How Your Guests Can Enjoy All Of It, Too.

The Little Things That Make Wedding Guests Feel Special

She walked into the wedding wearing a fitted teal dress with sequins at the bustle. She looked like a mermaid, and she was beautiful. So I told her the truth. “If I had an award for best-dressed guest, I’d give it to you.”

She screamed, threw her hands in the air, and said, “Yaaaaay! That is exactly what I thought, too!” Then she turned to the man with her and announced that I’d said they were the best-dressed couple. That wasn’t quite what I’d said, but he was delighted anyway. He gave me a high five and said, “That’s awesome!”

I hadn’t planned any of it. I meant the compliment, and I gave it because it was true. Later that night, I started thinking: What if I could give guests a little something to take home with moments like that?

At Pole Barn Chic Events in Springfield, Illinois, we spend a great deal of time thinking about how people feel when they’re here. Our couples are at the center of the day, of course. But they invited their favorite people to celebrate with them. I want those people to feel special, noticed, and happy, too.

A compliment can become a story

My ten-year-old daughter once ran up to me at a wedding and said, “Mommy! Look at that guy’s mustache! It’s the mustachiest mustache I’ve ever seen!” I told him what she’d said. He beamed. Then he told me it was the best compliment he’d ever heard.

I still remember him for that mustache, and now he has a story about a little girl at a wedding venue who thought it was spectacular.

There was also a guest who could really dance, a bridesmaid who seemed to be getting left out, and a woman who was 38 weeks pregnant near the end of a hot summer. She told me she was physically miserable, but she was so happy to be at the wedding. Sitting in the air conditioning, watching everybody dance and have a wonderful night, was the first good time she’d had in months.

She didn’t need to be pulled onto the dance floor. She was already enjoying the celebration in her own way.

That’s something I try to remember when I look across a room. The person sitting quietly might not be bored or lonely. They may be taking it all in. I’ll come by and ask whether I can get them anything. If I check in a few more times, often they relax and start telling me about themselves, where they traveled from, or what they think of the venue.

I love hearing where guests are from. I love asking how they feel here and whether the trip was worth it. Those conversations are one of my favorite parts of wedding weekends.

My idea for the PBC guest awards

That best-dressed guest got me thinking about little awards we could give privately during a wedding. Nothing that takes over the reception or puts someone unwillingly on the spot. Just a sincere, unexpected moment from our team.

Maybe it’s Best-Dressed Guest or Best-Dressed Couple. Maybe Best Dancer, Best Mustache, or Best Grand Entrance. José and Will, our bartenders, could help choose Best Bar Buddy for someone who has spent the night chatting with them.

I might even give a gentleman a Best Parking award. I have a feeling he’d go home very proud of it.

And yes, the bride and groom would always get Best Couple.

I picture a small card with spaces for the guest’s name, the award, the wedding date, and the couple’s names. It would say it came from Pole Barn Chic. If I find an affordable tiny trophy or keychain, perhaps that could go with it.

Four to six awards in a night sounds about right. My staff and I could notice the moments together. There wouldn’t be a predetermined list of winners. An award would only happen when it felt right, and I could invent a category on the spot if a guest earned one we’d never thought of.

The rules in my mind are simple: it has to be sincere, kind, and fun. Nothing sarcastic that someone could misunderstand. No forced moment. No guest wondering all night whether they’ve been “nominated.” They wouldn’t know an award was coming, which is part of why receiving one could feel so wonderful.

A couple doesn’t have to pay for 200 favors to make this happen. It’s a small gesture from our team to one of their guests. Perhaps someone will keep the card for years. Perhaps they’ll post a picture. Perhaps they’ll just tell the story every time they remember that wedding.

And perhaps it will be the first award that person has ever received.

Guests are invited into our home, too

If I see someone who looks uncomfortable, I may ask, “Hey—you good?” Sometimes I make eye contact and turn a thumbs-up into a thumbs-down so they can tell me quietly how they’re doing. Once we’ve established that little signal, we can use it again later without drawing attention to them.

It lets a person keep their space while knowing I’m paying attention.

I’ve told my team that the couple’s guests have also been invited into my home to celebrate. “My home” being the pride of my property, the pole barn. Their needs matter. They are important in a different way from the wedding party, but they are important all the same.

That can mean bringing someone a shawl because they’re cold. It can mean opening our large door so a guest with limited mobility has a shorter walk. It can mean helping carry a plate from the buffet, bringing a drink, or offering an early ride back to a nearby hotel to someone who is tired.

Sometimes it means being ready with tissues. We are very well stocked with tissues, and wedding guests give us reasons to use them every weekend!

Sometimes it means a rag in my hand and quick feet when a drink spills. If I can catch it before it becomes a slippery mess, everyone can get on with their evening.

None of those things is a grand gesture. To the person who needed help at that moment, though, it may mean a great deal.

My team makes these connections, too

Our guests ask about our staff by name. Couples have requested José and Will at the bar, then checked that Angie and I would be there as well.

José makes drinks and talks with guests. Will does that too, and he brings music, dancing, and plenty of fun into the interaction. My sons are around the age of many of our couples, and I think about the people and energy that fit each event when assigning bartenders.

I’m proud when someone tells me we were professional and made the wedding enjoyable. I’m especially proud when they say a staff member went out of the way to accommodate someone.

I once watched José bring out our wheelchair for an older guest so they could ride to their car rather than make a difficult walk with a cane. He saw what would help and did it.

Before each event, our team meets to discuss the particular needs and concerns the couple has shared with us. That way, we can be attentive without making a guest feel watched or embarrassed.

Guests and staff can build a bond surprisingly quickly—sometimes in just a couple of hours. I hope people leave describing our team as happy, energized, polite, helpful, and sincere.

Different guests enjoy a wedding in different ways

I can often spot the person who will bring the energy to the dance floor. Frequently it’s someone in the bridal party. But parents and grandparents can be the biggest surprises! Sometimes a shy guest needs a little time—and perhaps a bit of liquid courage—before joining in.

I’ve seen someone rip off a shirt during a grand entrance. I’ve seen a bride give her bouquet to her mother. I’ve watched long-married couples quietly get each other food.

All those moments belong at the same wedding. The fun is not limited to the loudest person in the room.

One of the nicest things a guest can do for the newlyweds is let them enjoy their evening. Join the party. Dance, talk, laugh, and celebrate with them. They invited you because they wanted to share this night with you.

What makes someone feel welcomed?

It isn’t a rehearsed line. It’s taking time to listen to their story.

The best-dressed guest didn’t need me to invent a reason to speak to her. I noticed her dress and told her honestly what I thought. The man with the mustache didn’t need a marketing campaign. He needed to hear what my daughter had said about him.

Those little moments are why I want to try the awards. I want a guest to take home more than a souvenir. I want them to remember that someone saw them having a wonderful time and appreciated them for it.

When our guests are happier, our couples are happier. They invited people here to have a good time. Helping make that happen is a win for everyone.

And it doesn’t begin with the awards. It begins with the everyday work we do to keep the property beautiful for every wedding, every weekend. It continues in the conversations, the check-ins, the shawls, the drinks carried across a room, and the staff member who sees that someone needs help getting to their car.

I treat our guests the way I would want my own children treated at a wedding: with genuine attention and kindness.

If someone leaves Pole Barn Chic saying, “They went out of their way to make that night wonderful,” I’ll be happy. If they want to come back for another wedding—or even renew their own vows here—that would make me happier still.

Most of all, I hope every guest leaves feeling special, noticed, and happy.

Frequently Asked Questions About Making Wedding Guests Feel Special

Do wedding guests care about small personal touches?

In my experience, they do. A thoughtful check-in, a sincere compliment, or help at just the right moment can become a story a guest remembers long after the wedding.

Do couples need to buy favors for every guest?

Only if favors are meaningful to them. At PBC, we often see favors left behind at the end of the night. A warm interaction with a guest costs little and can have a much bigger impact.

How can a wedding venue help guests feel welcome?

Friendly staff can greet people, listen, answer questions, keep guest areas comfortable and clean, and notice when someone needs help. Accessibility and attentive service matter throughout the celebration.

Will the PBC guest awards be announced during the reception?

The idea is to give a few awards privately and spontaneously when the timing feels right. The couple’s celebration remains the focus.

Are You or Someone You Know Planning a Central Illinois Wedding?

Pole Barn Chic Events is a locally owned wedding venue in Springfield, Illinois, on our little piece of country hidden in the city. We bring polished farm elegance together with a team that loves taking care of people. We’d love to show you what a wedding here can feel like.

Visit www.pbcvenue.com, follow @polebarnchic on Instagram, find Pole Barn Chic on Facebook, and visit @illinois.weddings on TikTok.
Photo taken by: Brooktree Studios