Planning the Perfect Cocktail Hour
- Emma Blue
- Feb 20
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 21
Hi friend! If you're reading this I am going to assume you are a soon-to-be bride (congrats!!) who is trying to make sure they have the perfect wedding day, including the cocktail hour!
Let's start by discussing what the cocktail hour is and why you should have one. The cocktail hour is the period in between the ceremony and the reception. Traditionally, the purpose of a cocktail hour is to entertain your guests while the venue flips the space (moves chairs/tables/decorations used for the ceremony into a new space or position that make sense for the reception) and/or while the bride and groom are off taking photos! While some couples may choose to take all of their photos pre-ceremony so that they can also attend cocktail hour, as a wedding photographer I want to highlight that the best lighting is the later lighting. If you are choosing to attend cocktail hour, be sure to chat with your photographer about how that impacts the photography timeline and potentially the quality of photos!
Now that we've covered that, let's get into what you should consider including when planning the perfect cocktail hour!
Music
Set the tone! Good background music contributes greatly to the vibe of your cocktail hour. With this in mind, there are several directions you can go: hire a live band, hire and collaborate with a DJ to create a playlist, or create the playlist yourself and have a guest in charge of setting up a speaker! By search "cocktail hour playlist" on Spotify or Apple Music you can find a variety of playlists already created for your review.
Food & Drinks
By this point of the day your guests have most likely been at the wedding for an hour and will have at least another hour before dinner is being served. Providing some snacks and refreshments will go a long way with keeping your guests happy during this downtime!
A popular trend in weddings today is including a signature cocktail. These are typically the groom's favorite drink and the bride's favorite drink. This provides guests with a fun, personal drink option and keeps things more affordable for you compared to providing an open bar! For a special touch - consider ordering/DIYing some fun signage!
Lastly, when choosing your cocktail hour appetizers, be sure to consider any dietary restrictions or allergies your guests might have so that everyone can grab a bite!
Entertainment
Now on to my favorite topic! There are so many fun, unique ways to keep your guests entertained during cocktail hour. Here are a few favorites I have seen!
Guest Portraits by a Live Painter
This one is great because it doubles as wedding favors!
Sip & Solve
A fun way to have guests get to know the two of you better both individually and as a couple.
Tattoo Corner
Temporary tattoos were cool when you were 10 and they are still cool now!!
Hire a Magician
Yard Games
So many fun, affordable options to choose from that your guests will know and love!
Fun Photo Ops
While the professional photographers are off with the bride and groom, give guests a way to snag an elevated iPhone picture with a creative backdrop or provide something more interactive like a photo booth!
Find the Guest Bingo
Chances are you have guests from all different parts of life and sides of the family. Use this as a way to encourage guests to mingle and get to know each other!
Mini Golf
Seating
Lastly, be sure to provide some seating options during cocktail hour, especially if you will have older guests attending. You want your guests to be well rested and ready to be on their feet the rest of the night on the dance floor!
As a wedding photographer, it is safe to say I attend quite a few weddings! My goal is to use my experience not only to provide you with photos you'll love, but also to help you plan the day of your dreams!
If you are looking for a wedding photographer who is available worldwide, click HERE to inquire. I would love to chat with you!
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