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When the rush of excitement that comes after popping the question begins to fade, it doesn’t take long into the planning phase of a wedding to realize just how many details there are to consider before the big day. While the big decisions – the dress, bridal party, venue, vows, food – are usually the first to be finalized, there are plenty of details that you may have overlooked or never even considered. Within those details lie a few great opportunities to make your day even more enjoyable for you and your guests, while creating ways to cherish those moments forever.

Flower Power

Over the last several years, take-home favors for wedding guests have lost steam, giving way to simpler, more sustainable ways to show your appreciation to your friends and family in attendance. While many brides and grooms opt to donate their ceremony flowers to the church (and simply leave them behind after the nuptials) reception flowers usually end up wasted – or worse yet, the responsibility of one person to bring home. An easy way to offer a token of appreciation to your guests while getting the most out of your flowers is to ask a few friends to set aside 20 minutes towards the end of the reception to make small floral bunches from the larger arrangements. Lay in a supply of Mason-type jars from the discount store, some paper towels and scissors. Wrap the stems of each bouquet in wet paper towels and place the entire wrapped bunch in a jar. The flowers will stay hydrated for the ride home, and your guests won’t have to worry about spills!

Photography by … Everyone

Unless you’ve hired a huge team of photographers, there are only so many shots you can expect to get from your reception. While your photos will likely be lovely, you will no doubt miss countless spontaneous moments that happen among your guests, when the photographer is taking shots of the cake cutting. Why not capture those moments, too? The one thing just about everyone has now is a camera built into their phone – and most now produce impressive, high-quality photos. What’s more, there’s no need to worry about developing those photos (goodbye disposable cameras of weddings gone by). Give your guests a list of moments and people to photograph and offer a way for them to instantly submit those images to you or a family member (via email, text or social media group page). Guests will love the scavenger hunt vibe and you will enjoy the memories they capture – for years to come!

Your Biggest Fans

If you want to witness a sea of grateful faces at your Louisiana wedding, give your guests handheld fans. Even if your ceremony and reception are inside, the heat can make a mess of your guests’ carefully chosen outfits and perfectly quaffed hair. Depending on the number of guests you’re expecting, there are lots of affordable options, but personalized fans are a very nice touch. Your wedding planner or reputable online wedding sites, like The Knot, can provide reliable vendors. Personalization can include a simple inscription of the bride’s and groom’s full names with the date of the nuptials to a printing of the full program, complete with the songs to be sung. Place a basketful of fans at each entrance to the wedding ceremony (and a few more at the reception) and watch your guests each give a sigh of relief at the sight. And, don’t worry, the men probably won’t take one, but you can be certain you’ll see them later positioning themselves in the path of their dates’ waving fans.

Signed with Love

Over the years, wedding planners have tried lots of different ways to give guests the opportunity to write their best wishes and notes of congratulations to the newlyweds. Framed posters, traditional guestbooks, and slips of paper in the shape of hearts all made the list at one time or another. While those methods are lovely, they don’t really create an experience for the guests and they aren’t very practical for keepsake purposes. The yearbook-style guest book, which has gained popularity in recent years, solves those two challenges by giving guests an opportunity to see the couple’s personal photo album of their lives together so far, while offering space for personal notes. With lots of white space between the photos (snapshots or professional portraits) guests use permanent markers to write notes of congratulations and tidbits of advice for the bride and groom as they embark on a new life together. The happy couple then goes home with a perfectly compact keepsake book that they can keep on their coffee table forever.

Step and (Don’t) Repeat

What’s worse than reception photos with the same cement block wall in the background of every shot? Not much! Now, each significant moment of your big celebration can be enhanced (not ruined) by a stylish, tailored backdrop. Set up the stations of your reception in front of a professional or DIY screen – each with a different look. Try twinkling lights and sheer organza draped across one backdrop, and a wall of greenery with neon lights on the next. Stations can be used for any area you choose: cake-cutting, groom’s cake, gift table, bridal party banquet table, band/dancefloor, receiving line, and one set up just for guests to take family photos. The sky’s the limit!