 
          B A N Q U E T S , R E C E P T I O N S , S H O W E R S & P A R T I E S
        
        
          C H I C A G O W E D D I N G & P A R T Y R E S O U R C E
        
        
        
          
            25
          
        
        
          Taco, sundae and slider bars are just a few
        
        
          options for self-serve stations that allow
        
        
          guests to top their dishes to their hearts’ de-
        
        
          sires. It’s an easy and fun way to give your
        
        
          guests something they’ll enjoy.
        
        
          TWIST AND SHOUT
        
        
          Your guests will look to you for permission
        
        
          to let loose and enjoy. The couple dictates
        
        
          the magic of the reception,.
        
        
          Get excited, and get your guests just as en-
        
        
          thusiastic by including them in the enter-
        
        
          tainment. Make sure the DJ or band engages
        
        
          the audience and invites people to sing and
        
        
          dance on stage or on the dance floor, from
        
        
          grandparents to small children.
        
        
          Pick music for all those generations. You
        
        
          want everyone to feel included and feel the
        
        
          joy and the love of the music.
        
        
          For an evening reception, provide basket
        
        
          of glow sticks or blinking lights to guests to
        
        
          encourage them to shed their inhibitions.
        
        
          GO PLAY
        
        
          If guests are traveling in for your wedding
        
        
          or it’s a destination wedding, take advantage
        
        
          of all the location’s nearby activities. Re-
        
        
          search travel packages and specials at local
        
        
          resorts or recreation centers close to where
        
        
          the wedding will be held.
        
        
          SAY ‘THANK YOU’
        
        
          Leave your guests with the perfect memento
        
        
          from the day. Some of the most memorable
        
        
          items match the wedding’s overall theme or
        
        
          the day’s activities, such as buckets with sun-
        
        
          screen and flip-flops at beach weddings, or
        
        
          from craftier couples, homebrew beer and
        
        
          mason jars filled with and fresh hydrangea.
        
        
          Give goodies that can be easily carried back
        
        
          home on a plane or train, such as beautifully
        
        
          made candies or truffles. The gift itself isn’t
        
        
          as important as its portability, elegance and
        
        
          meaning, she says.
        
        
          Copyright © CTW Features