Happy Birthday! Ways to Celebrate Birthdays at a Wedding

As it is my birthday today, I thought it would be best to address how to handle a guest celebrating a birthday on your wedding day. There are a number of ways to celebrate in a tasteful fashion without taking away from your big day.

I once had a client who had her great-grandmother attending the wedding which happened to take place on her 96th birthday. It was amazing! The whole family was thrilled to have a fourth generation guest celebrating with them. This family chose to have a moment of focus on this occasion by presenting a birthday cake and singing. It was a magical moment.

That being said, the may not be the attention you wish to have at your wedding. Here are some ideas for honoring the birthday guest without taking away from your wedding:

-Have a cupcake waiting in their hotel room after the wedding with a hand written note from you wishing them a a wonderful birthday. This is a wonderfully sentimental gesture that will be sure to please.

-If the birthday guest is a child (2-10), you may want to have their slice of wedding cake brought to the table with a candle— again, this would be a nice gesture to make them feel special, while still maintaining a high end feel to your big day.

-If the birthday guest is a teenager, they may be embarrassed by too much attention. I would recommend doing something special for them at the rehearsal dinner (if the if a family member) or on a previous weekend (if this is a friend).

-If the birthday guest is immediate family (Father, Mother, Brother, Sister, Grandparents or Close Aunts/Uncles) you could give the guest a “shout out” and dedicate a fun and upbeat dance song to them. The traditional birthday song is great, but “cuttin’ a rug” with the birthday boy/girl may make this a memorable moment and is great for your photo album.

It is important to appreciate a birthday guest at your wedding, but as you can see there are a number of ways to honor them without taking away from your special day!

#birthday