Ready, Action..... Party!

Your wedding reception will be the first and probably the biggest party that you will throw as a couple. Think of it as a theatrical production complete with producer, director, players and supporting cast, staging, props, and script. Selecting the right location is the first piece of the puzzle. Decide on the tone and overall feel you want for your reception - intimate family atmosphere or jumping dance party; elegant country club feel or edgy nightclub; rustic, country with antiques, modern with lots of glass and mirrors, or traditional, historic feel with stone columns. Choose a venue that will be the backdrop to tell your story, then choose the players to make the celebration happen. That cast of characters will include not only your bridal party but also all of the vendors who will be a part of your party. The more that you share your overall vision with all the vendors, the more cohesive your production will be. Choose vendors who work well together. Ask each vendor who they like to work with. Having a team who has worked together before will make your day run smoother and your planning will be easier. As you think about the staging of your party, think of what guests will see when they first enter the party. Create a WOW for their initial reaction and they have a great attitude to party and celebrate with you.

Couples today are personalizing their receptions like never before. This can be done with a theme and décor, with logo and personal messages for guests or by creating a “script” for the evening that is special to them. The script will dictate the schedule for the evening as well as the activities that are included. Are there certain traditions that you want to have a part of the evening – throwing the bouquet; garter toss; special dances for father/daughter, mother/son, bridal party; dollar or anniversary dances? Many brides and grooms are also planning activities that guests can participate in like photo booths, caricature artists, make your own sundae, cupcake, or candy bar, games or other activities that bring your guests into the fun and spirit of the party. Remember that not all guests can or like to dance so give them something else to do and they will stay longer and celebrate with you. Come up with ideas to incorporate you and your groom’s personalities and favorite pastimes into the evening. Couples who enjoy golfing might have golf balls and tees as their favors and set up a small putting green in a corner of the venue with prizes like drink coupons or treats for anyone who holes their putt.

Finally when planning your reception make sure that you have the right producer and director for the event. The producer is the one who brings all of the parts of the production together – the photographer, DJ and entertainment, the décor, the food and drink, and the movement and activities of the guests. This is something that a well organized bride can sometimes take care of herself or with the help of family or a close friend. This takes a lot of time and research to make sure that all of the bases are covered and all the details are taken care of. But it is a job that is done ahead of time so you can still enjoy the wedding. The director on the other hand is the person who will make the weekend run on schedule, make sure that all last minute details are done and who takes care of all the small crises which invariably happen on the wedding day. This is not a job for the bride, mother of the bride or maid of honor. Having a good director is crucial to having your wedding day run smoothly and stress-free. This is one area where hiring an experienced wedding coordinator or wedding event entertainment director can be the best investment of your wedding. I can’t tell you how many brides and their mothers I have talked to after their wedding who said “Everything was beautiful but I wish we would have hired one of your coordinators to take care of the details. We would have enjoyed the day so much more!” On the other hand, one of my greatest comments came from mothers of the bride who say “The day was perfect. Everything went so smoothly!” Which means they have no idea all the “fires” we put out behind the scenes and little problems that we solved so that the bridal party and family could just enjoy the day!

So here’s hoping that your wedding reception gets rave reviews and a standing ovation!