Although this is your special day, the guests are important too. Without them, there would be no wedding! So be considerate and as accommodating as you can possibly be. Your friends and family have come to see you and share in the excitement of the day – so make sure that you spend some time with just about each and every guest who attends. As the bride and hostess, it's your job to make sure that everyone is content and enjoying themselves.

The task of meeting and greeting can become a little overwhelming, especially when you've invited over 150 guests. So we're going to make your job a little easier by providing you with fail-proof instructions.


Be Selective
Beverly Hills wedding planner professional, Mindy Weiss, says that it would be very hard to have a decent conversation with every single guest. So instead of trying to address everyone, try and stick to friends and family you rarely see, those who have traveled a great distance, and the older guests who are avoiding the dance floor. Chances are you'll be partying hearty with all of your friends prior to and after the wedding celebration anyway (like at the rehearsal dinner), so they won't notice if you pay them a little less attention.

Be Available
Rather than going from table to table or forming the traditional receiving line, Weiss suggests standing in a spot that's easily accessible to everyone at the party. For example, you could position yourself on the dance floor or in front of the bridal party table. Don't block doorways or stand in the corner, this will only create havoc and result in guests missing their opportunity to speak with you. By doing this, you'll free up more of your time, create less stress, and feel more at ease.

Minimize Talk
It's also imminent that you keep all conversation down to a polite minimum. You don't want to lose an hour discussing something with a friend when you could have easily carried on the topic over coffee the next morning. Just think about it: 150 guests, at 5 minutes of talking time a piece, comes out to – 12 hours! There is no time to waste with lengthy pleasantries, so accelerate discussion at all costs. To avoid long conversations, start off with, “Was your trip ok?” or “I'm so glad that you could make it.” The key is to keep control of the discussion so that the other person can't go off an a whim.

Work Together
Weiss also advises that the bride and groom should not split up. Although separating can be more effective (you can cover more ground in less time), most likely there will be guests there that you don't know. You don't want to get cornered into awkward conversation with the groom's great aunt who flew in all the way from Europe, or vice versa. It's best if you're both available to the other for introductory purposes.

Write Out Your Appreciation
Above all else, it's important that your guests leave feeling acknowledged and happy. Show your appreciation by placing hand-written notes next to each of the guest's plates. Individualizing each note may seem like a huge undertaking – but it's a cinch if you begin writing them months and months prior to the reception. Write out twenty a week for two months. Ask the groom or some of the bridesmaids who know the guests to help out. Every wedding planning task is only as tedious as you want it to be. So take your time, think ahead, and don't be afraid to ask for assistance!