Many times, although décor is painstakingly planned for
every part of a wedding, couples overlook adorning the bar. The bar, however,
is often a place where every guest travels and also where many stay for lengthy
periods of time. As such, it provides the perfect backdrop to add special
elements to or tie in your wedding’s theme.
Decorating a bar does not need to be difficult, mainly
because the space does not require anything overly intricate or detailed. After all, the main focus of the bar is
serving drinks and something intricate or detailed may just get in the
bartender’s way. In fact, you may find that large or complex decorations are
removed to ease the bartender’s work or are knocked over by eager guests.
Our guidance, therefore, is to keep items simple and low.
Simple because there is less chance of the décor getting in the way and low
because a bartender can pass drinks over it, leading to the bar not becoming smaller
even though adorned. Décor ideas meeting these two recommendations include:
Jars containing candy or other snacks: a low, crystal or
glass bowl containing your favorite treat will quickly be emptied by guests. The
same is true for small plates of appetizers that can be periodically refreshed
throughout the evening because, trust us, bar dwellers love to munch!
Plate(s) of chocolates: a small plate or two of your
favorite chocolates will quickly disappear. Chocolates are better served on a
plate so that they can be easily accessed and won’t melt together should the
room become warm.
Photos: framed pictures of the couple or other important
members of their family, such a children or pets, give guests something fun to
look at and discuss while waiting for drinks. Just make sure that the photos
are no larger than 5x7 so that it remains out of the guests’ and bartenders’
way. Along these lines, you can frame two of your wedding invitations and flank
both ends of the bar with them.
Fun straws: fun unique straws in a decorated holder catch
the eye and serve a purpose: making drinks more fun and entertaining! Remember,
bars serve more than just alcoholic drinks, so these straws can be quite a hit
with kids.
Mad libs or other games: if you want to make sure that
guests remain entertained while hanging out at the bar or waiting for their
drinks, place mad libs designed for your wedding or other similar games, such
as “Would you Rather” question cards, in a bowl or other small container. At
the end of the night, you will likely that find these games were spread
throughout the reception, proving just how entertaining they were.
Song request cards: allow guests to think of their favorite
songs while ordering their drink and write them down to later hand the DJ. The
result will be a packed dance floor: guests love to dance to their
favorites!
Now, those recommendations are for the bar itself.
Sometimes, though, you’ve got space on either side of or behind the bar that
just begs for décor. Behind the bar, a projected monogram, photos, or slideshow
give guests something to look at that is entertaining and couple-focused. On
the areas surrounding the bar, try providing candy bars (chocolate on one side,
non-chocolate on the other), snacks or games. These will entertain guests
without creating too much of a traffic jam because of their placement.
