Wedding Reception Tips and Tricks
January 12th, 2006 Posted in Wedding Planning and Ideas
After the ‘I Do’s have been said and the happy newlyweds have sealed their marriage with a kiss, everyone will be eager to head for the reception, a time of celebration and socializing. Unfortunately, for already busy brides and grooms, the reception requires just as much planning as the actual ceremony, but if thought through careful, a fun time can be had by all with minimal stress on the planners.
First to be considered is the reception site. Finding a venue that is able to host both ceremony and reception can cut down on a lot of confusion, and make it easier for guests, particularly out-of-town ones, to get from place to place. Having both celebrations at the same venue can also save you money, as many sites will offer discounts to couples who choose to host both at their venue. If, however, your site cannot host both, looking for a reception site as close as possible to the ceremony site will ease difficulties for those with terrible senses of directions.
Once you’ve found the venue of your dreams, remember: get everything in writing. Any agreements or conclusions should be on paper to avoid the dangers of ‘verbal agreements’ and disappointments when your big day arrives.
Obviously it’s important to check if your wedding date is available. Check too what other events might be hosted at that site on your day to see if you’re in for a packed house, or an intimate affair. There’s no use going any further into the planning stages with a site’s event coordinator if your date of choice is not available. Also be sure that the site is able to accomodate all of your guests. How many will be attending? Do any have special needs, such as requiring wheelchair accessible doors?
Many venues offer packages, and having a look at what is included in these can save both time and money. Not having to negotiate and put together the event on your own relieves some of the planning burden, and event bundles can save you bundles at the end of the day. Some things to consider are:
- decorations and decor - most sites will have a package that includes tablecloths, napkins, and a standard centerpiece
- the bar - are you having an open or cash bar? Alcoholic beverages or not? What kind of service can the venue provide, if any (check for valid liquor licenses)?
- the menu - ask for detailed menu information and consider any dietary restrictions that your wedding guests may have. No one want food allergies at a wedding reception. Arrange to taste test a venue’s offerings to make sure that you’re getting what you want out of your meal.
- fees for external services - many venues have fees and restrictionsassociated with bringing outside personnel and items onto their site. They would rather take care of all the details themselves, both to reduce the risk that something happens to their property, and to squeeze as much money out of you as possible. Some examples include:
- corking fees for each bottle of your own wine/champagne that you open on site
- cake cutting fees, and restrictions on bringing in an off site baker
- restrictions on bringing outside caterers in to cater your wedding
- parkings fees for parking on site
Be sure that you are very clear with their event coordinator, or if they don’t have one, then the event coordinator that you bring on to manage the task, about the kind and formality of the reception. Is it a buffet? A black tie affair? Just dessert and drinks?