Planning a Wedding Reception on your Own?

Are you looking to save some costs with your wedding? Many couples have been looking to plan their wedding reception on their own as a way to reduce the budget. There is no reason that with a little thought and a little wedding planning “magic,” you can’t plan a reception on your own that will be seamless and memorable. After all, it’s your wedding and probably one of the most important days of your life. Why not have a major hand in planning your own wedding details? You will find that planning a wedding reception will be an enjoyable process. In the end, you may very well be glad you didn’t hand the job over to a traditional wedding planner.

Your friends and relatives are coming to your wedding because they care about you. If you put your personal touch on the wedding reception, your guests may appreciate this event even more. Although learning how to plan a wedding reception may seem intimidating at first, the fact of the matter is that this process really is quite simple. It just means relaxing, prioritizing and keeping organized.

In order to handle the array of details that come with planning a wedding reception, a wedding checklist is a necessary place to begin. Once you take a look at your wedding checklist, you will have an easy reference point listing all the items you need to handle. This wedding planning list will include key wedding items like centerpieces, wedding cake, flowers, videographers, food, etc. Although these items all seem obvious on the surface, when you are caught up in the thrills of planning your big day, it is easy to forget one of these essential items. Again, make sure you keep organized and levelheaded.

While you are looking over your wedding checklist, at the same time it is a good idea to decide on your budget. You and your partner can decide together what wedding items you are willing to spend more money on, and which areas you might want to conserve costs by scaling back upon.

For example, perhaps you have a good friend who might want to donate wedding videography services to your wedding. You may have guests on the list that you and your partner both don’t feel as essential to invite. If you and your partner feel that the reception hall is a key item to spend some money, go ahead and follow your instincts. Feel free to get creative, and make your budgeting decisions as a couple. Sometimes the things that guests remember most about a wedding reception are due to “out of the box” thinking that was designed to save money.

The key to how to plan your wedding reception is to keep your wedding checklist handy, because this list will remind you when it is necessary to do what in the wedding planning process. The wedding checklist will keep you from forgetting anything essential to your wedding reception’s success.

If you liked this article about planning a wedding reception, you’ll find our wedding reception checklist very usefull.

You can also have a look at our Recommended Wedding Suppliers to find some of the best wedding vendors in quality and price from the comfort of your home.

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Wedding Reception Checklist

Wedding receptionThe wedding reception will probably be the part of your wedding where you and your guests spend most of the time. It is the occasion for you to enjoy your family and friends’ company and, most importantly, to celebrate your marriage with them. The reception also gives the two family parts the opportunity to get to know each other better and merge into one big family as a result of your wedding. In order for you to enjoy a well organized and relaxed wedding reception, consider the checklist below.

Don’t feel overwhelmed by all the ideas pointed out here. Just pick the ones that best suit your dream wedding.

  • Set budget
  • Start 9-12 months in advance
  • Choose location / venue
  • Decide if you want to hire a wedding planner
  • Select MC
  • Clarify deposit, guarantee, insurance and cancellation terms
  • Decide whether: catering by a restaurant, catering service or do it youself
  • Organize decoration (see our wedding decorations checklist)
  • Organize flowers (see our wedding flowers checklist)
  • Choose personalized wedding favors
  • Check if you need any extra rentals (tables, chairs, linens…)
  • Organize wedding cake (see our wedding cake checklist)
  • Decide if you want a bar tending service (see our wedding catering checklist)
  • Decide if you want a professional photographer / videographer (see our wedding photography checklist)
  • Organize entertainment, program and toasts
  • Organize music (grand entrance, dinner, dance), soundsystem, DJ
  • Organize a dancefloor
  • Decide if you want to provide child care
  • Organize transportation for you and the guests
  • Clarify deposit, guarantee, insurance and cancellation terms
  • Make a written contract with all agreements

If you neither celebrate in a restaurant nor hire a catering service you should also:

  • Organize dishes and cutlery
  • Organize food, beverages and snacks
  • Organize coffee and cake
  • Ensure people have been selected and agreed to help with the clean up, so you don’t have to do the pick-up after such an intense day.

Tip#1: Ensure that someone does a test with the soundsystem, microphones, etc. that day before the event.

Tip #2: Consider the following for the program: welcome speaches, toasts by best man / maid of honor / parents, slide show, cake cutting, long-distance calls, etc. You may find our Activities Checklist useful as well.

If you liked this checklist, take a look at our most dateiled and complete wedding timeline checklist.
Or feel free to check our list of recommended wedding suppliers.

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