Wedding Reception Checklist
Planning a wedding reception is a giant undertaking. With so many moving parts, and so many things that need to come together flawlessly, you might be nervous that you will miss something. To help relieve your wedding reception planning stress, we have put together this wedding planning checklist. Check off each item as you plan it, reducing the list of what needs to be done and showcasing only those things left to accomplish until everything is complete!
Most Important Wedding Reception Items
- Find the wedding reception venue. Where do you want to have your wedding reception?
- Pick your date. When is your venue available? Are you flexible on your wedding reception date?
- Contact a caterer. Find a caterer that is available to cater your wedding reception on the same date that your venue can be rented.
- Choose a theme. You probably have at least a color scheme in mind, but choosing a color scheme as well as a wedding reception theme will help make your wedding reception an event that everyone will fondly remember.
Planning Your Wedding Reception Food and Beverages
- Attend a tasting event. Sample menu items put together by your wedding reception caterer to help get your reception menu underway.
- Decide on a menu. Your wedding reception menu should match your wedding reception theme. It also helps if you select menu items that are in season during the same time that your wedding reception will be held.
- Choose your beverages. What types of drinks would you like served at your wedding reception? Your caterer will have plenty of options from which you can choose.
- Figure out dessert. Will you have wedding cake or cupcakes? A chocolate fountain or a fruit platter? Decided on your wedding reception dessert menu.
Wedding Reception Entertaining Elements
- Hire entertainment. Would you prefer a band or a DJ? Country music or jazz? Decide what you would like to see at your wedding reception, interview local acts and select one to entertain your wedding reception guests.
- Build décor. Based on your theme and your color scheme, select items to adorn your wedding reception space. Flower arrangements are always a must here.
- Design the blueprint. Your caterer will help you design your event space in a way that makes the most sense for your wedding reception event. Take into account seating, dancing, food service, entertainment acts and more when designing your event space, or let your caterer or event planner handle all of the difficult layout work for you.
Other Important Wedding Reception Items
- Rent equipment. Talk to your caterer about coordinating with your venue, making sure that you will have all of the tables, chairs, linens and more that you will need for your perfect event space and wedding reception event.
- Create a timeline. Your caterer will help you do this, working backward and forward from when you would like your meal served to incorporate all other elements of your wedding reception celebration.
- Invite guests. Send out invitations to your guest list, then get excited about seeing the RSVPs come back in.
- Enjoy the day. You only get to experience your wedding reception once, so enjoy every minute of it.
Little Things to Remember for Your Reception
- It goes by quickly, so enjoy as much as you can.
- Hire a photographer and videographer to help capture the moments.
- Decide on wedding reception favors and order them.
- Order thank you cards when you order your invitations and save the dates so that everything matches.
- Choose a first dance song that matters to you and your soon-to-be-spouse (regardless of if it is fast or slow).
More Articles You Might Like:
- 7 Tips for Choosing Your Boston Wedding Venue
- 10 Boston Wedding Ideas and Themes
- Wedding Spotlight: Robin + Sergi