Wedding Conundrums Part 2
Lee Manigault
The hour between a wedding ceremony and the beginning of the reception has bloated and become gassy. The time was once used to get from church to reception hall and bridal photos were taken in 15 minutes. The in-between time has expanded to an hour just as the wedding industry has grown to 51 billion dollars. This hour is filler, a non-event, leaving guests wandering around with nothing to do, no plan, entertainment...waiting for something to happen. The hour is not going to be trimmed...today, hundreds of photos are taken. So naturally, the Deans have suggestions.
The timeless Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco
Wedding guests need to be entertained, wined and dined, and not left to themselves while the bride gets all the attention. We suggest getting some sort of entertainment guests can enjoy while they wait for the party to start. A comedian has a warm up act and so does a rock concert. Every big event needs a sexy lead in to get people in the mood. Guests leave the ceremony in good spirits and you want to build on this vibe.
Wedding planners don't address this black hole of time because they assume that if the bride and her family are not going to participate in this entertainment, then they will not want to pay for it. Bad decision! How about hiring a trio or quartet to play? No need for Isaac Perlman. This is the warm up, not the main event. Most communities have competent music students or orchestra players who would be happy for the work. Similarly, a signature cocktail created with the bride and groom in mind provides both a focal and talking point for guests. Dean Pollak had a pink cactus margarita whipped up for her daughter's at home wedding because pink is Caroline's favorite color. Not only were the drinks pink, but all the food as well - Scallops brined in beet juice, mini lobster roll etc. Quite a show stopper!
The Deans current favorite idea is to engage a slight of hand magician to mingle among the guests during this hour. A professional magician will know exactly how to entertain the guests. One less problem for the bride's mother to solve!!