We recently did a feature on the best ways to spend the day after your wedding day which we hope gave you some ideas on how to keep the party going and make a massive weekend out of your big day! Today we’re looking at things to consider when planning your day after party and how to make your event as fun and hassle free as possible.
As we noted in our day after wedding guide, most Irish couples opt to keep things much more casual than their US counterparts, who seem to be adopting a new tradition of a post wedding brunch as formal and planned as the wedding itself! The most popular options at home are; 1. An afternoon BBQ in the venue the wedding was held, 2. Drinks and finger food in the local pub, 3. Dinner and drinks at the hotel for just the close family and wedding party, and 4. A small get together in the family home.
Whatever you decide to do the day after (and of course it goes without saying that you don’t have to do anything at all if you don’t want to!) we hope you’ll find these tips helpful!
1. Keep it casual
This is numero uno on everyone’s guide to day after celebrations for a reason. Remember this one rule and everything will be as merry as it should be and you won’t feel like pulling your hair out the morning after the night before. Invites, food, timing, entertainment… Keep it all as laid back as possible, unless of course you have a party planner or somebody is hosting your event for you, in which case you can roll out of bed, pop on a fabulous new dress (take two!) and float into the party like everyone else!
2. Buffet is best
If you’ve decided to serve food for your day after party, make it buffet style. A sit down meal puts both people and wallets (whether yours or theirs!) under pressure and it might be difficult to arrange times with your guests if they need to hit the road early. Finger food, a BBQ or a buffet style lunch means that people can pop in for an hour, have a bite and say their goodbyes at their leisure. No fuss, no muss!
3. Consider the costs
Consider the costs for both yourselves and your guests, and try your best to keep everything as cheap as possible. If you know you want to do something the day after, try to negotiate with your venue to have something as part of a package. A lot of hotels will do a day after BBQ for their weddings and can organise to have a band play if it takes your fancy, this way guests will only have to pay for drinks if they wish. If you choose to have a party in your local pub, ask to have finger food thrown in for free – the likelihood is that they’ll make their money at the bar!
4. Location, location…
The most awkward thing about a day after celebration is deciding where to have it. What’s most important is to think about is what is best for you, your close family and the people who you really want to attend. If you decide not to have an event at your wedding venue, be prepared for numbers of guests to dwindle.
5. Delegate!
This is a great option if you want to give your parents or a friend a task for the wedding, but don’t actually want to let go of the reigns of the wedding day itself. Many parents will be only delighted to arrange your day after party, so you don’t have the stress of it and they get to be involved with a big part of the celebrations. Many choose to host a BBQ or some cocktails and canapés in their own house which is especially great if they want to invite extended family or their friends. So you just need to sit back and relax, and you also get to nip to bed for a power nap if you’re feeling a little groggy! Result!
6. Downplay the décor
No matter where you choose to have your day after party, keep the décor to a minimum. Some balloons or a ‘Congratulations’ sign or two will liven up a dull section of your local pub but generally you don’t need to worry about dressing your venue. Keep it simple and keep it casual, and everyone will be feeling comfortable after a while no matter what type of head they have on them!
7. Invites are not necessary
We’ve noticed this question popping up a lot on the weddingsonline forums – do I need to send invitations for my day after party? Our stance is no, but of course it depends on what type of event you’re having and if you need to know numbers. Generally with a low key BBQ or buffet you can get the word out over text or through word of mouth a week or two before the big day. If not, simply throw it in to your speeches! If you want people to know before they book their accommodation or make travel plans however, just add a note to the ‘general information’ part of your formal wedding invitations.
8. Day after parties are not compulsory
As we mentioned before, you don’t have to do anything the day after your wedding, so don’t feel pressured into it if it’s not your cup of tea. Traditionally couples will just make sure they’re around the lobby to say a goodbye to their guests, and then head off home or on honeymoon so don’t feel obliged to plan a day of catered fun for the family by all means!
9. Relax and enjoy yourself
Your wedding day will be spent running around chatting to people, having photos taken, signing registers or worrying that the band won’t turn up (of course it will be great, but inevitably you’ll be busy as a bee) so this day is all about taking a big breath (literally, if you’re wedding dress didn’t allow for it the day before) and enjoying being in the company of your guests without worrying about a thing. Don’t plan too much for the day after and allow yourself to enjoy the day by turning off ‘bride mode’ and becoming a guest instead. Take some snaps with your phone or camera, eat as much as you can, have a laugh at any hiccups that happened the day before and count how many times you can say ‘my husband’ before the day is through.
So there you have it, our tips on how to pull off a stress-free, fun-for-the-whole-family day after wedding party. What are you doing the day after your big day? Jetting off to the sun? Spending the day in bed? Partying like it’s 1999? Newlyweds – what did you do the day after? What’s your advice for brides and grooms-to-be when it comes to organising a day after party?
Main photo by DKPhoto. See the full Real Wedding here.
