How to Choose the Perfect Bridal Dress for Your Wedding Day
The wedding ceremony was a beautiful rite of passage for you and your mate. Tears of happiness and smiles of joy were exchanged all around, which reinforced the somber tone of the ceremony itself. However, when the time for the wedding reception comes, you must remember that it is the time to truly celebrate the union, the time to let your hair down, enjoy the company of family and friends on your wedding day, and a time to party! As such, you must carefully choose the venue for your reception as well as the entertainment options for it. Here then are 9 easy-to-follow tips to help you choose wisely.
1) Plan Early
As much as possible, the site of the wedding ceremony must be relatively near the reception area for the convenience of everybody involved. This way, too, you can narrow down your search radius, so to speak. Keep in mind that the wedding reception is as important as the wedding ceremony itself since it caps the day's events. Thus, you must start planning and searching for the right place as soon as possible.
2) Set a Budget
Weddings cost money, which not everybody has in great abundance like the King of Brunei. As such, it is important to set a strict budget early on. And remember that it is not only the venue that you will be spending for but other necessities like decorations, entertainment and catering as well. In general, the place itself should form about 15 percent of your reception expenses while the other shares of the pie go to food and service, beverages and bartender, cake and cake cutting fee.
3) Ask Questions
It is important to ask questions even when you sound like an obsessive-compulsive bride. Often, it is the little details that will cause setbacks at a later date. Better yet, always have a set of written questions before meeting with the wedding reception venue coordinator (i.e. capacity, amenities, MC’ing services, is a DJ included, preferred entertainment, safety measures etc). Your questions will vary as time goes on but keep asking them anyway.
4) Size Matters
As much as possible, you should have agreed on the guest list before you scout for the reception site. You want to find one that will comfortably fit all your guests and your service providers like the catering and entertainment people, with room to spare for dancing. After all, a big brass band does take up space! This way, you can narrow down your search criteria anywhere from a small intimate place to a ballroom.
5) Theme Considerations
You should also consider the theme of your wedding. Formal black tie or casual? Indoors or outdoors? Contemporary or classic? You want to answer these questions precisely because you want to aim for a seamless transition from the wedding ceremony to the wedding reception. Also, if you are considering an indoor venue or a night reception, it is important to check the lighting resources since you can create ambience with lights alone, thus, saving a few bucks on decorations. And don't be afraid to play with lights either for a fun atmosphere.
6) Think Outside the Box
You should not confine yourself to an indoor reception especially if you are marrying during the summer months. Think of the great outdoors that can provide a great backdrop with minimum of fuss. Of course, you will always encounter some risks like being exposed to the elements, but you will also encounter other risks like poor lighting or ventilation with an indoor reception site.
7) Gaga over Guests
It might be your day to shine in your wedding finery but remember that you have guests to consider. Think of the wedding reception venue logistics like distance from wedding ceremony site, car parking, valet service, disabled-friendly facilities and the amenities present for your guests. You want them to feel loved on this day, too. Besides, you will be using the same facilities so you might as well make it as convenient as possible.
8) Think About the Needs of Service Providers
You have to coordinate with your wedding caterer in choosing the reception site. This way, you can ensure that your food service provider has all the facilities he or she needs to serve the banquet as fresh as possible. You would not want to serve stale food that could cause your family and guests to leave dissatisfied or at worst, get food poisoning. This means ensuring there are adequate kitchen facilities, space for the buffet tables and a clean-up area, to name a few. Also, make sure that the venue or caterer provides ‘crew meals’ for your other service providers like entertainment bands and DJ’s – especially if you are hiring a 5 or more piece band.
9) Deposit in Advance
Rates and terms of deposit will vary, of course, so it is always important to read the fine print. You want to make sure that the wedding reception venue will be ready and yours for the taking at least a day before the big day for your service providers to do their thing. And needless to say, have your contract in print unless you are doing your reception at home.
Finding the perfect reception site for your wedding can greatly impact on how memorable and how enjoyable your wedding will be for you and your guests. Just remember to enjoy the wedding planning process – it’s about the journey more than the destination itself!