Choose Alternative Transportation

While traditional modes of transportation, such as limousines or party buses, may still be useful for some of the guests, look into ways to bring pizazz and sparkle into your travel style. For example, you may want to ride into the wedding on a horse-drawn carriage, or you may wish to arrive to the cocktail area on a boat. Another option is to get a trolley or set up a hayride to deliver your guests from the ceremony to the reception. In this endeavor, make sure to account for the weather. An open-air type of vehicle could turn into quite a problem if a major rainstorm comes through the air, and intense heat and humidity simply do not mix with a vehicle that lacks air conditioning. You don't need to forgo your desired mode of transportation, but make sure to have a back-up to keep guests comfortable and safe.

Plan a Whole Weekend

Right now, you may have the wedding and a rehearsal dinner booked. However, you can really dazzle guests by adding in other events to the weekend. For example, if you are having a wedding out of town on a Saturday, some guests might start to come in on Thursday night. What you could do is have a small celebration for those guests at the hotel. Another popular idea is to throw a brunch or a breakfast on the morning after the wedding. Many hotels will offer you this option, and deciding to do so is a great way to thank your guests who stayed the night at the hotel. In the event that a gap exists between the ceremony and reception, set up a hospitality station. The hotel or reception hall may have a place where you can put out some cheese, crackers, fruit and beverages for guests to enjoy while they wait for the cocktail hour to start.

Infuse a Signature Cocktail

As soon as many of your guests arrive to cocktail hour, they are going to want to check out the diverse array of food and drink options. One way to capture their attention is to have a signature cocktail at the event. In fact, you and your partner could each have your own signature cocktail. Couples take different approaches when it comes to crating this beverage. For example, you might want to make your favorite drink into your signature cocktail. Another population option is to infuse the season into the drink. During the fall, you may want a beverage with maple in it. In the summer, you may choose a tropical cocktail. You can also talk to the banquet manager at the reception hall for some suggestions.

Plan a Game

While weddings do have plenty of enthralling moments, they also come with some downtime. For example, guests who arrive a few minutes early might find themselves a bit bored. Before the main events of the reception start, you might see wedding guests checking their cell phones. In order to add some vigor back into these periods of time, consider planning a game or two for the reception. During cocktail hour or the very beginning of the reception, you may want to send guests on a scavenger hunt with a prize promised for the end. You could also set out some designer cards on the table with trivia questions about the couple. If any lulls come into fruition, guests can quiz one another to see who knows the couple the best.

Rent a Photo Booth

Another way to keep guests entertained is to hire a photo booth for the wedding. You might choose to set this booth up just outside the main partying area. Some couples choose to have the photo booth for the entire event or for the first couple of hours only. Photo booths typically come with a number of props so that guests can essentially dress up in costumes as they take pictures of themselves. Make sure that you have the time to get into the photo booth as well. You'll certainly feel busy greeting all of your guests, but you need to enjoy your wedding too. Look into a photo booth package that provides you with at least two printouts of the pictures. Guests will certainly want to take their amusing pictures home with them. The other copy can go into a guestbook that guests sign. Then, you get to keep this book with so many of your memories from the big day.

Vary Menu Choices

After going to cocktail hour, guests typically know that they are going to have a fairly standard dinner followed by a cake that they might not even eat. Instead of allowing the food to dip after cocktail hour, look into some different options for your wedding. For example, instead of a sit-down dinner, you might want to opt for a buffet where guests can customize their burgers, make their own tacos or sample all different types of sushi. A different menu for dinner can really help guests to remember the celebration. If you're thinking about throwing this type of event, do make certain that the catering hall can accommodate the request before booking it. Some catering halls will not change their food packages. You should also infuse this creative approach into the dessert. While you certainly do not need to nix cutting the cake and enjoying it with your partner, you can bring more dessert into the mix as well. Some couples opt to have platters of cookies and pastries put on the table. You could also have a full buffet of desserts complete with a chocolate fountain or ice cream bar.

Select Edible Favors

If you've been to a number of weddings, you've probably noticed some favors lying on the table long after the guests sitting at those spots have left. It's possible that some guests forget their favors. However, what you're also likely witnessing in these scenarios is a sign that guests do not always want the favors. Many people have drawers at home stuffed with favors from weddings, and they never use these favors. Opting for edible favors increases the chances that guests will both love and use what you give them. In the event that your wedding is themed, you can choose a food or beverage flavor that is connected to that theme. You could also opt for a favor that relates to the current season. Check into local vendors as well. In other words, the favor could come from a local vendor so that you can showcase some of the awesome products available in the nearby area. A seriously large array of options exist when you choose edible favors. You could give out miniature bottles of wine, or you could send your guests home with candy from a candy bar or gourmet cupcakes.

If you're thinking that you need to have a standard, run-of-the-mill wedding, think again. No reason exists for you to follow a mold. Instead, you can infuse these creative ideas to make the wedding truly you. By taking these initiatives, you are sure to have a wedding that guests remember.