Importance of Choosing the Right Wedding Reception Venue

Apart from the wedding itself, the wedding reception venue is the most important part of your wedding day. If you want to keep things easy for guests then a ceremony and reception in the same location can be a good idea but selecting the right one becomes even more important!

Every wedding reception venue has its pros and cons, and what might be a stunning venue for one couple may not be right for you. As a couple you may have different wishes about what you want from a reception venue so take some time to talk about what you both want. We shall look at this in more detail below.

What you Need

You should always start by looking at the things that you absolutely need from your wedding reception venue. If you have 100 guests on your guest list then the wedding reception venue needs to be able to cater for this amount. You can quickly eliminate any wedding reception venue that doesn’t meet this criterion.

Availability of accommodation for your wedding night for you and guests is very important, especially if you have many guests travelling lost distances. There needs to be adequate accommodation close by for your friends and relatives to stay at after the wedding reception. If you like a wedding reception venue that is in a very secluded area, can they also offer accommodation options?

Always take into consideration the location of the wedding reception venue. How far is it from the wedding ceremony location? How far are you and your guests willing to travel? Google Maps is a good starting place to view alternative locations, do a search for terms relating your desired location such as noosa wedding reception.

Probably the most important thing to look at when choosing a wedding reception venue is the date. There is no point falling in love with a venue if it’s not available on the date that you want it! You may have more choices and even be able to save money by being flexible on dates and even days of the week. The wedding reception needs to be one of the first things you lock in with your wedding plans.

Once you have covered all these areas, you can start focusing on what you want from your wedding reception venue.

What You Want

We can all picture our dream wedding, but in reality we can’t always have it as perfect as we want. You will probably find that when comparing wedding reception venues you will find one that has everything that you want except one thing, which another one may have. So you may need to compromise on a few details.

Some of the things you need to think about when looking at what you want from your wedding reception venue include the setting and style. There are many traditional wedding reception venues available, some of which are located in stunning rural surroundings or with fabulous views. However, the traditional style may not be for everyone. If you want a modern, funky wedding then look for venues that reflect your own personal style.

Check the styles and types of catering and dining options on offer from potential wedding venues. If you want a sit-down formal dinner, then make sure they can offer you this. Likewise if you want something more casual and intimate.

It’s your wedding, so don’t be afraid to be fussy and get it right!

Article on behalf of Era Bistro, providing a Brisbane fine dining experience that also provides an excellent Brisbane function venue.

Post from: Livingface Blog

Bookmark It

Related posts:

1. Wedding Day Scheduling – Timing and Logistics One of the most important areas in which couples planning...
2. Wedding Day Schedule – Reception Timing & Logistics Wedding Day timing considerations are arguably more crucial for...
3. Wedding You might think that after having photographed about 125 weddings...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Wedding Day timing considerations are arguably more crucial for the earlier part of the day which includes the ceremony and the pictures, so it’s easy to underestimate the importance of time management when it comes to the Wedding Reception.

The two most important factors in determining a workable and flowing Reception schedule are: (a) If there is a Receiving Line at the Reception – and, if so, how many guests there are; (b) the timing of the Speeches.

If there isn’t a Receiving Line, then you don’t have much to worry about.  Keep in mind that some couples have their Receiving Line immediately after the Wedding Ceremony (ie) outside the Church.  In this scenario, the amount of time allocated for the pictures, including, Family, Wedding Party and Couple Shots could become limited if the Receiving Line takes too long.  Then, depending on how much time there is, the Newlywed’s pictures may be rushed in order for them to make it to the Reception on time – and these are the last pictures you want to hurry through.

Back to the Reception.  5:30 is a typical starting time.  Guests begin showing up.  Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres are served.  Dinner is often served at 7:00.

Let’s say you decide to start the Receiving Line at 5:30.  How long will it take?  Well, that depends on how many guests you have.  An average wedding will have about 150 guests.  If you and/or your guests are talkative then it could easily take until 7:00.  On average, if you estimate 30 seconds per guest, then it will take 75 minutes.  If there are 250 guests or more, it could be a problem (ie) Dinner starts later, which could affect the quality of the food.

As a Wedding Photographer, it doesn’t matter to me at all if there is a Receiving Line or not, or how long it takes.  My job is to photograph whatever is happening.  What is undeniable, though, is how tiring the Receiving Line is for the Newlyweds – who have recently had their ceremony, and who, in most cases, have just arrived at the Reception Hall from doing their pictures.  Now, they are expected to stand and greet people for a long time, with permanent smiles throughout.  By the end of it, most Couples are drained.  At least dinner is usually not far off at this point.

In some traditions, not having the Receiving Line is not an option.  It is a must.  Certainly, for those in this situation, because it is just a natural and expected part of the day, having a Receiving Line may not be quite as unfavorable as it is portrayed.   However, if there is a choice, I often suggest to the Bride and Groom that they consider forgoing it.

What are the benefits of avoiding a Receiving Line?  (1) The Couple can relax for a short time, maybe 15 minutes, when they arrive at the Reception Hall.  After freshening up they can join their guests who are arriving and enjoying Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres – instead of having to spend the entire time standing in one spot; (2) Participating in the Cocktails with their guests will allow them to mingle in a more personal way than in the Receiving Line; (3) In lieu of the Receiving Line, the Newlyweds can also visit their guests at their tables between dinner courses.

The next part of the Reception which can really affect the flow of the evening concerns the Speeches.  I always ask Couples who are booking me how many and how long Speeches will be.  Invariably, most say there will be few and they won’t be long.  While that is sometimes the case, by the time the Wedding Day arrives there are frequently more Speeches than originally anticipated, and there is often one Speech, at least, that is surprisingly long.  Consider too that by Speech-time some or all of those speaking will have consumed a fair amount of alcohol (for some, to quell the nerves).

So, when is the best time to do the Speeches?  Well, if you are having a sit-down dinner that usually takes about 2 hours.  Speeches usually take anywhere from 30-60 minutes.  If you are planning on having the Speeches after dessert your guests will be sitting on their butts for up to 3 hours – possibly longer if dinner takes longer or the speeches take longer.  That’s a long time for people to be sitting and it sometimes serves to suck the life out of the party before it has even begun.  Having the Speeches interspersed throughout dinner works very nicely, culminating in the happy couple speaking when dessert is served.  That way, once dessert is finished the party is on.

If Speeches start after dinner, depending on the crowd, it can result in the guests becoming restless and heading to the bathroom or outside for fresh air or cigarettes – which can be disruptive and even disappointing.  Furthermore, most Couples have their First Dance at the conclusion of the Speeches.  If the Speeches take place throughout dinner then as the guests are finishing dessert the Newlyweds can speak and then head straight to the dance floor and have their first dance.  In this case, most of the guests are still at their tables.  Alternatively, if the Speeches are given after dinner then by the time they finish and it’s time for the First Dance, you may have a half-empty room on your hands – which can take away from the circumstance.

Note that some Couples decide to do their First Dance when they are introduced at the beginning of dinner.  In this case, everyone is seated and all eyes are on them.  This option works well since there is a captive audience, though if there are windows in the room it is usually still light at about 7:00 and that may not be as dramatic or romantic as a First Dance in a dimly-lit room.

Take into consideration that by Reception time the Bride and Groom have been up since early morning.  A lot of energy has been expended.  Creating a Reception Schedule that flows nicely and isn’t burdensome can help put the right finishing touch on a day that you’ll want to remember as not only being special, but fun.

Post from: Livingface Blog

Bookmark It

Related posts:

1. Wedding Day Schedule – Reception Timing & Logistics Wedding Day timing considerations are arguably more crucial for the...
2. Wedding Day Scheduling – Timing and Logistics One of the most important areas in which couples planning...
3. Wedding and Reception at Atlantis in the Bahamas I wasn’t posting wedding pictures to the blog last year...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.