Tips for a Successful Wedding After-Party

Don't want the wedding to be over quite yet??? For those couples who want to keep the party going, having an 'after-party' following the main dinner reception is a great idea; it allows the blissful couple to spend just a little more time with friends and unwind with a cocktail after the formalities of the day.

Here are some tips & tricks to ensure you have just as much (or maybe even more) fun at your after-party than you did at your wedding reception:

• Location: In an ideal situation, your wedding reception venue has the perfect intimate space for an after-party; it keeps people together and allows the couple to keep things more organized, especially if the couple is paying for the additional expense. If this isn't an option, then contact a nearby hotel where some of your out-of town guests are staying; quite often, guests who travel to the Metro New York area for a wedding don't have their own transportation--if you have a large out-of town contingency, then this is the perfect solution. Neither of these work? Then opt for a nearby bar or lounge that has the ability to allocate a separate space for your after-party so that your guests don't have to mingle with strangers who have been drinking for the past 'how-many' hours.
• Food & Beverage: With an after-party usually comes more alcohol. And don't forget that guests have imbibed over the past 4-5 hours, so try to ensure that there's some comfort food available such as mini-pizzas, hot dogs and/or pretzels for guests to nibble on.
• Cost: If a couple has paid for their own wedding, and sufficient funds aren't available to cover the entire cost of food & drink, not to worry! Your guests realize they've been eating & drinking on your dime all evening and will likely have no problem covering the cost of their own drinks--especially in NYC where a good martini can run about $15!!! If the couple is not comfortable with allowing their guests to pay for EVERYTHING at the after-party, one option would be to set up a pre-determined bar tab, say $500, with the establishment and when the cost of drinks hits that limit, then guests are on their own after that.
• Who's Coming?:There's no point in going through all of the trouble of hosting an after-party if none of your guests know about it! How to get the word out??? The bride & groom should take it upon themselves to grab the mike and announce the after-party themselves! A good time to do this would be during the cake cutting ceremony, while you have the attention of everyone in the room--no one likes to miss cake! You could also spread the word in the weeks prior to the wedding at bachelor/bachelorette parties and at the rehearsal dinner. Many couples now extend separate invitations to those they couldn't invite to the wedding reception--these days, we all have friends via social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter and wedding-relates sites such as WeddingWire & WeddingBee; the after-party is a great way to include fellow wedding bloggers in your day!
• Bride & Groom Responsibilities: Don't linger at your reception! The main point of having an after-party is to spend time with people you may not get to see very often. Assign end-of-evening responsibilities (such as collecting your champagne flutes, guest book, etc.) to your wedding coordinator or to a trusted family member. If your guests see you heading out to the party, they'll be sure to follow!

ALWAYS REMEMBER---SAFETY FIRST! Allow the after-party venue the discretion to close the bar if guests are getting too inebriated. If you're having the party at a club or a lounge and your guests aren't staying at a location within walking distance, ensure that there are cabs readily available so everyone can get home safely!

Enjoy the party!