If you are having a large wedding, your guests may vary in ages, general physical mobility, and various other personal considerations. No wedding venue will be a one-size-fits-all when it comes to accommodating guests, so filling in the gaps to ensure that everyone has their needs met on your big day is worth the effort. Here are five accommodations you might want to try your best to make for your wedding guests to ensure everyone has a fun, comfortable time during your big day.
1. Shuttles to and From Your Venue
If your venue if off the beaten path or you have multiple relatives and friends staying at the same hotel, it might be worth it to spring for a shuttle. This will allow guests to let loose at your reception and not have to worry about transportation. This can be a great addition for those who might have mobility issues or older guests coming in from out-of-town. These guests might have a harder time navigating unknown territory in a rental car on their own.
2. Additional Bathrooms
Depending on the size of your event and if this is indoors or outdoors, it might be worth it to bring in additional temporary bathrooms to your event site. There are plenty of portable toilets for rent that are larger than standard sizes and even come in ADA-complaint styles. This can be a major help if your venue might not have decent bathrooms for your guests, especially if you have a large reception planned. This can make sure everyone is comfortable, and older guests have the right options when it comes to facilities that work for their needs.
3. Further ADA Considerations
If you will have guests at your wedding that are older or have physical limitations, you might want to double check that your venue is ADA-compliant and strive to make any additional accommodations that you can. While you might love a historical space, this might have narrow hallways or steep stairs to consider. Do a walkthrough visit of bathrooms, hallways, and seating to ensure all of your guests will be comfortable before booking. While most entrances and exits should be ADA-accessible, it is good to note all areas you are hoping guests will access and will need a certain level of comfort navigating on your big day.
4. Food Allergies and Limitations
While you might want to plan your wedding dinner around your likes, it is a good idea to consider your guest’s limitations as well. This can be simple to do with a buffet, as long as there are options for all, such as gluten-free, vegetarian, or dairy intolerant items on the menu. If you will have a sit-down, plated meal, do have guests write down their limitations on their RSVP cards ahead of time so there aren’t any surprises for the kitchen the day of your wedding.
5. Thinking Through Seating Arrangements
While ensuring that your guests are all well interspersed throughout your reception can seem like a large task on its own, it is far more important to ensure that guests with limitations are sat with care. This might involve having older guests seated near exits and bathrooms. While you might want some guests near and dear to your heart to be nearby, they may feel more comfortable at a location that will work with their range of motion and keep them comfortable throughout the reception.
While you do want your wedding day to be a reflection on you and your likes and tastes as a couple, remember that this is a celebration with friends and family as well. Accommodating guests that might have limitations is a heartfelt gesture to show that you care with a well thought out wedding day for all. Making sure everyone has a great time on your day may be a tall task, but any additional planning you can do to help make your day a success will be appreciated.