Wedding Reception Quick Tips

Reception Quick Tips

• Since many of the most popular sites are booked even two years in advance, many brides reserve their reception hall even before their church.
• Try to think about any special requests you may have before you begin touring halls. For example, many brides are requesting a non-smoking reception. If this is of interest to you, be sure to make your preferences known to the staff at the hall. Ask if there is a separate place for people who do want to smoke.
• Most brides like to keep their ceremony and reception sites fairly close, so that their guests don't have to spend a lot of time driving.
• Calling around for prices tells you nothing about what you're getting. What sounds like the best price over the phone could turn out to be an over-priced hole in the wall.
• Be sure to find out whether the price includes table linens (there may be an extra charge for colored tablecloths or napkins), glass barware (some facilities use plastic cups to save money), china, table centerpieces, etc.
• Think about such things as decor, landscaping, whether you prefer glass dishes and barware to paper products, whether you want colored table linens, etc. before you begin to visit sites.
• Check out the bathrooms for cleanliness. Is the parking lot in good shape, and is it big enough? Were you comfortable with the staff and management of the site? See how your waiters and waitresses will be dressed, and ask if there is a coat room or valet service offered.
• Visit each possible site once to narrow your choices down to two or three. Then, go back and visit each one again as if it were your first time there. You will amazed at how much better or worse a reception site will appear to you the second time through.
• Many couples are also interested in having available an attractive place to take pictures in case of inclement weather on their wedding day. Ask if the hall has a formal foyer for indoor photos, as well as landscaped grounds or a nearby park.
• If your reception will be during the summer, investigate the air conditioning and find out what happens if it breaks down.
• Be sure to ask about security and whether there is an extra charge for it. Ask if the office is staffed during the reception in case there are any problems. It's important to have someone available to take care of your very request, even if it's as small as a change in the room temperature or finding a guest to take a phone call.
• Look at what other events are scheduled for that day and how much time is allowed between bookings. If your guests are having a good time, you don't want them pushed out the door because another party has been scheduled right after yours. There should be, at the very least, an hour between bookings.
• If the room is partitioned, find out what sort of group will be next door. The noise of their party may be an intrusion on your reception.
• If you plan on bringing in some decorations, find out what limitations there may be, and when you or your supplier can come in to set up. How soon after the reception must the decorations be taken down?
• Food stations, which can accommodate anything from hors d'oeuvres to a full meal, are being seen at more and more weddings. Each station will be placed in a different part of the room and will carry a particular theme.
• Family-style dinners are also becoming very popular. When serving family-style, the servers will bring out large platters of food that are then passed around the table. The food is served in courses, so it tends to make the meal more leisurely and relaxed.
• If you're planning a buffet, the most important question to ask when you're discussing the menu is whether you will be charged per person or by the plate. A "per plate" charge means that you will pay each time a person is served. If you have some heavy eaters in your family, you could end up paying three times for the same person's meal.
• Find out if the serving portions on a buffet are fixed, or if you can have as much of an item as you want.
• Look at your guest list and figure out how many drinkers you are inviting, versus how many non-drinkers. If a majority of your guests don't drink, you can shift money away from the bar and into an area your guests will be more focused on, like the food.
• Some couples choose to save some money by offering only beer and wine instead of the more costly mixed drinks.
• Be sure to arrange for bar service that lasts as long as the reception itself (the average wedding reception lasts between 5.5 to 6 hours). You can save some money by requesting that the bar stop serving alcohol at a particular time, but you should make provisions for some sort of beverages to be supplied until the reception is over.
• Find out how many bartenders will be on duty, whether there are any corkage fees, and whether the facility has liquor liability insurance as well as food insurance.
• If you are charged by the bottle, ask if you will receive credit for partial bottles. When you get to the reception, you should also politely ask the bartender to keep the empty bottles.
• Believe it or not, there really are people who steal gifts from receptions, and it's pretty easy to do if the gift table is right by the door. After all the guests have arrived, ask the person overseeing the reception to lock the card box in an office until the reception is over.
• Ask what provisions are available for your musicians. Make sure there is enough room and power for equipment and instruments. Is there any type of a bandstand or stage?
• Are colored tablecloths or napkins available, and is there an extra charge for them? Also ask whether napkins for the cake are provided.
• Some reception halls include a wedding cake in their package. Inquire as to whether you have to buy their cake, or if you can bring in your own. If they provide the cake be sure to get a sample, and find out how flexible they are on how the cake is decorated. Do you have one choice or fifty? Also determine whether there is any extra charge for cutting, serving, and boxing up the leftover cake.
• Take some time to meet with the staff. It is most important to have confidence and faith in the people you will be working with to plan your reception. A couple should feel that the reception site is going to take care of things for them and that they are in good hands.
• It is important that you ask about such things as deposit requirements, the hall's policy regarding refunds, what happens if the business changes owners or closes.
• Find out exactly when the balance is due, and if the price includes taxes and gratuities.
• Make certain that your agreement with the reception site is put into a legal contract. A contract is an absolute necessity to protect yourself and the hall, and guarantee that your reception will go as scheduled.