If you’re in the middle of planning your wedding and you’re not sure what to do to make sure you throw an unforgettable reception, there are a few tips you should know about. From choosing a stunning Wedding venue to picking the right caterer to assembling a playlist that’s sure to get everyone on the dance floor, putting together a great reception can require a lot of time, energy and attention to detail. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be as complicated as it might sound! Here are a few simple tips that can help you pull off the reception of your dreams without getting a headache.
1. Decorate Your Venue To Match Your Theme
If you had a theme at your ceremony, you’ll want to make sure your Wedding venue matches in order to give the guests a sense of continuity throughout the night. You can easily color-coordinate with your venue, and they may even be able to offer in-house tablecloths, napkins and other small items that can help pull the room together. Other décor ideas include uplighting the corners of the room, adding meaningful centerpieces to each table and wrapping the chairs for a classy touch.
2. Choose Delicious Menu Items
If the food at your reception isn’t good, the other details of the night could lose some luster in the eyes of your guests. Having great food is key to making sure everyone has a good time, so spend some time finding the perfect caterer and tasting potential menu items. Depending on your preferences, there are different options for food throughout the night. You can have tables with food laid out as your guests come in, or you can have a butler pass around trays of hors d’oeuvres during cocktail hour. For the main event, you can offer plated food that guests select ahead of time or you can set up a buffet for everyone to enjoy. If guests are starting to feel hungry again towards the end of the night, you can always bring out an assorted dessert table or even a more creative option, like a late-night s’mores bar.
3. Assemble a High-Energy Playlist
Getting guests out of their seats and onto the dance floor is foundational to a fun night, so having an exciting, high-energy playlist is key. Whether you’ve hired a DJ, a band or are planning to put together your playlist yourself, consider adding in a mix of songs that fit the profile of your guests. Older guests may be excited to hear 80s nightclub classics, while younger guests may enjoy dancing to current radio Top 40 hits.
4. Put Together a Gift Bag
If you really want to give your guests something to remember your wedding by, don’t send them home empty-handed! The reception is a great opportunity to pass out small mementos or gift bags that guests can take home with them. The options for what you include are endless, but you may want to consider personalizing them. You can provide bags of tea and coffee, personalized wine glasses, bottle openers, jars of sand, packets of candy and much more. This is another opportunity to extend your wedding theme!
5. Keep Toasts Brief
Finally, while toasts are a tradition at any wedding reception, having too many of them or letting them drag on for too long can put your guests to sleep and drag down the mood of the party. Toasts are all about putting quality over quantity and selecting a few truly meaningful speeches to highlight the emotion of the night instead of taking up a precious half hour of dance time. To avoid going overboard with the toasts, try to limit the number of toasts and the number of speakers, and choose only a few individuals who have been truly meaningful in your and your spouse’s life.
Planning a wedding reception can involve juggling a lot of moving parts. From picking out the perfect menu to booking a fantastic DJ to making sure the décor matches your wedding theme, this detail-centric process can sometimes feel needlessly complicated. Luckily, there are a few surefire ways you can throw a great party without feeling overwhelmed. Try these tips for your wedding reception and you’re sure to host a night your guests will never forget!
