One of the things that any married couple will tell you if you ask them about their wedding is how their wedding day went by in a flash. even if you plan your wedding day down to the minutes and cram it full of activities, appointments, photo sessions, speeches, hugs and kisses, singing and dancing, the day will be over before you realize it.
We know, it's a bummer. it's going to take over a year to plan the event and it's going to fly by in an instant. it's your big day! of course, you don't want it to end too soon. Plenty of couples wants to continue the celebrations, whether it be dancing into the night, a chilled nightcap, or even extending the festivities into the next day. so while it is not an obligation, if you are one of those couples who don't want the fun to end, there are so many different ways to throw a wedding after-party and make it unique for you and your partner.
So in this article, we've rounded up some of the best wedding after-party ideas for you to consider and to give you and your guests an extended evening of fun!
But before that, let us answer some of the questions you may have about wedding after-parties, Let's go!
Well, an after-party is a continuation of the celebration. it's a party held after the main part of your wedding. it's a way for your to keep the festivities a bit longer after the last dance at your reception. it's a time when you can just relax and enjoy the company of your friends and family who came to celebrate with you.
Because nobody wants the fun to end, especially if it's your wedding day, you want the celebration to go on as much as possible. planning an after-party is a great way to do just that. Also, wedding venues, especially in the UK have restrictions on how late music can be played and drinks to be served, this is one of the primary reasons why most couples who like the idea of extending the festivities choose to rent an area of a bar or a club for their after-parties. And, it's much less expensive for you. since most venues charge a lot more per hour than most bars. also, you can save up on paying for the staff, wedding planner, bartender, security, DJ, and all the other expenses that come with the venue.
Also, hosting an after-party can be another great opportunity to make memories with your friends and family, because let's face it. you're going to be running around your reception trying to talk to every one of your guests. the after-party will let you chill out and relax after the long day with your closest friends and family, and give you more time to chat and catch up.
When throwing an after-party just like real estate, it's all about location location location.
You may not know this, but most of your guests would have left already before the reception even ends. the old folks from your family, because it's nearing their bedtime, middle-aged family members who have family and work on Monday, and maybe a few guests who might not know everyone that well. the ones who are going to be left behind to celebrate with you until the end are your close friends and immediate family members. they are the ones who are like you and would want to keep the party going.
So for those folks, going to a local establishment for your after-party might be a good idea or even the bar of the hotel where everyone is staying at. the important thing to remember when looking for an after-party venue is that it should be easily accessible from your reception and that it can easily accommodate the number of people you are going to have with you. It's also recommended to choose a venue with an intimate and cozy vibe so that your guest feels more relaxed.
But if your venue doesn't have a restriction on how late drinks can be served and music can be played, and you don't mind paying the few extra bucks. you can close off one area of your wedding venue, and when the time is right or a few minutes before the last dance, you can reveal it as a secret after-party space.
There are actually no set rules when it comes to the location of your wedding-after party, what's important is that you do whatever feels right for you. because in the end, it's your day you're celebrating. and you can do what you want to do.
If possible, everyone on your guest list should be invited, picking and choosing who you invite to your after-party will make the ones not invited feel like they've been left out.
And it's really important that your guests know that there will be an after-party, otherwise, they might leave early and miss out on the extended festivities. a good idea is to add a small insert to the wedding invitation you sent out with details about the party after the party, or you could just send a group email to all your invites informing them about it.
However, if an after-party is not in your plan, but if one forms organically during your reception regardless, you can ask your wedding party to go around the venue to spread the word, or have the DJ make an announcement on the mic.
But it's also ideal to let your guests know that attending the after-party is not mandatory. it's going to be bad for your party if your guests feel pressured to be there and after a long day of festivities, it's understandable that some of your older guests may be a bit tired to party a little longer. so make sure that everyone knows it's okay to skip the part if they want to.
The answer to this question depends on what style you want your after-party to be, chances are your guests are already had a great time at the reception and just want to keep the fun going. so no one would be expecting you to dish out another amazing party right out the bat. so don't feel pressured to give the same attention to detail you gave to your wedding to your after-party.
The important things to have for an after-party are drinks, good music and somewhere to dance to. A good music is important to ramp up the vibe in an after-party. So you can throw one on a budget or put down a deposit for an area of a club or a bar. if you're lucky your guest might even pay for their own drinks. but if opening a tab for your guests won't make a dent in your wallet, you should go for it.
So with all the questions out of the way, let's have look at some of the best wedding after-party ideas we've gathered for you to consider implementing before, during, and after your after-party. Let's begin!
We know you want to continue the festivities as soon as possible and keep the fun going. but before you head off racing to your after-party you still have to officially end your receptions. and let the ones not attending the after-party send you off properly. so here are our ideas on the best reception send-off to get everyone excited for what's to come.
give your send-off a blast of magic with a fireworks display on your venue grounds, have the DJ or your master of ceremonies tell your guests to gather outside after the final dance to surprise them with an amazing display of pyrotechnics, hand them some sparklers for that additional fun element and have them send you off with a bang. a perfect end for a great reception and an amazing start for an after-party.
If you're hosting your after-party at a place other than your reception venue, you should provide a transport service for your guests who wants to join the after-party. because let's face it, some of those guests might already be tipsy and it's still your responsibility to get them to the party and back to where they're staying safe. and because it's an after-party and chances are there are going to be a lot of drinks involved, no one should be behind the wheel.
You can check and see if the city where you're hosting the party has cabs, Uber, or any other on-demand car service. if these services are available to you, spread the word to the ones joining you for the after-party so no one thinks about driving. safety first.
If you plan to trash your wedding gown and paint it with all kinds of sauces and beverages like some weird modern art, by all means, keep it on. but if not, it'd be better if you change out of it. you'll be glad you did when you're not at the dry cleaners a few days later thinking about where you got this big mysterious stain on the skirt of your £2000 wedding dress. So before you go burn up the dance floor, go back to your bridal suit one last time, with your 'maid and change into something comfortable. and have someone who you trust like your mother, mother-in-law, or maybe your aunt take your dress safely home.
While you can get away with minimal effort now that the reception has officially ended, it won't hurt to give your guests a little more for coming with you to the after-party to further celebrate your day. so here are some ideas you can do to entertain your guest during your after-party.
Considering that your guests have been drinking for hours now and haven't eaten anything since your dinner reception. it's probably a good idea to get some food in their bellies. and because it's an after-party you don't have to worry about giving them anything fancy. giving them some crowd-favorite wedding finger foods, like French fries, mini-cheeseburgers, tacos or even pizzas would do just fine.
Keep the energy going with a good old-fashioned dance-off. if you rented a section of the club to yourselves you can have your own dancefloor where you and your guests can sweat it out and see who can dance the longest. a great opportunity for you or your guests to show off their dance moves.
But if you or your guest aren't too keen on dancing through the night. But would rather sit back and relax after the long day. Maybe a karaoke session would be good for you. We have previously covered wedding activities other than dancing, giving you more ideas to work on other than dancing during and after wedding. Rent a room in a karaoke bar somewhere, and let your guests sing their hearts out. you can even have a competition and see who can garner more applause from your other guests.
If you want an intimate vibe for your after-party, and just want to cozy up and rest your dancing feet. maybe set up a screening space to play a movie at your venue. let your guest relax with drinks in their hand chilling out in front of a movie. and if you want you can screen your favorite movies for that added personal touch.
Sometimes the best memories happen during the after-party, but by then the photographer you hired might have already left. so if you want to capture these moments provide a few Polaroids or some disposable cameras and let your guests capture them for you, they'll have fun snapping away at the party taking the most candid photos for your photo album.
Well, aside from making sure that every one of your guests has gone home safely. there are still a lot of things you can do after your party. the morning after your wedding after-party can still be a continuation of your celebration.
Treat your hangovers with a post-wedding brunch with your guests. it's a great way to catch up with your guests if you didn't have any time to do some mingling with all the partying. whether you arrange it with your venue or just meet up at a local café, it's a great way to say your goodbyes before you head to your honeymoon, or when your guests from out of town are about to head home.
If you're the kind of person who likes to sleep off a hangover, chances are you're going to be sleeping in till the afternoon. so booking an afternoon tea at the venue or the hotel you are staying at with your guest might be a good idea. little tiny sandwiches, scones, and tea are sure winners for your wedding guests, especially the older folks who weren't able to stick around for the after-party.
if your venue is in a rural area and if you're an active kind of couple, taking a refreshing hike around the area could be a great idea. you can ask your venue if they have any hike suggestions or places you can explore.
After all the built-up stress from the past couple of months of planning your wedding, a spa day might just be the thing you need. treat yourself and a couple of your close friends and family members to a day of relaxation at a local health and wellness center and feel the stress literally get squeezed out of your body by a soft-handed masseuse.
As we said, an after-party is the continuation of a festivities. because, at the end of the day, a few hours in a reception hall might not be enough to fully celebrate and commemorate the love you guys have for each other. but that doesn't mean the celebration has to end there. you just got married and the future has a lot more to offer, so keep the fun going and keep on loving!
And on that note, we hope this article gave you a much better understanding of wedding after-parties and that you gave some of the ideas we've listed a try. and congratulations on your wedding!
