Many brides and grooms are so focused on the service itself that many forget the majority of the day will likely be spent at the after-party—the wedding reception. Receiving your guests and enjoying your first night as a married couple amongst your friends and family is almost as important as the ceremony itself, as it is a night that you will remember and talk about for the rest of your life. The caveat, as always, is that receptions are expensive and time-consuming affairs to plan. If you need to start planning your wedding reception, but don’t know where to start, here are some pointers on creating the perfect post-wedding party.
1. Know your budget
Wedding receptions often swallow more than half of a total wedding budget, so do not underestimate the amount the reception may cost. If budgeting is an issue for you, then you may want to keep your reception small or perhaps just have a ‘cocktail reception’—a reception with drinks and hors d'oeuvres only, as opposed to a sit-down meal or buffet.
2. Finding a location, and decorating it properly.
Inside or outdoors? At home or in a hired venue? How close to the church or registry office? These are just some of the questions you will need to ask about potential venues. Venues often need booking well in advance, so ensure that you have given yourself enough time to find the right venue.
In addition to this, dressing the venue comes secondly only to dressing the bridge. Decorating the venue with banner signs, photos and flowers is a must, although if on a budget these items can be kept to a minimum. Otherwise, creating the right environment with lighting, decoration and other accents can add the perfect magic to your big day.
3. Setting the tone, finding music, and going themed.
Another important question for a bride and groom is how to set the tone of the reception. Will it be themed? Will it be formal or informal? Will you have music playing in the background during dinner? These are just some of the questions you will need to think about in order to make your wedding reception perfect.
4. Choosing the menu
If you are serving food, you need to think about two words: how and what. How to serve the food, and what the food will be. Sit-down meals are the more formal choice and will provide structure to the reception, but they also tend to be more expensive and can be too restricting. Buffets are a great option too, but they can little a little too informal if not staged correctly. When sending out RSVPs, ensure that you ask guests to inform you of any allergies so that you can provide a nut-free or gluten-free option if need be. Otherwise, just keep to the basics: food that is extreme in any way (too spicy, too sour) will polarize guests.
5. Factoring in the traditions
When organizing the timetable of the reception, you should think about how you are going to fit in all the traditions. Cutting the cake, toasts, throwing the bouquet and even the first dance are all blocks of time which need to be accounted for. With that in mind, try plan out the course of your evening and make sure that no tradition goes ignored and that you have time to do everything you want and receive all your guests with ease.
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About the author:
This is a guest post by Ashley Williamson, a freelance writer who loves to share her creative ideas on various blogs. When she is not working she likes to travel and do yoga.
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Lifestyle