The 5 Things Your Guests Are REALLY Doing After Your Wedding

Of course, ensuring your guests have fun at your wedding should be one of your goals. But what about after the wedding? Post-reception, the newlyweds may or may not spend some time at an after-party, and then retire to their wedding-night accommodations for a variety of, um, activities. And as for your guests? They’re participating in wedding-night activities all their own. WeddingWire surveyed nearly 400 wedding guests who disclosed what they’ve done after wedding receptions.

If you’re wondering what your guests will be doing after the wedding, check out the results of this new survey. You may be surprised at the most common post-wedding goings-on.

Posting photos of the wedding on social media

More than half of your guests will use their phones to take photos during your wedding. And they’ll likely post those photos on social media at some point during the night. Hopefully they’re spending time at your wedding dancing and partying as opposed to glued to their phones, but after the reception’s over, over 47 percent of guests posted photos on social media. If you have a wedding hashtag (and you so should!), be sure to display it widely during your reception. This will ensure that your guests use it, and allow you to organize and view all the posts from your big day easily.  

Comparing and criticizing the details

We all know that there are certain aspects of a wedding that guests actually care about. These include the food and drink, the attire, and the music. Turns out that over 28 percent of guests spend time after the wedding comparing or criticizing the details from the big day. Sounds kind of mean-spirited, right? We’ve all been there, and we’ve all done it, so don’t take it too much to heart. You’re married, you’re over the moon, and no one will remember the minor flaws and hiccups.

Partying all night

For some guests, the end of your reception doesn’t mean the revelry has stopped. In fact, 25 percent of wedding guests stay up all night partying after a wedding. Hosting an after-party will ensure that your guests will have somewhere convenient, like the hotel where most of your guests are staying, to continue to the celebration (though, according to our survey, over 8 percent of guests end up ditching the after-party), and it’s also a good idea to hire transportation to help guests get back to their hotel safely. In fact, 22 percent of wedding guests use alternative transportation (meaning, they don’t drive) to get to and/or from a wedding—safety first.

“Getting it on”

Weddings tend to put people in the mood for love. We know that about 40 percent of newlyweds “seal the deal” on their wedding night, but it turns out that their guests are partaking in similar, er, activities after attending a wedding. According to the WeddingWire survey, nearly 20 percent of guests had sex with their spouse or date (or, for your single guests, someone they met during your event) after the wedding.  

Drinking too much

At many weddings, free booze abounds, and many guests decide to take advantage of an open bar. In fact, over 19 percent of the wedding guests surveyed admitted to having too much to drink at or after a wedding. The drinking often starts even before the festivities, as over 30 percent of wedding guests owned up to having a drink or two prior to the wedding. While it might not be surprising that many guests drink during or after the wedding, it’s important as host to help ensure your loved ones’ safety. As mentioned, hosting an after-party and hiring transportation are good safety measures. It’s also essential to hire licensed bartenders for your wedding (and after-party) who can safely serve your loved ones.