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The wedding reception site
is the first time you formally receive your relatives and friends as a married
couple. Properly planned, it becomes one of the most joyous parties you and
your groom will ever host. It can be as simple and demure as
champagne and hors d'oeuvres, or encompass an elegant five-course dinner and
dance. Selecting the wedding reception site location really
depends on how many guests you are inviting. Your wedding reception can be
staged nearly anywhere: on a yacht, a beautiful hotel, a restaurant, a loft, a
country club, etc. If you're being married in a season and locale noted for
good, reliable weather, there may be a lovely garden or arboretum available.
Also check out some of the restored historical mansions for some reception
sites ideas, they make delightful fairy-tale backdrops for a wedding feast.
Whatever you decide, know that the services of a professional banquet facility
or caterer can greatly enhance and expedite the planning of your wedding
reception site. Once you've decided the setting you would prefer, the
estimated number of guests and your financial resources, you're ready to begin
interviewing for reception sites and banquet halls and caterers. Reserve your wedding
reception site facility well in advance and promptly pay any necessary
deposit. Visit the reception site and design a suitable layout. Decide also
whether you'll have a formal or semi-formal receiving line. Consider grouping
furniture to stimulate conversation without obstructing traffic flow.
There should always be one table designated for the wedding party and one
table for the parents. Seating arrangements at the bride's table are as
follows: bridal couple in the center, maid of honor at the groom's left, best
man at the bride's right. Seat the other attendants, alternating men and
women, as space provides.
At a sit-down event, the
order of service should be bride, groom, maid of honor, other attendants,
parents and guests. Once all have been served, the best man presents the
traditional toast to the bridal couple.
Cake-cutting comes after
dinner. The bridal couple will cut the first slice and share it. Then the
caterer's staff finishes serving while the newlyweds visit with guests. The
last wedding reception ritual, before the bridal couple leave, is the bride's
tossing of her bouquet and the groom's flinging of the garter.
Finally, you and your
groom will leave the reception site for your honeymoon, no doubt followed by
rice raining down upon you and your car or limousine, bringing with it wishes
for fertility, prosperity and happiness.
Choosing the Wedding Reception Location
Many decisions
in planning a wedding come down to common sense. For example if you have a
guest list of five hundred people and a hall that fits two hundred, you have
a problem. But it seems that emotions somehow take the better part of the
wedding planning process, which then leads us to unfortunate decisions. It
is not that couples do not think intelligently, it is just that there are so
many things to do and so many people to please that sometimes inappropriate
decisions prevail.
In this
discussion, we are going to help you choose the reception location and also,
provide some pointers on facilitating the venue decision making process.
1.
Before you start to visit venues, decide up front what type of reception you
require. Use the Ten Points below to help you make the final decision on the
type of reception. Knowing what you want and what you need will ultimately
make the process faster and easier.
2.
Weed out all the venues that are inappropriate.
If the hall
is too small, do not add it to your list. Unless you plan to cut down the
guest list, the hall will not be acceptable.
If the hall
is not elegant enough for your tastes or does not meet the atmosphere that
you are trying to create, do not visit the hall.
If you must
visit the venue to determine that it is not acceptable, once you know that
it will not work, remove it from your list immediately and move on.
3.
Start and maintain a spreadsheet or use one of the online wedding planning
software to keep track of your information.
How many the
hall seats
Location of
the hall and how easy it is to access from major routes
Whether the
hall provides catering or not
Dates the
hall is available
Cost per
person for food and the rental cost of the hall
Rental costs
of linens if applicable
In deciding
which wedding venue is right for you, consider these Ten Points.
1. Number of
People
This is probably
the first point to be considered. Determine your guest list and once you
safely know how many people to expect, you will be able to search for halls
that meet the size requirement.
2. Season or
Time of Year
If you live in
an area that experiences both winter and summer, then a winter wedding
reception will most likely take place indoors. If it is a summer wedding,
however, you will need to choose between indoor and outdoor.
When choosing an
outdoor garden reception, if your family members do not have a beautiful
garden to offer as the location, many cities have parks and botanical
gardens where the ceremony and reception can be held. Contact the
appropriate City Hall or Parks and Recreation Department to inquire about
outside venues.
3. Ethnic Clubs
Many cultures
have their own clubs and associations in various communities. If your family
has strong ties to its heritage and culture, you may choose to use the
facilities provided by the club. Sometimes members will receive priority
treatment so it may not be as difficult to book the venue for the preferred
date.
4. Religious
Beliefs
Religious
beliefs will play a role in the selection of the venue. Traditional North
American weddings are usually performed on Saturdays but for many religions,
other days of the week are the norm. In addition to the acceptable day of
the week, whether liquor and dancing are permitted will help to decide which
location to choose.
5. Time of the
Day
Nowadays, it is
quite common to host luncheon receptions as opposed to the elaborate dinner
time reception. The luncheon may be held at a quaint Teashop or even a small
Yacht Club.
6. Amount in
Budget
Sometimes, the
choice of reception location comes down to numbers - how much you have
available in your wedding day budget. If you find that the locations you are
visiting are not financially feasible, then think about other options that
may be less expensive such as:
combining the
wedding ceremony and the reception in one location
having the
meal catered by family instead of the hall or professional caterers
cutting back
on other expenses to help meet the hall costs
7. Combined
Ceremony and Reception
Combining the
wedding service and the reception in one location is becoming more popular
as family and friends live all over the country. Keeping the two events in
one location avoids the necessity of traveling between locations keeping it
convenient for the guests.
8. Banquet Hall
or Hall
Banquet halls
usually refer to locations that provide the food and servers as well. If you
have a favorite caterer in mind, you may rule out some of the banquet halls
as not all of them allow outside catering. On the other hand, if you choose
a hall with no catering, then you will need to add another function to your
list - finding your meal.
9. Small Family
Affair
Small affairs
that include the witnesses and parents or maybe a few special family members
can be held nicely with reservations at your favorite restaurant. Many
restaurants have small rooms for birthday parties, anniversaries and get
togethers.
10. Availability
of Hall
Even after
making your decision of where to host your wedding reception, the decision
may be as mundane as which hall is available for a particular date. Halls
are booked months and even years in advance so start looking ear. |