How To Plan A Wedding Reception

A wedding reception is the party where there is food, dance, song, and merry making. After the marriage the relative, friends and families of the bride and groom gather to celebrate with the newly married couple. A wedding reception is a celebration of the newly married couple. Wedding receptions are very lively events and usually includes food, music, dancing, bouquet toss, and gather toss and toasts to the married couple as well as speeches. It is a very important part of the wedding celebration and in a sense completes the wedding ceremony so it is important that it is properly planned. Planning your wedding reception is necessary to save money, resources, time, effort, energy and avoid stress, disappointment and exhaustion. So do you want to know how to plan a wedding reception? Here is what need to know:

• Set Your Wedding Date
  
  Most receptions take place after the wedding ceremony so it is important that you set your wedding date. Once the date is determined you need to shop around and select reception venue or location. Your venue is a factor of you budget and your guest list. Once you settled for a location you need to book it. This is essential to ensure that it is available for your wedding date and some locations require that you book well in advance of the date.

• Set Your Budget
  
  Your wedding reception will also depend on the size of your budget. If you have a large budget you may opt for an extravagant reception. If on the other hand you have shoe string you may decide on a more conservative wedding reception. Less money means finding ways to cut cost and save as much as possible. It is advisable that you keep an eye on the guest list especially when money is a factor. The more guest you have the more money you will have to spend on food and refreshments and you venue. You should also make provision in the event that your guest may invite other persons without your knowledge.

• Make Your Guests List
  
  Your guest list will determine the size of your guest list. Depending on the number of guests, the cost of wedding reception will increase or decrease. Reception venues, caterers and other service providers usually require a guest head count to provide an accurate quote. You should plan ahead how many people you want to invite for the wedding reception and make provision for extra guest you may have not invited. If you are operating on a shoe string budget you may want to include on the wedding invitation that additional guest are not permitted.

• Hire a Planner
  
  Hire a wedding planner if you begin to feel overwhelmed by your wedding planning activities. A wedding coordinator takes the stress out of planning your wedding thus allowing you to relax and look forward to your special day.
  
  Decide about all other elements like the food, guest list, decoration, bouquet etc. Also find out the music band, jockey, florists, and photographers etc to make your wedding reception a success.

• Before You Decide Shop Around
  
  It does not hurt to shop around before you decide on venue, catering party, entertainer or any of your service providers. This is one way to ensure you get the best at the most reasonable price.

  When choosing your wedding hall and location choose a clean, affordable, and reputable wedding reception hall with adequate space so that people can move around freely. Find as many wedding reception locations as possible and evaluate them all of them and choose the most appropriate location based on your budget.
  
  Seek the opinion of friends and don’t be afraid to ask other person about their own experiences.
  
  It is advisable that you plan your wedding well in advance to avoid cost associated with late bookings. You may also wish to consider having your wedding on a week day or having it is during the off seasons when there are fewer marriages. This obviously will vary from country to country.
  
  So here are views on how to plan a wedding reception.

  What are your views? Comment.