Done right, a New Year’s Eve wedding can be one of the most fun and memorable ways to celebrate both your nuptials and the beginning of a new year, and all the hopefulness both entail.

If you’re planning your wedding for December 31 and are looking for a way to incorporate celebration of the new year into your wedding, we’ve got five ideas we’ve picked up from our years of experience as a wedding planner in Northwest Indiana that we know will help make your New Year’s wedding and reception one nobody will ever forget.

New Year’s Eve props

The reception photo booth has been a trend at weddings for years now. One great idea for incorporating celebration of New Year’s into the celebration of your wedding is to include traditional New Year’s props—crowns and tiaras, glittery hats, glasses with the new year on them, boas and confetti poppers can help people have a little bit of fun with their photos, incorporating the festivities of the new year.

Countdown Clock

Wedding planners generally suggest you remove clocks from your reception area, as you don’t want people thinking about the time at your wedding or your reception. You don’t want to encourage anyone to leave early, and you don’t want people thinking about the time, because you don’t want anyone to be that bored! But you can make an exception at a New Year’s Eve wedding, where a countdown can be a nice addition. The clock doesn’t take center stage until the midnight hour approaches, so you won’t be at risk of losing anyone’s attention.

Champagne at midnight

Perhaps the best way to celebrate the new year is with champagne, champagne, champagne. We suggest that at the moment of the ball dropping, you and your guests share a little toast to you, the couple, and to the new year and all the hope it holds.

Drop confetti and balloons at midnight

If you want to make that midnight hour perfect, then add to your toast by dropping confetti and balloons from the rafters at the moment of the new year.

Just picture it. You and everyone you love. The confetti falls on their heads as they raise their glasses to you, all singing “Auld Lang Syne” and finding that special someone to share the first kiss of the year with. It’s hard to imagine a more hopeful or romantic way to end the night.

Proper decoration

You want everything to sparkle, so include good crystal and chandeliers. Add a little glitz, a little gold and glitter wherever you can. You should also consider live streaming the ball drop, but just the last few minutes. As any wedding planner will tell you, this day should still be about your marriage.

Signature Banquets is a family owned and operated business with over 30 years of experience as a wedding planner in Northwest Indiana. If you’re looking to make your wedding an event you and your loved ones will never forget, please give us a call today to schedule your consultation.