Feature photo by Ginny Corbett Photography. Knots ‘N Such is a Raleigh wedding planner & florist.

Your wedding reception is the event you’ve been dreaming of for as long as you can remember, and there are some special activities involved that require special attention! Your first dance is a memorable moment for you, the bouquet toss is a memorable moment for your girlfriends, and photo booths are a great way to make capturing moments memorable! Here are a few tips from a Raleigh wedding planner on how you can make these special moments flawless!

First Dances

Most often, the first dance will start with the bride and groom, then move to father of the bride with the bride, then mother of the groom and the groom. These are such special moments, and it’s important to pick out special songs for each. If you’re having a tough time picking a good one, some commonly used songs include “You and Me” by Lifehouse, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours” by Stevie Wonder, “Wild Horses” by The Rolling Stones, and “At Last” by Etta James.

Also remember, if you get everyone going dancing right after you’ve had your first dance, it can be tough to get them back out there! For this reason, we advise waiting to open the dance floor until after the cake is cut (which also allows your guests to get a quick sugar rush before they start dancing!)

Photo by Casey Rose Photography

Bouquet Toss

This is a super fun tradition that I’m hoping never goes out of style! All the single ladies get together to push and shove each other in a lively attempt to catch the highly coveted bouquet!

Song choice is also important here, with some of our favorites being “Ladies Night” by Kool and the Gang, “Where Dem Girls At” by Nikki Minaj, and of course, “All the Single Ladies” by Beyonce. Make sure you pick a fun song and a good time of night that will have your girls pumped up to jump for those flowers! We recommend closer to the end of the night when your guests need to clear the dance floor. We typically schedule it just before the last song of the night.

Photo by Amir Luna Photography

Photo Booths

While photo booths may not necessarily be new to the wedding world, there are a lot of different ways to incorporate this activity into your wedding! Some brides have gotten very creative and set up a photo corner, complete with props and a backdrop! Guests take photos then share on social media using the wedding hashtag!

I’ve also seen photo-booth-style guest books, made by placing a Polaroid camera beside the book, along with some props and crafting tools. Guests are directed to take photos of themselves then tape the image into the book with their signature and some fun doodles!

There’s also a variety of professional photo booth vendors that can do amazing things for your wedding, like slo-mo videos, gifs, screen savers, and even custom mugs and other items that can be used as wedding favors!

Remember to make your wedding memorable for its uniquely you qualities, and you and your guests will have a night you’ll never forget!

XO,

Ivana

PBD Coordinator