspiration board in celebration of the season.  Chop full of charming details, how cute would your wedding reception be if it was hosted at an apple orchard?  Hand out personalized apple bags and allow guests to pick their own apples to take home as fall wedding favors.  Love it.

 

Image Credits: Apple butter, Couple with apples, Apple with Rings, and Pies via Style Me Pretty, Apple Slice Favors, Couple on picnic blanket via Polka Dot Bride, Apple garland via Snippet and Ink, Monogrammed burlap favor bags, Mason jar lighting, Apple cider favors, DIY apple pie favor kits, Pick your own apple favors via Gabriel Boone Photography

Top 5 Flowers In Season For Your Fall Wedding

Fall weddings are characterized by rich shades of red and orange that give an added romantic flair and warmth to this already special event. Picking the flowers that you'd like to use during your reception and ceremony can be an especially exciting challenge, as this flora will play a big part in dictating the overall aesthetic of your nuptials. For fall weddings, you should go about choosing seasonal varieties that will be at their peak during the autumn months, featuring hues that are characteristic of the season.

Here are five flowers that are in season during the fall - they're our top picks for your big day:

• Asiatic lily - This beautiful flower can give your bouquet a cascading effect as you walk down the aisle. With long, curved petals, the buds appear to burst from the stem. In a light orange tone, the Asiatic lily could be the perfect flower for your centerpieces as well.

• Celosia - Few flowers make more of a statement in a bouquet than celosia. Whether you choose the plumed type, which produces impressive spires, or the crested variety with its striking twisted form, you can't go wrong using this flower in your wedding.

• Gerbera - This kind of daisy is the perfect flower for a harvest wedding, as it has a very basic shape and petal structure, but blooms in amazing shades of red and orange, making it a wonderful statement piece.

• Queen Anne's Lace - This is perhaps the ultimate filler flower, as it has enough thickness to fill a bouquet out completely without taking away from the statement made with more vibrant flora used in the array.

• Rose - This may seem overdone, but richly colored roses can give the perfect air of class and comfort when used as a decoration at your wedding. Small arrangements at every table will be tasteful and timeless - they are a standard for a reason.

There are numerous varieties of flowers that peak during the autumn months that will make your nuptials absolutely gorgeous. You can never have too much flora at your wedding, after all, so choose several different species to incorporate into your reception and ceremony. Combined with seasonal fall wedding decorations on every table, these arrangements will help your venue burst with color and make your big day an event that no one will soon forget.

Image Credits: Bridal Bouquet, Fall Celosia and Gerbera Daisies Flower Arrangements

Get A Carriage For Your Marriage: Unique Wedding Transportation Ideas

During the planning stages, most brides-to-be are solely focused on perfecting their grand entrance during the ceremony — but what about making a spectacular exit after the reception? When you ride off into the sunset with your new husband, the memory of the car taking you both away from the party and off to a life of wedded bliss will be as lasting to guests as your first steps walking down the aisle.

While limousines are considered the go-to mode of transport when it comes to bringing the VIPs to and from the ceremony and after party, consider affixing your "Just Married" sign to the rear of one of these less-conventional rides.

• Room for two - While a stretch limousine may seem like the height of luxury, it's hardly very romantic sitting in a cavernous back seat designed to fit a dozen others. Cozy up with your husband and choose an antique roadster for your exit vehicle that only has room for the two of you. Let him play the chauffeur, and keep the top down so that passersby can congratulate you en route to your honeymoon destination.

• Public Transportation - If you live in a city that is known for an iconic trolley system or vintage taxicabs, look into booking a charter for one of these rides on your big day. This is an especially unique option for couples that have a lot of pride for their city, and many municipalities or transportation companies have rides - even replica trolley cars - that are available for events just like this.

• Period Piece - Weddings that incorporate a vintage flair have been especially popular of late, with more couples looking to give their nuptials the grandeur of receptions from the early 1900s. Inspired in part by the recent success of the blockbuster film "The Great Gatsby," a jazz-age wedding has unparalleled glamour, which can only be enhanced by a vintage car from the 1920s chauffeuring the couple away on their wedding night.

• Two wheels instead of four - While you'll be sacrificing cabin space, riding a motorcycle or a motor scooter away from the ceremony is one of the most romantic exits imaginable. This should only be attempted if you or your fiancé are licensed to drive a motorcycle - and the length of the wedding dress will need to be taken into consideration - but riding off into the sunset on a Harley or a Vespa will be truly unforgettable.

• A literal carriage - While it may not be as fast as a sports car or as flashy as a limo, an actual horse-drawn carriage is classic and charming - perfect for weddings that embrace any theme.

However you plan on closing out the reception, make sure that you travel safely and responsibly, and above all, enjoy the ride! 

Photo Credits: Wedding Carriage, Antique Wedding Car, Wedding Trolley

5 Non-Traditional Wedding Cake Ideas For Fall Weddings

The quintessential wedding cake consists of several towering tiers of creamy frosting with nondescript bride and groom figurines proudly standing aloft the top-most layer. While this approach is traditional, it is also extremely forgettable, as a standard-issue wedding cake will hardly make an impression on your guests or stand out at your reception. This is especially true for fall weddings, where you want the cake to help establish the overall aesthetic and act as a centerpiece for the entire celebration.

Below is a list of fun cake ideas will not only satisfy your taste in style but also your appetite, covering all the bases for your fall wedding. These designs run the gamut, whether you are looking for a high-fashion delicacy or a cake that ties your theme completely together.

1. The Fruit Cake - The term "fruit cake" usually has a negative connotation, whether you are discussing a crazy person or the seasonal treat that tends to get trashed during the Christmas season. If done right, you won't be regifting this cake, as you can ask your designer to use marzipan to create seasonal fruits - think apples, berries and even pumpkins - that can be placed on the tiers of your cake. The flavors on each level can reflect a different fruit used in decoration, allowing the cake to be as beautiful as it is delicious.

2. Off-Balance Cake - For those who like pushing the extremes of cake architecture, this design will definitely leave a lasting impression. Instead of a structure composed of tiers that gradually decrease in circumference as they go up, have your designer layer similarly sized cakes one over the other with each piece centered near the edge of the one below it, achieving an almost spiral effect. Accent it with delicate orange and yellow flowers reminiscent of those in season to tie in the autumn look.

3. Candy Plus Cake - While you may not be embracing the entire Halloween theme at your fall wedding, 

autumn and winter are undeniably the busiest times of year for candy makers, and incorporating your favorite sweets into the reception is something everyone will appreciate. Go for a smaller wedding cake and have a candy bar surrounding it that features either your favorite seasonal confections or a few gourmet variations - think cupcake-sized Reese's cups. This will give your guests some variety and supply that sugar kick everyone needs to get on the dance floor.

4. Chocolate Cake - It's true that you are playing it safe by sticking with a vanilla cake, as chocolate isn't everybody's cup of tea, but with shorter days and longer nights, it's alright to go a little darker with the decor at the reception - including the cake. A rich chocolate frosting will be stunning if accented appropriately with designs like cream-colored scrolls or piping. You can even integrate some subtle marzipan foliage into the presentation if you feature warmly colored decor throughout your venue.

5. Wedding Pies - Apple, pecan and pumpkin pie are quintessential fall deserts, and for a crowd pleasing favorite at your reception, opt out of cake all together.  Create a pie stand that mimics the ascending structure of a traditional cake and place your bride and groom toppers accordingly.

Regardless of the cake style you choose, you'll want to add fall wedding napkins personalized with the bride and groom's name and wedding date to your cake table. Cake table napkins can designs with colors and designs to perfectly compliment your wedding cake.

Have fun at your wedding and surprise your guests with a fall-themed cake that will truly leave an impression.

Image Credits: Fall wedding cake, Fall candy bar