Brides At Play
What’s the best piece of advice I ever received when I was a bride-to-be? That’s easy. I can’t remember who it was that shared it with me, but I can say that theirs was a wedding tip that should be passed around with greater frequency. Briefly, the advice they shared was “Enjoy the wedding.” Simple as that. I think brides-to-be too often hear advice that boils down to “Enjoy your wedding by including X in your ceremony and doing Y at your reception” and “You’ll never enjoy your wedding if you can’t Z!” Humph.
On this rather dreary Monday, I’d like to remind all the brides-to-be out there not to be afraid of doing whatever it takes to enjoy the wedding. Want a bounce house? Rent one. Think pinball machines would entertain your guests? You can probably rent those, too. You want to change into a white wetsuit and have a first heat instead of a first dance? Do it. You say you need inspiration? The six brides below obviously had a great time at their weddings, and their guests probably did, too.
This bride and her groom both took a turn in the horseshoe pit at their outdoor reception. It was a bit muddy, but so what? (via)
Giant Jenga? Awesome. While looking for pictures for this post, I also came across snaps of a bride playing giant chess. Think big! (via)
Football fans have it easy when it comes to enjoying the wedding. Just mix one open space with one football and a matched set of bridesmaids and groomsmen. Sneakers optional, but probably a good idea. (via)
Brides and grooms who play an instrument or two can get up and jam with the band, though I don’t recommend spending the entire time on stage, as tempting as that might be. (via)
Playgrounds make for great post-ceremony photo opportunities, but they’re also a lot of fun to romp around in… especially after a solemn wedding! It’s even more fun with the bridal party, if they’re game. (via)
Shooting isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but if it’s yours, why not have a skeet break between the ceremony and reception? It could be a great way to blow off some wedding day steam. (via)
The two best pieces of advice I got were similar to yours, NtB–one was to stop every once in a while and just look around. Think about what’s going on, let the spectacle sink into you. You don’t want to rush through the day without ever reflecting on it. And those can turn into some of your best memories, because you’re fixing the moment in your mind. The other one was to grab onto your husband at the reception and don’t let go. I’ve known brides who didn’t see their new husbands much during the reception except at the big moments like the cake cutting. I’m not saying that you can’t giggle with your old girlfriends for a while while your husband is with his frat buddies, but this day is about the two of you, so once you’re married, spend it together.
That’s phrased so simply…it’s wonderful. I tended bar in a reception hall for about ten years and we did lots of weddings. The best ones were where everyone, including the B&G, just had a party. Sadly, they were few and far between. The worst ones were where someone, and it was almost always the bride or her mother, were fretting about every. single. thing. The guests picked up the tension and it tended to put a damper on the affair. (Most of the weddings were in-between, but those two extremes always stuck with me.)
I also heard about a wedding where the B&G and their families were big hockey fans. For the wedding they rented a rink and before the nuptials, it was a FoB vs FoG hockey game. The referee was, of course, the priest, and I imagine the guests sat in the stands and cheered the game on. I’d have loved to have tended bar for that one.
Love the football shot. SO cute!
My brother and his bride had a FABULOUS time at their wedding! There are pictures of them in shades and fedoras, dancing up a storm (a Blues Brothers storm – I’d like to know the story behind THAT). They had a WONDERFUL time, and it showed. It made me happy every time I looked at them.