15 Things You Have To Do At Your Wedding

Here are 15 ways to spruce up your wedding day from a Certified Wedding and Event Planner

1. Dessert Bar - Trust me, no one wants the cake.

Beatrice Elford / Via pinterest.com

Cupcakes, cookies, and donuts, oh my! The average wedding cake costs over $300 and no one is gonna remember it anyway. So save that money by having a dessert bar with a ton of options to choose from. And if you really wanna cut a cake, just get a small one.

2. First Look... But with your bridesmaids!

Kayla Esparza Photography / Via pinterest.com

Everyone loves the first look with dad or with your future spouse, but what about your hype squad? This makes for amazing photos and its such a good way to get you excited about walking down the aisle.

3. Or with the groomsmen!

Amanda Morgan / Via pinterest.com

Groomsmen make some of the best people to hype you up and that is a hill I will die on.

4. Late night snacks so no one is going home hungry

Front Room Studios / Via theknot.com

Picture this: its 10pm and you have been up and getting ready since 7am. You nibbled on your dinner but you were too giddy to actually enjoy the food. Everyone has been drinking all night and BAM someone walks in with some of the best greasiest food. Burgers, tacos, chicken nuggets, all of it. Its a win-win situation. A lot of caterers actually have this as an option for you, so make sure to ask!

5. Give your guests a say in the music

Zazzle / Via pinterest.com

Fun fact: if you go up to a DJ at a wedding and request a song, 9 times out of 10 they aren't going to play it. The couple spends so much time curating the perfect list. Putting this on the invitations can help your guests feel involved and they are guaranteed to like at least one song. Get everyone dancing!

6. Last Dance

Winterwood Photography

It may be your wedding day, but its really hard to find time alone together as newlyweds. There is always going to be someone waiting to talk to you. One of the most romantic moments (after the ceremony of course) is the last dance with the couple. While everyone leaves to prepare for the send off, have one last dance with just the two of you in the room.

7. Make your guestbook match your personality

Refinery 29 / Via pinterest.com

I have seen so many wedding guest books in my days as a wedding planner. The regular guest book, jenga pieces, wine corks, scrapbooks - literally everything under the sun. But my favorite to this day was my couple that had guests sign the front cover of their favorite vinyl records.

8. Shop Local!

Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery / Via Instagram: @wheatlandspring

I plan and coordinate weddings in DC's wine country (aka Northern VA) and we have no shortage of wineries and breweries around here. Something about local wine and beer just hits different. Purchase a bunch of cases for your wedding for your guests to enjoy as well!

9. Speaking of alcohol.... Go ahead and get that Tap Truck

Hay Alexandra Photography / Via tiptoptaptruck.com

Really wanna stand out? Get a beer or wine truck for your event! This is great for an outdoor wedding and is so much fun for guests!

10. Eco Friendly Send Off

LaMiaCasa / Via etsy.com

Sparkler exits are so popular but there are so many other ways to have a send off. (Side note: As a planner, I had sparkler send offs) Anyways, one of the best and easiest eco friendly ways to have a great send off would be to use flower petals or hold punch some leaves, pack them nicely into a cup, and then you don't have to worry about cleanup or what you are throwing out on to the ground.

11. Put your seating assignments on the back of the program

Cydney Washington

12. Make your table numbers mean something

Jose Villa / Via brides.com

Its super easy to just name your tables 1, 2, 3, 4 but if you want it to be something that represents you, have fun with your tables! Maybe you've traveled the world together - name your tables after some of your favorite destinations

13. Get rid of the party favors and do something good!

Zazzle / Via pinterest.com

Unless your wedding favors are food, I can almost guarantee that no one is going to keep them. Instead of spending money on those, make a donation to your favorite charity in the name of your wedding guests. It gives you a chance to give back to a charity that means a lot to you.

14. Hire a live painter

Kimberley Mitiska Photogrpahy / Via brides.com

A picture is worth 1,000 words and yes - you will end up with hundreds of pictures. But hiring a live painter means you get a real time painting of your special moment that you can keep forever. Guests also enjoy watching them work their magic.

15. Finally, HIRE A WEDDING PLANNER

I have seen so many things go wrong at weddings, ripped dresses, late vendors, family fights, crazy rainstorms, missing flowers, the works. If you name it, I've probably dealt with it. My job is to handle those problems without letting the couple know that anything could be wrong. It takes the stress off of you and your family on your day. Follow us on instagram to see first hand what it is we do! @vida_events.