Want to Keep Your Guests Happy? Make Sure You Have These 6 Things at Your Reception

You may think the food you ordered to serve at cocktail hour and the reception will be enough, but many of your guests may dance it all off and be hungry toward the end of the night—even after having two pieces of cake. To make sure nobody is leaving on an empty stomach, or to feed your guests before the after-party starts, consider serving a late-night snack. It can be anything from something small, like bowls of popcorn and chips, to something more coordinated, like a milkshake or French-fry bar.

This may sound obvious, but an open bar will always make your guests happy, as they won't have to shell out cash for every single drink they guzzle down. If you're looking to save money with an open bar, see if you can purchase a package that offers beer and wine only, or if your venue allows, bring your own wine and beer so you can try to get it for a less expensive price.

Back to food talk. Be sure to offer plenty of snacks throughout your wedding, since everyone may not enjoy the main course or even feel up for having a heavy meal when they are busy spending the night getting down on the dance floor.

Seems like a no-brainer to have the air pumping, right? Well, if you are considering an outdoor wedding, don't forget that weather is unpredictable but your guests' sweat glands are not. Make sure to have air or fans blowing so that nobody faints from summertime heat.

One of the best things you can do to ensure everyone has a fun and safe night is offer transportation to your guests to and from your wedding. Perhaps you hire a bus to take your guests home, dropping them off at different stops, or you arrange to pay for their Uber or taxi ride home.

Set up portable charging stations at your wedding so that your guests don't have to stress when their battery runs low from all the social-media posting they are doing throughout the night.

Jen Glantz is the founder of Bridesmaid for Hire and the author of the new book Always a Bridesmaid (for Hire). She frequently wears old bridesmaids' dresses to the grocery store and on first dates.