9 Tips for Planning a Wedding Reception
The Indian wedding reception is a party that celebrates the fact that you’ve got married. This event does not hold any religious significance but is a crucial part of the Indian wedding and takes up a substantial part of your wedding budget.
Here are 9 tips that will help you plan the perfect wedding reception your guests will remember for years to come:
- Figure out your wedding reception budget.
Creating a wedding reception budget doesn’t mean giving up on things you like or settling for less. Budgeting helps you prioritize the expenses and plan your wedding reception better. Sit down with your partner to decide the budget for the reception. Decide your priorities; what are the absolute must-haves? Once the must-haves are taken care of, decide how you plan to spend the rest of the budgeted money.
- Choose the right wedding venue.
Most couples choose to have the reception at the same venue they had their wedding. It makes more sense because not only do they save money on the venue, but they also save on costs and time incurred on arranging transport for the guests.
But some couples prefer a different or scenic venue. Whatever you decide for the venue, make sure that it has a lot of parking space, clean restrooms, and comfortable seating arrangements.
- Make sure the decor is on point.
Give your wedding reception venue a personality with the right kind of décor. Spruce up your venue with flowers, decorations, lighting, and chandeliers. Make sure the décor is just right to set the ambiance and not overcrowd the space.
- Select the entertainment for the night.
You need to keep the guest entertained throughout to keep your party going strong. Booking a DJ, band or live singer is an option you can consider for entertainment. You can also consider photo booths, a karaoke stage, games, and caricature artists to keep the fun factor up.
- 5. Keep the food, drinks, and music flowing.
By the time your guests arrive at your reception party, they are likely to be famished. Ensure that appetizers and drinks are served as soon as the guests are seated. Make sure the food served is hot and tasty, the drinks are plentiful, and the music is pleasant. If you perfect these three elements, you already made your wedding reception a success.
- Put thought into the seating.
You want to make sure that your guests are comfortably enjoying the evening. So, work with the venue to create the most comfortable seating arrangements for your wedding guests. Ensure that you don’t overcrowd the tables in the available space.
- Keep your guests comfortable.
Ensure that your guests have ample paved parking space to park their vehicles so that they won’t have to walk through the muddy patch or rugged terrain of the field to get to your reception ceremony.
Also, air conditioning is vital if you have chosen to have your reception party indoors. However, do keep a watch on the temperature of the reception area; it can get stuffy with many people in a single space for a long time.
- Do something extra.
Make your wedding reception one of the best parties that people have attended by going the extra mile in making your guests feel welcome. Consider greeting people at each table instead of having them come to wish you. Keep slippers or flip-flops by the dance floor for guests with uncomfortable shoes to slip in. These thoughtful gestures are sure to make your guests happy.
- Be ready for emergencies.
There’s a good chance that while you are busy enjoying your wedding reception, there could be some untoward incidences. There could be a medical emergency or some argument that needs to be settled. You need to appoint someone to man the ship. Designate a responsible family member, or friend, or assign the role to the wedding planner/manager. You could also have an emergency need for money to take care of last-minute surprises. An emergency line of credit can help avoid any speed bumps that come along the way in such a situation.
A lot goes into planning a flawless wedding reception party. We hope that these wedding reception tips help spark your imagination on how to keep your guests happy and make your wedding reception a memorable event.
It’s nice that you pointed out how budgeting would help you prioritize the expenses and plan your wedding reception better. My partner and I are thinking of getting married early next year and we are currently in the planning stage. The venue is pretty important so we should start looking for a good wedding reception venue.