Tips for a Fantastic Wedding Reception

Aside from the wedding itself, the wedding reception is perhaps the most anticipated event for everyone involved. The bride and groom have the opportunity to share fun, laughter, and love with their friends and family, while the guests get to enjoy entertainment, food, and fun. It is a great time for all involved.

In this article, we are going to give you a few tips that will help you have a fantastic wedding reception. From start to finish, with these tips, your wedding reception will definitely be an event to remember and a ton of fun for everyone.

Tip # 1 – Remember the Basics

Every wedding reception has a few essential and basic aspects. It is important to remember these aspects dancing, music, catering, decorations, comforts, and location. Remember these in no particular order, just so long as you keep them in mind when planning your wedding reception.

Location – you want the location of the reception to be easy to find and get to. It is generally a good idea to have it somewhere near the actual wedding. Remember that the location should also have the capabilities to handle the number of people, the decorations, the food, the music, and other elements.

Dancing – You want to make sure that you have dancing, it is a given at any wedding reception. Make sure the location has room enough for dancing or even a dedicated dance floor.

Music – Music is a must, whether you provide your own music, hire a band, or hire a DJ, ensure that you have them ready for your reception. Book your music well ahead of time and choose music that suits not only your tastes, but those of your guests as well.

Catering – What is a reception without food and drinks? You can choose to have a full meal at your reception or even just finger foods. At the same time, you can have an open bar or a cash bar, the choice is yours.

Decorations – It is generally a good idea to match the decorations to your overall wedding theme. This means coordinate colors, match your dress, match your flowers and so on. If you intend to change into something else after the wedding, you can coordinate these colors into the reception as well. Some decorations to think about include centerpieces, flowers, candles, balloons, guest gifts, table clothes, lighting, drapes, and place settings and so on.

Comfort – Comfort is one of the most important elements. You want everyone from yourself, to your spouse, the wedding party, and your guests to be comfortable.

Tip # 2 – Time Line

Creating a time line and letting everyone know what is going to be happening and when is a great key to ensuring that the reception goes well and according to plan. Your time line should include your wedding with time for pictures, then the reception step by step.

The time you allot for each activity should be based on the time you have reserved for the reception location. However, here is a general order in which the reception should follow:

1.         Guests begin to Arrive – Have music playing and drinks available.

2.         Guests sign your guest book, directed to their designated seats (if there is a seating chart), receiving line if desired.

3.         Dinner is served, with wedding party going first. Toasts begin, the best man first, with others following.

4.         Cake and Deserts

5.         Bouquet and Garter Toss

6.         First Dance and Dollar Dance

7.         Traditional Dances – Mother and Son, Father and Daughter

8.         Fun until the reception ends.

It is generally a good idea to get all of the duties performed and finished from the start. This will allow those that need to leave the opportunity to experience the formal activities and leaves you with the rest of the night to do nothing more than enjoy the company of your new spouse, family, and friends.

Tip # 3 – Don't Forget To Have Fun

While there are many tips to having a fabulous wedding reception, the one that you do not want to forget is that this is your day. You should relax and enjoy it. Do not worry about problems that could occur, do not worry about snags, just go with the flow and enjoy your special day.