When a couple starts to visit the various venues available for the forthcoming wedding reception, the last thing on their mind is blowing up balloons. When you arrange an appointment to see what a venue has to offer, it is usually dressed ready for a typical wedding. It looks beautiful, and all the chairs and tables are laid out. But if you want it to look like this on your wedding day, you need to make sure that it is included in your package price.

More and more couples find they are caught out by this. In an attempt to save money, picking the budget package could actually cost you more time. Many venues expect the happy couple to bring their own planner or decorating team to the venue. But you’ll only have a couple of hours to access it before your event begins. This means you and your groom are unlikely to have the time to do it yourself. So who does?

[Photo courtesy of Crowne Plaza Hollywood Beach Hotel /flickr.com]

If you’re not paying the owner of the venue to include all the table decorations, then you need to find friends and family to help you out. You’ll also need to coordinate with the florist regarding the delivery of all the flowers. Do a search for a florist near me, but be sure you pick one that can make more than one delivery for your order. You’ll need the centerpieces and sprays delivered to the venue at the right time. But you’ll need your bouquet and the buttonholes delivered to you on the same morning.

When it comes time to set up the venue, you may decide you want attractive chair covers. Again, these are often delivered, but not installed. You will need to find someone willing to do this on the day. If you’ve ordered a sit-down meal for your wedding reception, table linen will be provided. Of course, all those tables may need moving for the First Dance. Make sure your venue is undertaking this on your behalf.

You may also expect the lighting to be dimmed and even some disco lights for your first dance. A DJ package is often an additional cost for your venue. If you are hiring someone in, make sure they have enough access to set up before you and your guests arrive. They may even bring a dance floor, so consider your preferred layout of the room ahead of time. Some venues can take on all of this planning and event management for you if you’re willing to pay extra.

Your beautiful day will be a whirlwind of excitement. You may not even have time to notice how wonderful everything looks. The toasts, the meal, the drinks and the dancing will keep everyone in good spirits no matter who had to put the decorations together! Of course, the space you hire will have to be returned to its original condition. Traditionally, the bride and groom leave the party first, so you’ll need someone to clean up on your behalf. Sometimes it’s worth paying that little bit extra for the venue to cover all the decorations!

For many people, their wedding day is all about having fun with friends and family members. Sure, the ceremony is important, but the reception is where the fun really happen. So, what should the ideal wedding reception have? Read on to find out.

An Organized Schedule

There is nothing worse for wedding reception guests than a disorganized schedule. People hate being left waiting around with nothing to do for too long. You should prepare a timeline for the day, meaning that the whole day should be planned out in advance. It will help to keep everyone happy and stop them from losing interest in the event. So, open the doors to the reception early and get the party started without hesitation.

[Photo courtesy of Styop/ wikipedia.org]

Something Spectacular

If you really want your wedding reception to stand out and be remembered for years to come, you need to do something spectacular. This could mean many things. You could, for example, stage a big dance event for your first dance. This is something many couples choose to do. Alternatively, you could stage a firework display outside when the evening is drawing to a close. A company like Allspark Fireworks could help you with this.

The Right Music

It’s not really a wedding reception without the right music. This is something that the happy couple will prepare a long time in advance. They will decide what the first song they dance to will be, and they will probably prepare a whole playlist. On the other hand, they might prefer to hire a DJ and leave most of the decisions up to them. Another option is to hire a live band that the couple both already know and like.

[Photo courtesy of Kimberly Huestis/ vimeocdn.com]

Party Games

Many wedding receptions don’t have games going on, so they’re not absolutely vital. But they can offer a little added fun and activity to the reception. It might even be enough to make your reception one of the most memorable that the guests have ever attended. The games should be kept simple and fun for everyone. It’s not about competing so much as having fun and creating the right atmosphere.

Good Lighting

Speaking of atmosphere, lighting is vital is vital to creating the right atmosphere at your wedding reception. You can’t create a fun and positive atmosphere without giving some thought to how you are going to light the room where the reception takes place. If you want to focus on partying and dancing, the lighting should be dim with some added touches, such as a disco ball or strobe lights.

[Photo courtesy of condesign/ pixabay.com]

Alternative Food and Drink Ideas

Food and drinks are always provided at a wedding reception. That doesn’t mean that the food and drink is always that great at wedding receptions though. You should do something a little out of the ordinary when you are making food and drink arrangements. For example, you could run a mini wine tasting stand at the reception. Or you could hold the event outdoors and hire a food truck for the day.