Hosting the perfect wedding reception is part magic and part uber-organization. It requires a solid understanding of what you want, a fantasy dream, and the ability to achieve it within budget and resources. If that sounds like a job for a super-being, have no fear. It is possible to have the perfect wedding for you — without the stress.
The first step before you set out to book a party at your favorite local event venue is to understand what it is you really want from your special day. This is about more than just the ability to book a party venue; ideally it is a shared vision for the two of you that complements your personalities and translates into a true celebration of your love that everyone can enjoy. It is not about the best places to have a wedding, it is about the best place to have your wedding. True, venue is important. A party venue might work if you want an intimate gathering of close friends and family who want to stay up all night and party with you, but if you are looking for a more elegant affair with activities surrounding the main wedding ceremony and reception you might want to opt for a golf course wedding and finish it off in the golf club with a formal wedding banquet. It is better to book a party venue early to minimize disappointment.
While destination weddings might be too pricey for the budget, wedding couples are increasingly seeking to bring special places to their wedding venues. Say for example your honeymoon is in Venice (or you wish it were), you might use tulle and fairy lights to conjure an atmosphere of playful Venice at night, use fountains to add the watery effect, and have seating placards in the shape of Carnivale masks. If you have some friends into amateur dramatics or can splurge on professional actors, you might even consider having a few roving harlequins or masked Venetian performers doing the rounds at cocktail hour or during the reception itself.
If a morning wedding is more to your liking, think about a brunch reception with a twist incorporating your ethnic heritage into the cuisine and the decor. Although brunch started in England a long time ago, it took over 30 years for Americans to embrace the concept; now we can’t get enough of it. Almost 70% of survey respondents listed ethnic-inspired breakfast and brunch items as hot trends for wedding brunches last year. Examples of unconventional takes on traditional brunch menu items included Asian-flavored syrups on pancakes, Chorizo scrambled eggs, and coconut milk pancakes.
Simplicity and meaningfulness are generally the keys to a low-stress, high-impact, high-happiness wedding day. By communicating and compromising, you can be sure of a beautiful day with family and friends and a great start to the rest of your lives together.