Trends

Guests of Honor: Expert Advice on Making Your Wedding Guests Feel Special

Three local wedding planners share ideas on how to keep you guests in mind when planning the big day
Written by
Sydney Stevens

Published:

Wisconsin Bride Spring/Summer 2025
SIP & SOLVE

If you’re searching for an activity to bring together your loved ones, look no further. Renee Tantillo of Renee Breanne Design + Co crafted a large crossword puzzle at cocktail hour for Tara and Jeff’s wedding day. “While weddings are centered on the couple, it’s essential to consider the guests’ experience as well,” Tantillo advises. “Interactive activities show that the couple has thoughtfully considered ways to entertain their guests. This can make the day more enjoyable, ensuring guests are not just observers but active participants in the celebration.”

Photography: Steph Kadlicko

Wedding Planning & Design: Renee Breanne Design + Co.

A WARM WELCOME

Events to a T believes the guest experience should begin the moment friends and family walk through the hotel doors—such as a welcome gift upon arrival. “This simple yet impactful practice sets the tone for an unforgettable wedding weekend,” says Emily Riordan of Events to a T. Welcome gifts can serve not only as a thoughtful token but also as icebreakers among guests who may not know each other. “From locally sourced snacks and beverages that showcase the region, to personalized items like custom wedding itineraries or heartfelt notes, these gifts create a sense of belonging and connection,” Riordan says. “Ultimately, it’s these thoughtful gestures that make a wedding not just an event but a heartfelt celebration shared with loved ones.”

Photography: Jake Anderson Photography

Stationery: Bayview Printing Co.

Wedding Planning & Design: Emily of Events to a T

PICTURE PERFECT

There is simply no time to snap a picture with every guest at your wedding day—it’s a battle couples have been losing for years. But if your heart is set on capturing the moment with your guests, Ashley Kuehnel, owner of Midwestern Bride, has found a creative solution: a speed-dating style photo session. “This concept is announced to guests to let them know that for one song and one song only they can come up and take a photo with the couple,” Kuehnel explains. All you need to do is get your photographer on board, announce and clearly explain to guests, set up a nice backdrop, pick a high energy song and keep your expressions and gestures dynamic from image to image.

Wedding Planning & Design: Midwestern Bride