Impress Your Guests with the Little Details

When it comes to guest experience, some couples employ extravagant details like massive floral installations, oversized centerpieces or a statement-making Champagne tower. Others dream up unique, smaller-scale elements that are nonetheless impactful. Read on for examples of how local newlyweds have done the latter in recent months.

Cameron & Evan Mack  

The Macks included a thank-you letter on the backs of menu cards at each place setting for their Oct. 22, 2022, wedding at 1883 Locale. Each person’s name was affixed to the note with a custom wax seal bearing the couple’s initials. “We feel so fortunate to be surrounded by so many of our loved ones who have helped to shape our lives; you have made us who we are and we appreciate you taking the time to be here with us today,” the note read. “We love you and we hope you enjoy tonight’s celebration.” 

McKenzie & Kayla Oberstadt  

Couples have been putting a twist on the traditional guest book for ages. The Oberstadts did just that for their Oct. 21, 2022, wedding at Jefferson Country Club by asking guests to sign Jenga blocks … and then took things a step further with their centerpieces. “Each table number was an empty wine bottle, where guests were encouraged to leave us a message in a bottle. For table one, notes will be read on our first anniversary, while table two’s bottle will be opened on our second anniversary,” McKenzie explains. “We look forward to opening the final bottle in 18 years!” 

Cara & Jeff Schaffer  

For Cara, the most important detail of her and Jeff’s Nov. 19, 2022, wedding and reception at Irongate Equestrian Center was displaying the wedding attire of those who came before them. She worked with the venue’s coordinator, Rachel Nyhart, to create a museum-esque showcase featuring Cara’s and Jeff’s mothers’ wedding gowns, as well as Cara’s father’s Marines dress blues and her great-grandmother’s velvet wedding dress from 1939. “Jeff and I are both nostalgic people and felt we wanted to honor our parents, who have been collectively married for 81 years,” Cara says. “Many of our guests commented that they had never seen something like it before.” 

Samantha & Eric Sutton 

With a wedding theme mixing “winter whites” with “elegant Western-chic,” the Suttons had plenty of opportunity for fun guest experiences at their Dec. 30, 2022, wedding at the Athletic Club of Columbus. Their custom branding station served as an interactive way for guests to get their favors: cowhide coasters and leather koozies branded with the newlyweds’ wedding logo. “Our wedding was personal to Eric and I in so many ways,” Samantha notes. “All the details made it so special, but the people made it perfect.” 

A version of this story first appeared in the fall/winterF023 issue of Columbus Weddings, published in June 2023.