Tag Archives: Wedding Reception Ideas

At Home Wedding Reception Planning Secrets

Nothing is more sentimental or comforting than a wedding reception that occurs in your very own home. But while you may be eager to celebrate your vows in your cosy abode, prepping for these upcoming festivities may seem daunting. Fortunately, you can easily pull off an at-home wedding celebration with these 5 secrets in mind:

  1. Secret #1 — Don’t Do All the Work Alone

Just because you’ve decided to host your reception at your home doesn’t mean you have to do all of the planning and prepping solo. With all of the cleaning, organising and executing involved, even Wonder Woman would struggle to put a whole wedding together alone.

Don’t be afraid to hire a wedding coordinator – They’re not just for those who having a reception in a dining hall or church, after all! If you have a crew of eager family members and friends who are ready to offer you their support, take advantage of their willingness to pitch in. When you divvy up tasks, you’ll find that the process of planning a wedding reception at home doesn’t need to involve any stress at all.

  1. Secret #2 — You’ll Need a Plan

When planning for a wedding reception at home, making the actual plan may seem like a given. But far too often, brides get caught up in prepping and making arrangements that they forget to create a step-by-step plan that ensures their wedding day will go by smoothly.

Create a wedding day checklist that clearly defines your goals, events and the details that you intend to manifest during your reception. Do you have enough seating available for the amount of guests you invited? Will you cook your food, or cater? Do you have a back-up plan in case the weather interferes with your arrangements?

Make sure you touch on key aspects of your wedding, such as decorations, food and drink and entertainment. When you have an actual plan mapped out for your reception, everything will be much more correlated and in order for your special day. 

  1. Secret #3 — Make Cleaning Your Home Easy

Inviting guests over for any occasion often comes with the panic of quickly cleaning your home. But after prepping and planning for your wedding day ceremony, the last thing you want to do is spend the weekend scrubbing the toilet before you walk down the aisle.

Sometimes, the best solution is to have someone else who can take the burden off your shoulders. Professionals know just what areas to clean and will leave your home spotless so that you can focus on getting pampered before you tie the knot instead.

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A No-Stress Guide to Hosting a Cocktail Wedding Reception

Many couples are shying away from the traditional reception and considering something different — a cocktail party. Instead of sitting down and being served, guests can move about and mingle as they please. 

The type of cocktail reception you host is entirely up to you. You can make the event as special and unique as you and your partner. If you want to plan an event to remember, read the no-stress guide below to hosting a cocktail wedding reception. 

Tell Guests What to Expect

Keep guests satisfied by telling them what to expect on your wedding day. People can become uncomfortable or disgruntled when they feel they don’t know what is going on. 

Communicate your wedding day schedule to friends and family, including the time and format of the reception. Add a short timeline on your save-the-dates and invitations. If you have a wedding website, provide an itinerary for the day that guests can follow. And be sure to list if you only plan to serve hors d’oeuvres, as some people may want to eat ahead of time.

Choose Non-Traditional Times

Most planning couples think a reception has to be around dinner time — between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. During this time, guests will expect a full meal. Whether you want to stick to appetizers only or want a party that’s different than most, consider choosing a non-traditional time for your reception. 

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