Lumiere is my hero. Yep- the singing candlestick. Lumiere’s big number is “Be Our Guest,” an ode to making guests comfortable.
A wedding is, at heart, for the guests– a fact lost on some brides who want to fulfill their own desires, and assume everyone will go with the flow. The truth is, if the only two people having fun are the bride and groom, that’s a sad state of affairs. You want people to be happy for you, and have a great time! Step number one is keeping them happy, so keep your guests in mind when you are planning. Two easy things to consider:
Where
The number one way to irritate your wedding guests is by getting married at an inconvenient location. Now, a destination wedding is one thing. But if you’re staying local, and asking 250 people to join you at the Chapel of Saint Wilhemina of Small Parking Lots in the Middle of Nowhere National Park, you’re going to have a few cranky customers. A good litmus test: if it’s going to take most guests longer to drive to your ceremony site than to experience the ceremony itself, you might want to look for a different location.
When
Of course your wedding date has to work for you and your family. But perhaps your Maid of Honor is Jewish – if the date you’re considering falls on Passover, you may want to call and check if that’s a problem. Also look out for other big family events – if your Aunt and Uncle’s 50th Wedding Anniversary falls close to your date, it’s polite to check if they have something planned. Last, look out for other weddings, friends or family. There are enough dates to go around, no need to step on cousin MacKenzie’s special day.
If you consider these things at the outset, you’ll have a happier crowd in the end. That Lumiere, he really sheds light on how to treat guests! If your tea-pot starts talking, listen up.
Be well, and love well.
Dinah
