Weddings are one of those memorable days in your life that signify a new beginning. An average wedding is fun by default. You’re there with your special other, enjoying the company of your closest family and friends.
However, there are fun weddings, and then there are ‘fun’ weddings. What separates the latter from the former is the party that comes after the reception. Here’s how you can turn your special day into a night that everyone will remember!
Know Your Audience
Organizing a memorable wedding is all about knowing your guests and knowing them well. You’ll have a much easier time during the planning stage if you do.
There are essentially 3 types of guests you’ll deal with:
- Close relatives
- Close friends
- Acquaintances
Close family and close friends are your support network. These are the people you know very well, who are closest to you. That third category includes acquaintances, colleagues, distant relatives, and anyone else you’re not extremely close with.
Why is this classification important? Because it makes it easier to organize the afterparty! The idea is to plan the wedding with the first two groups in mind. Usually, these people will have the same or similar tastes as you when it comes to music and entertainment. This will come in handy later on.
The Anatomy of a Good Wedding
As you probably know by now, there are several stages to a good wedding. The whole extravaganza starts with the ceremony. This is the crux of the entire event. You’ll meet your special other at the end of the aisle, exchange vows, and join hands in marriage. There will be tears, laughs, and applause roaring across the venue.
What follows next is the reception. You’ll share the first dance with your spouse, cut the cake together, and enjoy the humorous speeches from your friends and family. Your guests will join you for dinner or lunch, depending on what time it is, and generally have a good time.
This is where you get to make a decision – you can morph the reception into a regular wedding party, or you can take things to a whole new level.
The Afterparty
Organizing an afterparty requires a plan of its own. The afterparty is for those couples who want to keep the celebrations going well into the night. If you’re familiar with how most wedding venues operate, you probably know that they rarely remain open past 10-11 pm.
If you want that afterparty, you’ll have to find a different venue. In all honesty, that’s a good idea no matter when your main venue closes. The change of setting will give the party a more informal vibe, which is exactly what you want.
Planning the Afterparty
There are several steps to planning a good afterparty. You’ll need to know:
- Who’s coming?
- Who’s playing the music?
- Where is the party taking place?
- Food and Drinks
Sorting out the guestlist for the afterparty is essential for all the other steps. You’ll need to know how many people are attending so that you can make reservations at an adequate venue. There are those who’ll invite the whole wedding guest list to the afterparty, and those who only invite the closest friends and family.
If you’re bringing everyone, make sure to let them know the details well ahead of time. On the other hand, if you’re only inviting select people, give them a heads up with an extra card when you send out invitations.
The Entertainment
The only entertainment you’ll need at this stage of your wedding is good music. Find a solid DJ that fits your taste. According to the experienced pros over at www.findadj.co.nz, a good DJ first and foremost enjoys what they do. You’ll want someone with experience who can keep up and read the crowd well.
Do yourself a favor and book your DJ well ahead of time, making sure to flesh out all the logistical details.
Some DJs will bring their own lighting equipment, while others may leave that stuff up to you to sort out. If you don’t want to deal with that type of planning, it might be worth your while to hire a DJ agency.
The Venue
As it turns out, you can’t just barge into a club with 100 wedding guests and expect to have a good time. You’ll definitely scope out an appropriate location for your afterparty. Make reservations and try to give the venue the most accurate headcount you can come up with.
That way you won’t find yourself in a crowded club with literally no room to dance, stand, let alone sit.
Food and Drinks
At this point in your wedding, most of your guests have eaten well and had their fair share of alcohol. Still, you’ll need to organize the drinks. As far as food goes, that depends on your crowd.
On one hand, it’s good to have something to accompany the drinks that everyone will enjoy for hours to come. That’s drinking 101. However, there’s a good chance that your guests will only be interested in alcohol at this stage. It all depends on how your friends and family like to party.
Last but not least, there’s the matter of who’s going to foot the bill? If you want the best possible outcome, it’s best that you cover for the whole night. If you’re on a budget, you could always cover a part of the drinks and set up a cash bar for the rest.
Have the Time of Your Life
The party you throw after the wedding can easily outweigh the actual ceremony in terms of making memories for life. Just don’t forget to go wild with your guests. Leave all your worries at the door and enjoy the company, the music, and alcohol. It’s your night after all.
If you’ve done everything right, your wedding party will be at the center of many wild water cooler stories, and fond memories you’ll recall for the rest of your life.
