With wedding costs on the rise, it can be harder than ever to keep your wedding budget on the right track. Rather than stressing over every little detail, we recommend focusing on the aspects that your guests will really notice — and that’ll improve their experience at your wedding. Check out the top seven areas worth the splurge.
Lighting
Nothing transforms a room quite like lighting. “As guests arrive to the reception, lighting gives them the wow factor. Whether you go for colorful uplighting, romantic candles, or vintage chandeliers over each table, you can make even the dullest space look like an extravagant venue with the right lights.
Use lighting to play up key features of the room and draw attention away from less desirable parts. If your venue has terrible carpeting using up lights around the room, can draw the eye up and guests will barely even notice it. Also, pin spotting your flowers allows them to shine and makes a bigger statement then they would without lighting.
With an intelligent lighting package, you can transform the mood of the party throughout the night simply by changing the colors.
A Fun Activity
Throw in a little something extra — a photo booth, a stop-motion video booth, a cigar-rolling station, yard games to play during the cocktail hour, ice-breaker games for the tables, dancers to liven up the dance floor, a magician or tarot card reader… the options are endless, and they’ll give your guests something to talk about for years to come.
Alcohol
Not only is a cash bar poor etiquette (your guests should not have to open their wallets at your wedding), but an open bar will keep the party going.
If a full open bar is beyond your budget, consider at least offering unlimited wine, beer, and a signature drink or two.
Entertainment
Nothing kills a party quite like a terrible DJ or band. You need someone who can read the crowd; an experienced DJ will notice that no one is dancing to the ’80s party jams and will switch it up to something more contemporary to see if that gets the crowd moving.
Transportation
Give your guests one less thing to worry about by arranging transportation.
Provide a shuttle to and from the hotel where your out-of-towners are staying, give your VIPs a lift home in a limo, and have taxis on stand-by for guests who planned on driving but took a little too much advantage of your open bar.
Late Night Snacks
You’ve likely put plenty of thought into your cocktail hour, dinner, and desserts, but after dancing all night, your guest will probably get hungry again before your reception ends. Go for something fun here, like a food truck or bite-size comfort food.
Photography
When all is said and done, your photos are the only tangible memories that you have. You’ll regret it if you choose to cut costs in this area. The photos are one of the few things that really last from a wedding.” If your dream photographer is above your budget, see if you can customize the package — perhaps get only a disk with high-resolution images, and plan on making an album and prints at a later date when you have a little more money.
Pittsburgh Event Lighting is a full-service lighting company. Your special day deserves lighting effects that bring out the beauty of everything. We believe that your event should be handled with great care, precision, and planning. Call today at 412.379.3907 or visit http://pittsburgheventlighting.com for the best lighting in Pittsburgh.
