From The Straits Times    |

Getwed headerJust like birthdays and Christmas Day, your wedding day will fly by quicker than you can say ‘I do’. To ensure you get the most out of every minute, follow these top tips to give your wedding day the full factor.

Ways to make your wedding last longer main.jpg

Pre-wedding fun

Who is to say you may only celebrate your wedding on the wedding day itself? Extending the celebrations beyond one day will make your wedding last longer and will give you more opportunity to spend time with loved ones. On the day before the wedding, why not arrange to have a family meal? A long lunch is perfect as it means you and your guests still have plenty of time in the evening to prepare for the following day. If your budget will stretch, then enjoying a meal in a restaurant is ideal; it means you don’t have to worry about cooking or cleaning yourself, when you still have last minute wedding errands to run.

Instead of a meal, you could opt for something a little more lively such as quad biking as a group or visiting a theme park. The adrenaline will get you all excited for the next day and the fun of it all will guarantee some happy memories as two families. For something a little more low key, a long walk in the woods or on the beach is equally as memorable, but won’t break the bank. After all, how often do you make the time to do something like this as a family?

Post-wedding plans

After the day of the wedding, the bride and groom and even the wedding guests can feel a little deflated that all the fun is over. The best way to extend your wedding is by planning something enjoyable for the following day or week. At least then, when the clock strikes 12 on the happiest day of your lives, you know that you still have something to look forward to. You and your husband could book in for a spa day and enjoy some post-wedding relaxation or why not buy tickets to see a concert for a bit of ‘let your hair down’ fun? Some couples choose to have a family photo shoot after the wedding, to bag some memories of the beginning of two families joining together.

End of night entertainment

Depending on your wedding venue’s rules on noise curfews, there is a way of making your wedding go the distance with just a slight tweak to proceedings. Hire two separate wedding entertainers to spread the fun and dancing further, making your wedding seem longer. There’s nothing worse than being in the swing of things then realising that the reception is almost over; the lights come on, the music goes off and you’re left on the dance floor wishing it was the start of the night all over again. Recreate this feeling by having, say, a DJ until 10:30pm and then surprising your guests with a swing band or cover band from then until the early hours. This addition of entertainment should make the night seem longer and it gives guests a new lease of life on the dance floor. After all, there’s nothing worse than a deflated disco.

Extend your stay

If you’re getting wed in a hotel, then why just stay the one night? You have probably picked the hotel because you love it, so it’s a shame to bid farewell the morning after your wedding. If your budget will allow, then book to stay two or three nights at the romantic venue to extend the celebrations of your matrimony. Often, couples don’t even get to use the hotel’s facilities as the wedding itself is all they allow time for. Stay longer and enjoy a leisurely swim the mornings before and after your big day, savour a leisurely brunch, roam the grounds or simply lounge around in your honeymoon suite. The Jacuzzi and room service are there to be used!

Postpone the honeymoon

Instead of jetting off pretty much straight after you’ve exchanged vows, leave some time post-wedding to bask in the joy of matrimony instead. Having a fortnight or even a month’s delay before you board that plane will preserve the wedding bubble you’re in, instead of it bursting the day after your wedding. Leaving a gap between your wedding and honeymoon means you can enjoy that ‘just married’ feeling a little longer as you still have an important part of the wedding still to come.

Fit more in to your day

Don’t follow the traditional order on your wedding day as you’ll be able to make your wedding last longer if you fit more in. Cramming your day full of little surprises and plans will make the day seem to go on forever as you and your guests will be kept on your toes. Granted, this may increase the cost if you opt for a harpist, a trio of ballerinas and a contortion artist, but some DIY additions will only cost you some time in preparation. You could make a slideshow of photographs to show your guests during the drinks reception or slot in a fun game such as ‘Who am I?’ to get your guests chatting. You both could sing a cheesy duet in front of your guests or all join a conga line for some old school fun. Food and drink also make great ‘fillers’ to your wedding day; hire an ice cream stand or a mixologist to serve your adult guests personalised cocktails, or even slot in a mini master class so guests can have a go at making their own.

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