If you're planning a wedding and inviting older friends and family members to celebrate your special day, then it's a good idea to start thinking in advance about how to make the day as comfortable as possible for them. It can be a worry if your dream venue is not be as accessible as you need it to be if they have limited mobility, or you may be concerned about your loved one feeling included on the day. To make sure your elderly guests feel their most comfortable and enjoy your wedding day, check out our guide on how to help elderly guests feel comfortable at your wedding.

Making Elderly Guests Feel Welcome

First off, there are some very, very, important factors to consider, which we will go through below, and nearly all need to be considered early at the venue booking stage. Scoping out the venue with these factors in mind, before booking your ceremony or reception space, will make it a lot easier to accommodate elderly guests on your wedding day, and will allow you to put a plan in place. Remember, many beautiful wedding venues around Ireland are protected buildings and are not allowed to make the structural changes necessary to make the property fully accessible.

Accesible Parking

Before choosing your venue, check out if there are disabled car parking spaces if they are required by your guests. Accessible car parking spaces are wider to accommodate those who use mobility aids and give extra room for people to get around their cars safely.  If the main carpark of the venue is not on site, check if there is somewhere near the entrance with easier access, or where a car can pull up close to the door. Once you've located the best place for them to park, let your guests know beforehand to guide them on the best place to park on your big day day.

Venue Accessibility

Your wedding venue might have chandeliers, a red carpet and a champagne tower, but it might not have accessible entrances, lifts and ample space for wheelchair users to move around. To guarantee your elderly guests can navigate your reception venue and ensure they are comfortable and at ease on your wedding day, walk the venue with your venue co-ordinator or planner as if you were going through the day from beginning to end. Be extra vigilant for entryways that can only be accessed by steps, things like gravel walkways that would make pushing a wheelchair difficult, and check if there are alternative ways to enter the building. To double check that wheelchair users can be accommodated, measure doorways to ensure that they are wide enough and enquire about or hireramps to overcome the issue of inaccessible steps. Check out how to plan an wheelchair accessible wedding here.

The Restrooms

Bathrooms are another big factor to consider to ensure accessibility for elderly guests. Firstly, check whether your venue has an accessible bathroom, and secondly check where it's located. It may be on the other side of the building, so let them know in advance if they have a distance to go from where the reception is to access it. Remember to place any wedding bathroom baskets or decorations in all of the bathrooms at your venue.

Adequate Seating

Before your wedding day, check in with your elderly guests and ask how they would prefer to be seated during the ceremony and reception to feel most comfortable. If your ceremony takes place in a church, be aware that they may require additional seating as getting in and out of rows of pews can be difficult. Make sure to notify your reception venue beforehand of any guests that are wheelchair users, so that they can create pathways between tables for wheelchair access, or enough space for someone to walk with aid. If the regular reception chairs do not offer enough support, then you can discuss getting an alternative chair for your guest or bringing one in yourself.

Food and Drink

There is a chance that some elderly guests might not want to drink alcohol or be able to due to taking certain medications. Providing plenty of delicious non-alcoholic drinks is always a more inclusive option anyway. If you're serving specialised cocktails on the night, why not include fun mocktails so that everyone can be involved in the festivities. Check out our recommendations for delicious mocktails to serve at your wedding reception here. Food is another thing to consider. Many older people have smaller appetites, and prefer food that is easier to chew and digest.

Consider Their Unique Care Needs

Consult your elderly guest, or their carer, prior to your wedding, so that you can tailor their experience to feel relaxed and comfortable on the day. Try asking these questions to guage what they may need:

• Do they use a cane, wheelchair or frame?
• Would they like to have rest at periods during the day?
• Would they like a specific quiet space to do so?
• Or would they like somewhere to lie down?
• Do they need special seating or extra supports for comfort?
• Do you need to ask a someone from their care home to chaperone them for the day?
• Do they have any medical issues you can be mindful of on the day?

The Little Things

Weddings can be high energy events and as the music gets louder older guests can benefit from a space away from the activity. A quiet room is a designated area which can be a haven for those who need a moment to chill out and get a break from all of the noise. Check out how to create a quiet room at your wedding here!

Lastly, to really go out of your way to let your elderly guests know how delighted you are to have them there, why not add a few of their favourite songs to your wedding band or DJ's playlist. Maybe even something they danced to on their own wedding day. Diversifying your playlist to appeal to everyone's taste, especially early on in the celebrations, will help them to feel part of the fun. It's the little things that really make your wedding friendly for elderly guests.

Read more about how to make your wedding day accessible for all your guests here!