What do you notice at a wedding?

As we're planning maybe this will put things in perspective. What things do you really notice at a wedding and what really doesn't catch your attention?


Things I notice

The food - quality, amount, if there's a veggie option
Viennese and Cocktail Hours
The service from waitstaff good.bad, etc
If the Band or DJ was good or bad
How beautiful the bride looks (She's always gorgeous!)
The fit of gowns and tuxes (I'm particular about that kind of stuff)
OOT bags and what they contain
Programs
Centerpieces (not bo-ks though)
The formality of the invitation and STD

Things I don't notice at all:

window treatments, carpeting, linens
whether or not the BMs are all wearing the same shoes, necklace, earrings, whatever
whether or not the favor matches the 'theme'
It also takes me awhile to even notice if there is no favor
The cake. I think they're so pretty, but to ask me a month later what the cake looked like, I'd have NO idea



HTH!

before or after getting engaged

I think my FH went nuts at the last two weddings we went to because I noticed EVERYTHING

I notice (or rather APPRECIATE):

-presentation of food. How it is arranged on a plate or on a serving tray.

-how frequently my drinks are replenished by waitstaff once I am seated.

-the attitudes of waitstaff

-if lettuce in a salad is wilted/brown

Im sure there is more - just cant think right now.

I notice the BM dresses.(Not the shoes or jewelry).
Everything about the bride.
Cocktail hour food, I am always hungry when I get to a wedding.
The centerpieces (only when I first walk into the room).
The favors( I look right away)
The DJ or band.
The whole reception location meaning the rooms, decor, etc....

Things I don't really notice:
The cake, I really only look at it when the bride and groom are cutting it.
The waitstaff, I hardly notice them. I really don't notice how often they ask me or bring me a drink.
Table linens.
What kind of centerpiece they had, I think all centerpieces are pretty.

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Posted by marymoon

As we're planning maybe this will put things in perspective. What things do you really notice at a wedding and what really doesn't catch your attention?


Things I notice

The food - quality, amount, if there's a veggie option
Viennese and Cocktail Hours
The service from waitstaff good.bad, etc
If the Band or DJ was good or bad
How beautiful the bride looks (She's always gorgeous!)
The fit of gowns and tuxes (I'm particular about that kind of stuff)
OOT bags and what they contain
Programs
Centerpieces (not bo-ks though)
The formality of the invitation and STD

Things I don't notice at all:

window treatments, carpeting, linens
whether or not the BMs are all wearing the same shoes, necklace, earrings, whatever
whether or not the favor matches the 'theme'
It also takes me awhile to even notice if there is no favor
The cake. I think they're so pretty, but to ask me a month later what the cake looked like, I'd have NO idea



HTH!

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Well... You said it best. I couldn't agree with this more. Im actually glad you posted this because your right.. it really does put things into perspective. With all this planning and time we are spending trying to coordinate everything and make things 'perfect', we dont realize that sometimes all the effort we put into some things really does go un noticed. Just like you said with the BM shoes-- I NEVER notice if they all match.. In fact.. in most weddings I have been to, the BM wore a long dress and you really didn't even see the shoes!!! However.. being that Im planning my own wedding now.. I notice alot more stuff then I normally would have. Centerpieces. cocktail & viannesse hour.. service.. just to name a few. I agree.. The bride ALWAYS looks beautiful. I also notice the groom.. How he looks... How happy the couple looks together. I went to a wedding once where the couple didn't even smile throughout the entire CEREMONY! Anyway.. this is a great thread.. I would live to see what others say!

cocktail hour food and cocktail hour seating

if the drinks are watered down

the table flowers

the taste of the cake

the music

table set up


i dont notice
-bridesmaids detials (like marymoon)
-favors
-videograpgher
-photogragher
-dinner food

There is a difference between noticing, appreciating and passing judgement. If I see something that catches my eye that I like, then great. If it isn't there and I don't miss it then no big deal. Or even if I happen to notice different bridesmaid shoes that doesn't mean I like it or don't. I just happen to have a detailed, visual, mind.

I once went to a wedding where the waitstaff carried flaming poultry in on a skewer and paraded it around the dance floor before serving it. Will I notice that? Of course. Could I have given two poops and complained if it wasn't there? No.

Was it necessary for a black and white cookie to have the bride's name on the white part and the groom's name on the black part at the Viennese table? Not really. But I remembered it. Others wouldn't have given it a second thought.

These were at weddings that I went to way before I was engaged. I think it depends on the kind of mind you have. And as we plan our functions, we all have to remember what is important, nitpicky or detailed to one person may seem wasteful, pointless, unnecessary and unnoticed to others.

Just remember one thing. When you go to a wedding and someone asks you how it was, and you say 'The food was bad.' then perhaps you didn't get out of it what you should have. If your answer was 'I had a great time, the bride and groom looked so in love.' Then you nailed it. A wedding is a celebration of people, not a free meal or a pretty cocktail napkin. If having that 'flaming chicken', makes the bride's face glow THAT MUCH MORE, then that DETAIL was well worth the price and effort to plan in HER mind.

I always noticed:

- Bride's dress and hair
- BM dresses (mainly if I like them/the color)
- Taste and Presentation of Food
- What cake looks like/ tastes like
- Quality of band/DJ and/or how many people are dancing
- Centerpieces
- Favors (esp. if they are edible!)
- General appearance of room/ color scheme
- How good the waitstaff is

Always notice

brides dress, makeup & hair
BM dresses
centerpieces
quality of music
food/presentation
Friendliness of staff
all extras (bathroom baskets, favors, etc)
what cake looks like
Overrall ambience of room

before engaged, bridal gown, bridesmaid gowns, food, and mostly whether i am having fun or not-music

after engaged- everything!!

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Posted by Goldi1021

There is a difference between noticing, appreciating and passing judgement. If I see something that catches my eye that I like, then great. If it isn't there and I don't miss it then no big deal. Or even if I happen to notice different bridesmaid shoes that doesn't mean I like it or don't. I just happen to have a detailed, visual, mind.

I once went to a wedding where the waitstaff carried flaming poultry in on a skewer and paraded it around the dance floor before serving it. Will I notice that? Of course. Could I have given two poops and complained if it wasn't there? No.

Was it necessary for a black and white cookie to have the bride's name on the white part and the groom's name on the black part at the Viennese table? Not really. But I remembered it. Others wouldn't have given it a second thought.

These were at weddings that I went to way before I was engaged. I think it depends on the kind of mind you have. And as we plan our functions, we all have to remember what is important, nitpicky or detailed to one person may seem wasteful, pointless, unnecessary and unnoticed to others.

Just remember one thing. When you go to a wedding and someone asks you how it was, and you say 'The food was bad.' then perhaps you didn't get out of it what you should have. If your answer was 'I had a great time, the bride and groom looked so in love.' Then you nailed it. A wedding is a celebration of people, not a free meal or a pretty cocktail napkin. If having that 'flaming chicken', makes the bride's face glow THAT MUCH MORE, then that DETAIL was well worth the price and effort to plan in HER mind.

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Perfectly said, Leslie, I couldn't put it any better myself!

When I went to his cousins wedding in August I noticed that other people dont notice all the small details-- her invites had callalilis but the flowers on the table did not, her cake did not But now one noticed these things everyone just wanted to have a good time

Before I got engaged:

Music (whether or not the band/DJ was good)
Cocktail Hour
Open Bar

Now that I'm going to a wedding in a couple of weeks (first one since I'm engaged), I am going to look at EVERYTHING.

All the attire, brides dress, BM dresses, tuxes, parents, etc.

The service.

The music.

If the photographer/videographer is in everyone's face all night.

The little details. If all the paper products match, if the flowers are different, etc.

FOOD
Service (being I work in the business)
favors
centerpieces
Size of place
MUSIC!
Gowns & BP attire

Things I never notice
cake
slipper baskets (no offense to any of you, but my friend who got married at the Westbury Manor put then right outside the reception room. She bought 45 pairs, brought home 37!! No one noticed them)
table linens

Food and service, first, then band or DJ.

I only started noticing little things recently because I'm the planning phase myself.

I notice:
whether the bride and groom are smiling and look happy
whether there are programs
the brides dress and hair
bm dresses
flowers
food - whether its tasty, how its presented
music - whether the music is good, people are up and dancing
The service
the invitations
the cake (I guess I'm in the minority here)
anything that's different or unique

Things I don't notice:
cocktail decorations (napkins, etc)
whether there are menus on the table
favors