There’s a lot to think about when it comes to planning your wedding, and a lot of the things you’ll think about will be linked to the ceremony itself, but what about the party or reception afterwards? The last thing you’ll want is to be disappointed with that because it’s the last thing people will remember, so it’s well worth putting some effort in to create the perfect wedding reception.
With that in mind, here are some of the things you can do to make it happen.
Choose The Ideal Venue
The venue is absolutely crucial when it comes to your wedding reception, so think very carefully about exactly what it is you want and how you want it to look, feel, and what should be included. It might be that you’re getting married and having the party all in one place, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still take all this into account – you’ll still need to make sure it’s the right place because otherwise, no matter how great your photos might look or how romantic the setting is, you’ll still have regrets – no one wants that.
It’s best to visit a wide range of different wedding venues so you’ve got something to compare things with, and write up a list of pros and cons for each one. It’s so easy to get carried away with how lovely everything looks, but you’ll need to be practical – what really works and what shouldn’t be on the list at all? Things to think about include how big the place is (can all your guests fit safely and comfortably) and whether the choice of food on offer (if any) is suitable, as well as much more.
Pass On The Details
It’s highly likely that you’ll have more guests at the party than attending the wedding ceremony itself – not everyone can make a full day, and very often the venues can only accommodate a small number of people in the ceremony compared to the number you can have at the party.
That’s why it’s wise to have two sets of wedding invitations so you can pass on the right details to the right people and ensure there are no mix-ups. You can send one type of wedding invitation to all-day guests and another to evening guests so everyone knows where they’re meant to be.
The design of the wedding invitation needs to match your theme and it needs to clearly set out all the details of where people are expected to be and when, plus you can include a dress code and instructions on how to RSVP so you know the numbers – that makes planning everything much easier.
Create The Perfect Menu
You’ll need to feed people at your party, and you can choose to have a sit-down meal, a buffet-style meal, or perhaps both (if your wedding reception is early in the day, you can fit two meals in – but it’s going to depend on your budget and how long people intend to stay, so you can work out the finer details when you know what’s happening). No matter what type of meal you choose, you need to think carefully about the food you’re serving people – it’s got to be good.
One of the best things you can do to make sure it all works out deliciously is to work with a caterer to design a menu that caters to various tastes and, of course, any dietary restrictions people might have. It’s wise to offer a variety of different options, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free dishes, and try to include seasonal or local food as that’s always fresher and tasty.
Plan The Seating Arrangement
Assuming you’re going to have a sit-down meal, you’ll need to work out a seating arrangement so that everyone’s comfortable and has somewhere to call theirs for the duration of the party – dancing is a lot of fun, but people will need to rest, and having a seat allocated to them makes that easier.
The seating plan might seem like a simple job, but it can get very complicated, especially when you need to seat some people together and keep others apart (and that is usually the case in most families!). You can start by grouping people depending on how they know the happy couple – close family can go together (unless they can’t…), and friends can go somewhere else, and so on.
No matter how you work things out, you’ll need to have place cards so people can be sure they’re in the right place, and it’s a good idea to place a large seating chart by the entrance so people can see which table they’re on right away.
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