8 Wedding "Nice-to-Haves" That Many People Don't Think About

If you’ve been planning your wedding for more than ten minutes, you’ve probably already come across them: the countless online lists, all of which talk about things that are es­sen­tial for the wedding and that you absolutely must not forget. This isn’t one of them.

Instead, here are 8 things that are simply “nice-to-haves”—like a decorative green stem adorning the cherry on top of an imaginary wedding cake. None of the items listed here are necessary to have a beautiful wedding. But just in case, they can save a wedding—or at least elevate it from “nice” to “gorgeous.” These are little details that many couples don’t think about.

1. Keep your own makeup bag nearby.

On your wedding day, more than on almost any other day, you want to look perfect. The problem: No matter how perfectly the bridal stylist does her job, everything at the celebration seems determined to ruin it—enthusiastic congratulations, tears of joy, and, especially for mothers, little hands. As the day goes on, your look will inevitably start to show signs of wear. That’s when it can be helpful to have your own makeup handy. If your makeup artist isn’t on the guest list, your look probably won’t be perfect again, but it’s certainly enough for a quick touch-up.

2. Backup Shirts and Ties

If we believe in Murphy’s Law, then everything that can go wrong will go wrong. For a wedding, that means: the tie will get stained with food, the shirt will lose a button, and the lipstick stain on the collar will constantly draw attention in the wedding photos. Unless, of course, you ask the best man or maid of honor to keep a spare outfit on hand. If needed, the shirt can be changed quickly—and suddenly Frank Sinatra would look like a homeless person standing next to the groom.

3. Shoe-bidu

Whether they’re constantly visible or the wedding dress only occasionally reveals a glimpse of the bridal shoes —they always have to be perfect. They’re chosen with great care, and yet we’re now saying: Be sure to pack some sneakers, too. No matter how beautiful the shoes are, after a while your feet will long for something more comfortable. So why not switch to your favorite sneakers later in the evening and take that newfound comfort straight to the dance floor? Even Cinderella slipped out of her glass slippers just before midnight.

4. The small airplane icon

You know those incredibly annoying people who leave their cell phones on at the movies and, in the worst case, even make calls during the movie. Chances are, you’ve got some of these people on your guest list, too. To avoid ever finding out who it is—and to spare yourselves the heartbreak of ending a friendship—ask your guests before the ceremony to turn off their smartphones or—in case they want to take photos—at least put them in airplane mode. Before you ask: No, silent mode isn’t enough. When everything is quiet and the guests are holding their breath, waiting for the “I do,” a vibrating smartphone suddenly sounds as loud as a quarry blast. An “unplugged wedding” has long since ceased to be just a trend!

5. No bread, but games!

All the emotions, the stylish outfits, the beautiful decorations, and the delicious food—weddings are wonderful. At least, if you’re not nine years old. At nine, they’re boring and dull: silly adult events with no superheroes, no soccer, and no Fortnite. Don’t put the kids through that—make sure there’s plenty of play, fun, and excitement. You don’t necessarily have to set up a bounce house for your celebration; even small touches can make a big difference. If your venue has enough outdoor space, a soccer ball is definitely a good idea. Chalk for drawing on the street keeps them occupied and lets them create works of art. Board games and children’s card games let the kids have fun indoors, too, and if you only have one child on your guest list, go easy on them and set up a Nintendo Switch. By the way, you can find more ideas for a wedding with kids here .

6. Unlimited Power

Even though you’ll have a wedding photographer on site, Beate and Yasemin will definitely want to take photos themselves. Micha and Simon also think that with their Galaxy Plus Pro Pixel iPhones, they can take photos that are every bit as good as those taken by the pros. Let them believe that. To make sure their smartphones have enough juice to last the whole evening, equip the venue with power banks and/or the appropriate charging cables. One Micro-USB, one USB-C, and one Lightning cable should be enough.

7. Wedding Hashtag

If your guests are already taking photos, you might as well get something out of it. You can do this by creating a hashtag for your wedding and asking your guests to include your hashtag in everything they post on social media. Ideally, of course, it should be a unique hashtag. If you can’t think of anything suitable, your first names combined with the wedding date usually work well. If your wedding venue has a large screen, you can use it for a social wall. These are programs that specifically search social media for predefined hashtags and collect them on a large dashboard. Don’t worry—it won’t cost you a cent for your wedding. #bestweddingever

8. Killing Me Softly with His Song (request)

This point is especially important when you’re hiring a wedding DJ for your wedding: Make a “no-go” song list. Micha will definitely want to show off what a badass he is with AC/DC. Yasemin will request “Single Ladies” by Beyoncé and call out to the bride: “Hey, do you remember how we used to dance to this?” And Beate will want to hear “My Heart Will Go On” because she finds the song so romantic. But your list shouldn’t be a ban—it should be a game. Let your guests know that this list exists, and whoever picks a song that’s on it has to put at least one euro into the cliché piggy bank.

Disclaimer

Dear Micha, dear Simon, dear Yasemin, dear Beate, we may have changed your names, but if you still recognized yourselves—we love you all the same.