Wedding Reception

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Great deals can be found when you know how much money you are working with. It really doesn’t matter how small your budget is for the reception because all budgets can be accommodated.

Your reception budget should consist of approximately 30% of your wedding budget or more. Most wedding receptions are so expensive due to the fact of providing meals, decorations, hall rentals etc.

For the purposes of this guide, I will give two different examples of common receptions and an idea for cutting costs on the food and drinks as well as give you the best tips for throwing your reception on a budget.

Renting a Hall

If you prefer to rent a hall or space for your reception, you must consider many things before making this decision. You will have to think of the prices for the hall rental, the cost of using their servers (most halls include servers in price and they are not negotiable), decorations, flowers, meals, drinks etc.

When you wish to rent a hall for your reception there are some things that the hall will include in your rental that you can’t avoid paying for such as: servers, decorations, and wine. However, some halls will give you the option to pick and choose the extras that you want.

Depending on the type of hall that you choose to rent, the costs can vary greatly. For example, if you rent a large hall, you could pay more than if you rented a legion hall.

You might also want to consider that if you are starting with a small budget, that renting a hall might not be worth the effort and money, or it may leave you with less options.

There are a few tips when renting a hall that could keep a great deal of your costs down. Let’s take a look at them.

1. You should only consider renting a hall if you have invited 50 or more people to your reception.

2. When renting a hall, you have to decide if you are opting for a cash bar or an open bar. A good compromise is to purchase a few cases of beer on your own and host a cash bar for those who want mixed drinks if you are trying to keep costs down.

3. Rent a hall that you can decorate yourself

4. If you must have servers, rent a hall that includes servers in the price of the rental or go with a hall that lets you bring your own.

5. Choose a hall that will cater to whatever your needs or budget is.

6. When it comes to the food, you should go with a hall that will allow you to bring your own food if you would prefer to not pay extra for catering.

7. Serving vegetable and fruit trays, as well as finger foods like finger sandwiches will be of great value in accommodating vegetarians

8. Opting for a casual reception will allow you to serve your food buffet style which will be predominantly cheaper.

9. Opting to tell people to forego giving you a wedding gift and serve a completely cash bar is a great way to accommodate guests and recover some of the money for the hall.

10. Opt for non-weekend dates because these are not peak hours for the hall and the prices may be cheaper

11. You should choose to host your event during the winter for the best rates

12. Negotiate a special discount by paying cash instead of credit card. Most reception halls will do this

13. Choose to go with a non-dinner reception offering instead snack foods and munchables

Hosting a wedding reception at a hall does not have to cost through the nose if you know how to get around the basics which I have just mentioned.

Most people would like to host their reception at a reception hall because they feel that it is more elegant than hosting it outdoors, however, this is not always the case. Sometimes, hosting your event outdoors is more fun and it is also much cheaper.

About the author:
For more tips and ideas on planning your wedding, check out The Ultimate Online Guide to Wedding Planning.

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The wedding reception is the part of that special day where the most time is spent and the most activities take place. There is much tradition attached to wedding receptions. These traditions need to be considered in the planning stage of the wedding. Some traditions can be altered to fit the desires of the couple and the expectations of the guests. The reception hall is going to be the center of all of this activity. It is a good idea to give some thought to the overall design theme of the reception. The design theme will determine the overall look of the reception hall and a carefully planned and executed design theme can add a great deal to the wedding.

It is important to match the design theme to the hall where the reception is to take place. There has to be a match here. It is important to have a complete idea of just how the hall is going to appear at the time of the reception. How many tables will there be? What kind of chairs are being used? How large is the dance area? Where will the head table be located? These are the types of questions that must be answered before a design theme can be planned.

The key elements to the design theme are centerpieces and flowers. The centerpiece and the table top decorations are the key areas of advancing the theme of the design. One good idea is to consider the season. If a wedding is in spring, a more normal design of bright and colorful flowers would be fine, but a fall wedding might feature a design theme more suited to autumn. A winter wedding can use a winter theme.

One good centerpiece idea is a floating rose display. You can make it easily by starting with any large clear glass container filled with water. Add some pink or red floating candles to the water and sprinkle artificial rose petals into the water and around the table top. The artificial rose petals can be purchased from wedding supply stores or candle shops. They are made of acetate, a silk like material. The sky is the limit for centerpiece design.

The other important element of the reception design is the floral arrangements. It is generally recommended that the actual placement and removal of floral arrangements be left to professional florists. It is not that you will be unable to create the arrangement that best expresses your design scheme, but rather that you are going to be very busy elsewhere on the wedding day itself. Once again, the decorating theme should match the hall. Large and tall arrangements work best in large halls. They fill space and also make a bold statement. Flowers can be part of the centerpiece design, and there are limitless ways to express a design theme with them It is a good idea to place an empty vase with water at each bridesmaid table for her bouquet. This not only preserves them, but they then become part of the table design.

About the Author:
Mill Brook Industries offers a large selection of quality church chairs, banquet chairs, office chairs.

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Posted by Love Poet at 12:45 PM | Comments

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The reception is traditionally one of the most expensive aspects of a wedding. However, by combining personal creativity and ingenuity -- the foundation of lifestylist Sandra Lee’s Semi-Homemade(R) philosophy -- with inexpensive, ready-made items available at discount retailers, brides-to-be and cash-strapped parents can host a beautiful wedding reception without blowing through the entire bridal budget.

“Creating a beautiful wedding environment on a budget is simple,” says Sandra Lee, entertaining expert and author. “By putting a personal touch on everything from table centerpieces to wedding favors, brides and grooms can save while creating memories for years to come.”

While June is still the most popular month for weddings, according to a recent study by Hallmark.com, September and October are quickly gaining in popularity. Sandra Lee offers some great last-minute planning tips this fall for brides and grooms-to-be:

* If renting a reception tent, create a romantic environment by purchasing sheering fabric and 2-inch ribbon from a local discount retailer to drape around the canopy. Create billows of fabric and hang from the ceiling, wrap around poles, and swag in the entryway.

* Whether throwing an indoor or outdoor reception, flowers help set the tone but can quickly add up. A typical flower budget is 15 percent of the overall cost of a wedding. Consider using some of the beautiful and realistic-looking silk flowers available today intermingled with arrangements of fresh flowers to keep the romance high and the costs low. The bride and groom can use the silk flowers in the home for years to come.

* Every bride wants to do something unique at her wedding. Create a dramatic, sweet-smelling entrance for guests by lining a walkway to the reception venue or reception tent with fresh rose petals. Also consider renting a bubble machine, available at retailers such as Wal-Mart, for some added ambiance and fun.

* Renting both table settings and white linen tablecloths can get expensive. Instead, consider purchasing clear glass plates from a discount retailer. Stack the salad plate on top of the dinner plate and place a large leaf between the two for a very pretty place setting. Buying plates is often less expensive than renting and the bride and groom can keep them for the years (and dinner parties) ahead.

* Remember to keep centerpieces either low enough or high enough so guests can see each other from across the table. A simple cake pedestal adorned with sugared fruits and a candle makes a beautiful and an inexpensive centerpiece. Add to the sugary sparkle by placing candles in votive candle holders to illuminate the centerpieces from underneath. Remember to place approximately half an inch of water in each candle holder or glass for easy removal of melted wax.

* For more formal wedding receptions, assigning guests to tables is considered proper etiquette but that doesn’t mean it has to be stuffy. Purchase large sugar cookies and pipe romantic words like “joy,” “hope,” “love,” and “forever” on each cookie. Place one cookie in each centerpiece to replace traditional numbered tables and have your place cards direct your guests to these romantically identified tables.

* Wedding favors that double as place cards can be made by purchasing sugar cookies from a local bakery that are iced in white. Pipe each guest’s names on the cookies in colored icing a day or two before the wedding. Place in cellophane bags, tied with a ribbon, and set at each guest’s place setting so guests know where to sit.

* Handmade keepsakes given out during the wedding reception are an easy and thoughtful way to thank the wedding party. Create beautiful, unique cards for the bridesmaids by purchasing simple white note cards, decorated with the wedding’s theme colors embellished with different fabrics or small trinkets purchased from a craft department. Write a cherished memory or personal note inside the card, which bridesmaids can keep for the years to come.

* And don’t forget the wedding cake, which can be very expensive, depending on the number of guests attending. Consider purchasing a decorated sheet cake from a local bakery in addition to a smaller tiered cake. Then marry them together as one elaborate cake with piping and rose petals. Brides and grooms may find that bakeries like those at a Wal-Mart Supercenter can make unique and cost-conscious tiered wedding cakes that are beautiful as well as delicious. Remember, all cakes are created equal -- flour, sugar, and butter -- so there’s no need to spend a fortune on one.

For more information visit Lee’s Web site, semihomemade.com, or the online wedding center available at www.walmart.com which has a bridal registry, cake ordering forms, budget forms, reception planning guides, and more for the bride and groom.

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Posted by Love Poet at 12:39 PM | Comments