From This Day Forward

Planning a wedding? It may be only a single wedding, but there are basically three separate events to plan for. The ceremony, the reception and the honeymoon.

Today, I want to talk about the reception. This is probably the most overwhelming of the three because there are so many details involved. Where to have it, who to invite, and how much you are willing to spend are at the top of the list.

Where to have it is really contingent on who will attend and how much your are willing to spend. You will want a venue that is large enough to accommodate your guests comfortably, but not so large that it feels empty. The type of wedding (outdoors and casual or up town and chic) and what a particular venue includes in the price will also be considered in your choice. A venue that caters to events may include items like the cake and other amenities in the cost where as another venue choice may mean you will need to provide everything from decorations to linens to hiring a clean up crew. Once you have decided on where you will have your reception, you will want to reserve your date and time. This is especially important if the venue is very popular and/or it is a very busy season.

When considering who to invite, remember that, although it is the bride's day, the comfort and conveniences of the guests should be a major consideration. Some guest may be coming from out of town and they may need overnight accommodations. If the reception is being held in the banquet facility of a hotel, often times rooms can be reserved right on the premises. Otherwise, a block of rooms can be reserved at a nearby hotel. A really nice touch is to have a gift basket of treats placed in each room for your guest to enjoy.

How much will it cost? Know exactly what you are willing to spend before starting to plan the wedding. Make a budget and stick to it! Start by making a list of what you need and affix a price to each item. By having an idea of what you want and how much you are willing to spend, the planning process will go much more smoothly.