Thursday, November 5, 2009

4 Smart Tips for Planning a Wedding Reception

By Aaron Hu

The reception is the real celebration of the wedding. So a good portion of your planning will be around it. The process might seem tricky but as long as you keep the process as simple as possible you should be able to be just fine. You just need to make sure that you keep to the main points of planning. That is your decorations, your entertainment, seating, the menu, and wedding favors. Here are some suggestions to help you with each one and make your wedding reception a memorable.

The first thing to focus on is your decorations. You will need to make sure that they match the general theme of your wedding. In many ways you can say that the reception is the place where your wedding theme will be most prominently displayed. You should try to go for elegance and simplicity. It should be obvious what design idea you are creating without it looking garish. For the tables make sure that everything matches that means making sure the dinnerware, tablecloth, and centerpiece match.

Entertainment varies with each bride but normally it's going to be music. Some brides go with a DJ and others go with live entertainment. For your DJ make sure he can play a diverse collection of music from classics to top 40 hits. Live entertainment can also be a great choice. Try to find great local bands in your area. If you like certain type of music like Michael Jackson, tribute bands are a great idea. Basically shop around so you find the best value for your money. If you have a unique theme such as a fall carnival you can include special activities such as games as well. The point of entertainment for your reception is to have something for everyone.

Seating can be a prickly issue especially if you have guests with special needs for seating or you have to do some indirect family diplomacy. A good idea is to look at your guest list. Try to call everyone and ask if there are any special needs they might want to have addressed concerning their seating. Also keep abreast of who is not on good terms with each other. This way you will know to put them at different tables.

The menu is important simply for the fact you want your guests to enjoy a decent meal. The meal can make a positive or negative impression concerning your wedding depending on the circumstances. First you want to make the meal memorable and delicious. A great source for ideas is the theme of your wedding. If you have a fall or winter theme, a great idea would be to serve seasonal dishes. For example a fall wedding reception meal would have an interesting start with pumpkin soup served in hollowed out pumpkin shells. To avoid trouble such as food allergies ask ahead of time if guests have any and just in case have viable alternatives.

Wedding favors are a great finishing touch for your wedding. They are gifts you give to thank guests for coming to your nuptials. You want to get something that once again matches your wedding theme and is at least something they will like or find interesting. A good rule of thumb is to go with something interesting or useful. You chances of giving a good gift increase that way.

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