How to Plan the Perfect Wedding Reception
How to Plan the Perfect Wedding Reception
The nerve-wracking part is over - your ceremony is finished and you are now a happily married couple! But, before you have time to take all that in, you're swept off to your reception and here's where some forward planning can take the anxiety out of keeping all your guests happy, well fed and entertained. With a well-organised wedding reception, you and your new spouse can relax and enjoy yourselves and the company of your loved ones. Here are our top tips for a perfect reception:
Many couples have a photoshoot directly after the ceremony, and for the guests who aren't in the bridal party, this means a lot of hanging around while they wait for the reception. Provide canapes, drinks and music to fill this gap, or use the down-time to pass round your guestbook for everyone to sign. You could even delegate a friend to take individual/couples photos of the rest of the guests so you have some pictures to stick into the guestbook next to their messages.
Keep the kids amused during dinner. Three courses of food followed by speeches can be a long time to expect a child to stay sitting in one place! It's a good idea to serve the children's meal when you serve the starter, and perhaps offer a simple, child-friendly alternative to the set menu. Leave colouring books and crayons at children's place settings, or even set up a craft table or toys in a quiet corner so kids can happily go and play while their parents can relax, knowing they're entertained. If your budget will stretch to it, hiring a professional children's entertainer can fill those hours and allow all the adults to enjoy their food, drink and speeches in peace.
Smaller dance floors are better than large ones, as it takes fewer people to make it feel full up, which encourages the shyer dancers to join in! And keep the lights low - people are more likely to dance in dimmer light as they feel less self-conscious. Don't forget to look after your DJ or band, too. They will be working hard for many hours - a hot meal and a drink or two will be much appreciated.
Think about your older guests. Don't sit them too close to stereo speakers or too far away from the speeches. Incorporate some golden oldies' into your playlist to accommodate for all ages and tastes, and play them towards the beginning of the night so your older guests get a chance to dance to their favourites early on.
Try to have your bar in the same room as your dance floor. Having your bar in a different room means that guests will be going in and out all night, and some might even settle down for long periods at the bar, meaning you lose a proportion of your guests from the main entertainment!
Keep your music upbeat, energetic and happy, and even if you have a cultivated and eclectic taste in music, try to keep the majority of your song picks familiar. People don't tend to dance to tunes they don't know, and now is not the time to show off your obscure tastes!
Have a plan B. Consider the aspects of your day that would have the biggest impact if they went wrong and have an alternative in place. Even if you have a strict schedule, add in a few minutes extra in between each event to give you and your guests a little leeway and to stop you feeling like you're constantly against the clock.
RELAX! Your family and friends are here to see you on the happiest day of your life, not to watch you stress your way from one checklist to another. So long as your guests are fed, watered and have something to dance to, chances are they'll have a blast, and so should you.
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