Is there anything like a perfect wedding reception? It can be if you put a lot of thought into the planning stages. There is no argument about how daunting planning a wedding and the reception can be. The stress may tempt you to throw your hands up, but that would dampen the mood of an otherwise joyous occasion. Nobody wants to spend an average of £18,400 on a wedding only for everything to go wrong. This guide will walk you through some steps for a perfect wedding reception.
1. Avoid extravagance if you cannot afford it
Weddings are generally expensive, but you can still have a beautiful one within your budget. It all depends on choices and frugal spending if you and your partner decide not to overspend your savings. The only way to do this is to discuss the wedding reception details with your soon-to-be spouse. When the budget discussion begins, you must be open about catering, venue, decor, entertainment, and souvenirs. The financial stress of a wedding can take the wind out of your sails, but that can be sidestepped with careful planning around a budget.
Don’t be compelled to hold an extravagant wedding if you don’t have the funds. The worst decision you and your partner can make is to borrow money to hold a wedding reception out of your means. An extravagant reception only brings headaches and frustration after the wedding. Fortunately, that is a stress you can avoid when you and your partner agree to stick to a reasonable budget you can afford. The focus should rather be on the love and joy bringing you and your partner together in matrimony.
2. Align your theme with the venue
The wedding reception venue is critical to the occasion, especially because it complements the chosen theme. It is not about having a pretty backdrop for your wedding pictures; rather, it has everything to do with how the venue adds to the overall experience. If your wedding was an artwork, think of the reception as the canvas upon which the painting will be. The reception venue must properly align with the wedding vision and theme. It doesn’t matter if the venue is indoors or outdoors. What matters most is having a space that projects the main theme and doesn’t look out of place. For example, it will be displaced to have an elegant ballroom wedding theme only for the reception to be at the beach.
The truth is that many guests choose their outfits based on the wedding theme and reception venue. Therefore, you will inconvenience them with your unintended faux pas. There is more to the venue than your wedding guests’ outfits. Also, consider parking spaces and other accessible facilities. How about convenient accommodations for your out-of-town guests? The reception venue is a critical logistical aspect of the wedding. Therefore, overlooking the nuances can take away from the beauty and what should have been a perfectly organised reception.
3. Be mindful of dietary restrictions and food allergies
A detailed menu here doesn’t mean instructing the caterer to prepare every wedding dish you can imagine. That would be costly. This point focuses on dietary restrictions and allergies your guests may have. An experienced professional caterer can design a menu to suit different preferences. Many people have food allergies ranging from nuts to shellfish and milk. A detailed menu incorporates these dietary aversions into the planning to reduce or eliminate the risk of triggering allergies among your wedding guests. Remember that guests often rate a wedding reception’s perfection on the quality of food and drinks. A well-planned selection of appetisers, entrees, and desserts can leave lasting impressions on the minds of wedding attendants. Organise a tasting session in advance if you don’t want unpleasant surprises at the wedding reception. Attending the food-tasting session with your partner and key wedding members is advisable. It would help if you had candid and diverse opinions on the taste, presentation, and food quality.
4. Plan a detailed entertainment that cuts across all ages
Entertainment can break or make your wedding reception. Savvy guests say entertainment follows closely after catering on the wedding judging scale. Wedding entertainment isn’t only about hiring a DJ or a live band. It’s all about how you combine all the little details. No matter your preference, only a skilled DJ or live band can read the crowd and keep the dance floor active. It helps to discuss your music preferences with the band or Disc Jockey. Certain details may factor into your music selection. For example, you may want trendy songs dominating your event if you are a young couple.
Classics and old-school music may feature more prominently if the couple is older. To avoid bias, however, it pays to play a wide selection of songs from different eras that define your guest list. Slow music helps your dancing guests catch their breaths before the next list of up-tempo songs. In effect, music arrangement requires detailed planning, creativity, and consideration of everyone at the reception. Don’t restrict entertainment to music only because there are other wow factors. Consider adding a spectacular fireworks display to the event. This is even more fun if the reception is outdoors with a clear night sky view. Remember, there are no limitations on the entertainment choice as long as they’re things your guests will love.
5. Discuss timelines with an experienced photographer and videographer
The wedding will last only a few hours, but the memories are forever. One effective way to ensure that is through pictures and videos. A skilled photographer and videographer will be useful on your special day. Please don’t rule out the essence of a pre-wedding discussion, no matter how experienced and skilled they are. Discuss the specific shots and must-have moments you and your spouse want to be captured. That is why the photographer and videographer need copies of the reception schedule. These professionals will do a better job when they understand the timelines involved. Many couples have regretted missing out on must-have moments from their wedding day. Fortunately, this won’t happen to you when you discuss these details beforehand. Even when the wedding is a day event, a prepared photographer and videographer will plan for an evening kit if the event drags beyond the scheduled hours. That is detailed planning you and your spouse can benefit from for many years.
Disclosure: This is a featured post.