As far as parties go, a wedding tends to fall on the more extensive side of the spectrum. While gathering all of your friends and family members together in the same place might seem like celebration enough, some happy couples like to keep the excitement going after the reception ends. Throwing an after-party for a select number of guests might be the right way to get a little bit of extra fun out of your wedding experience. Of course, you also need to think about the option a bit before making your final decision. If you’re mulling over the idea of an after-party, then you might find a bit of guidance useful. Take a look at these tips and see what choice is best for your experience.

Address a Need

Wedding receptions run an average of four or five hours. While this seems like a lot of time, it can often go by too fast. You might feel like you just found time to get out on the dance floor when the DJ is calling out “last dance.” Since guests are usually drinking and indulging in the revelry of the occasion, many will want to keep partying after the reception ends. If you know your friends and family members will be looking for more fun, then throwing an after-party for your wedding addresses a specific need.

These late-night events are perfect for keeping the fun going, but they also can help you find time to actually connect with guests. The wedding will pass by you like a blur, and you definitely won’t have an opportunity to speak with each person who came to see you and your partner tie the knot. By having a little gathering after the reception has finished, you are giving yourself ample time to chat with some of your closest friends while basking in the afterglow of your union.

Location Is Important

The location of your after-party can prove to be a little tricky. Usually, a reception finishes too late in the night for a long trip elsewhere. This means your best bet is to throw a small gathering somewhere in close proximity to your reception venue. In many cases, a couple will inform guests of nearby hotels when initially sending out the event invitations. If you and your partner are planning on staying at a hotel where many of your guests are also spending the night, then you might have an easy solution to your after-party location.

If the hotel where you are all staying has a bar in the lobby, speak with management about what time the bar closes. It is not uncommon for hotels to keep their in-house bars open later to accommodate the requests of wedding parties. All you need to do is take a moment to speak with the appropriate hotel manager and learn about your options. If all else fails, you can always take a small group back to your own hotel room for a few hours of extra partying.

Safe Travels 

Finally, you need to consider transportation. Guests who have been drinking should definitely not get behind the wheel of their vehicles under any circumstances. If the location of the after-party is not within walking distance, then you need to think about renting a shuttle bus or limo to safely get everyone where they need to go. By doing this, you can ensure the security of the people you care about most.

When the day of your wedding arrives, you are going to want to hold onto the experience as long as possible. Squeeze a few extra drops from your day by thinking over the option of a wedding after-party. Take the time to plan it correctly, and you can have some much-needed quality time with your favorite people.