Wedding Reception Ideas And Tips

If you are looking for some original wedding reception ideas, this is the page for you. I have good ideas for you to try. Perhaps one of them will spark your creative energy and you will think of even better things to do for your reception. If so, please share them below.

My first idea is for a reception in a rented tent. As long as you have a tent, why not have a circus theme wedding reception? Put up circus animal posters and large stuffed animals that you would see at a circus. Use centerpieces that reflect the circus such as a collection of porcelain clowns, porcelain circus animals, or merry-go-rounds.

Have a cotton candy making booth and a movie popcorn cart, both manned with someone to make the cotton candy on sticks and popcorn served in red and white striped bags and hand them out.

A snow cone machine, a frape maker, a slushee machine, or a blizzard maker, or an ice cream stand would be great for any wedding reception.

Circus wedding favors could be bags of peanuts in shells. Place cards can be cut-out paper elephants with the names of the guests handwritten on them.

Another one of my original wedding reception ideas is to have an Asian themed reception. Brightly wrapped chopsticks and fortune cookies with the wedding guests' names written on them could be put across each plate. A large Asian buffet could be set up. There are so many great Asian dishes to serve. I would serve a variety of egg rolls, along with some sweet and sour dishes, like sweet and sour pork, beef, and chicken and lemon chicken.

Make sure that you serve regular iced tea as well as hot green tea in tea cups.

Decorate the space with cherry blossom branches and white twinkle lights. Asian fans and parasols can be hung on the walls or placed on tables. Hang paper lanterns above the tables. Create floating candle centerpieces on each table. Bamboo plants would also make good centerpieces.

How about a tropical island theme for the third of my original wedding reception ideas? Put up large island cut-outs of palm trees, coconuts, birds, lizards, turtles, and sea creatures. Decorate tables with orchids. They can be silk as real orchids are very costly. Use floating candles in bowls as well.

Serve seafood and shrimp kabob appetizers. Give everyone a coconut favor with each guest's name written on it. This doubles as a place card. Have waiters or your friends who are servers dress up in Hawaiian style clothes.

If you don't have much in your budget to spend on a reception, consider having a casual wedding reception.

Consider having a simple come-and-go get-together in the fellowship hall at your church or in your backyard or living room. Serve coffee, tea, sandwiches, chips, maybe some bite-sized fruits and veggies, and a simple wedding cake. Have a music CD playing softly in the background music and visit with your guests as they show up. No fancy china or crystal to worry about--use paper plates, cups, and napkins.

Group a few chairs together in various parts of the room to invite conversation. The bride and groom and the members of the wedding party should mingle throughout the room, making sure to greet every guest. Someone should be assigned to greet guests as they come in and try to see them to the door as they leave as well.

Make sure you mention on the invitation that you are having a casual wedding reception. Put a start time and a stop time so guests know that they are free to drop in at any time during the two or three hours you have assigned.

Have plates, napkins, cups, food, and drinks laid out on counters or a table so everything is convenient for your guests, even the younger ones.

If guests bring gifts to the reception, take the time to open each one and genuinely thank the guests for the gifts. People want to know that you love what they picked out for you. No, thanking them in person does not take the place of writing an official thank you note. Make sure that you get your thank you notes done within the first month of your marriage. You will feel better that they are done and your guests will feel good about what they got for you.

If you are having children at your wedding, consider having a play area for the children so they can keep busy without getting into too much trouble. A fenced outdoor area is best if it is a nice day. That way the kids can run around and play while the adults sit and chat while they munch their food.

An informal wedding reception is perfect anytime of the day and, in my opinion, is a lot more fun than a stuffy formal affair where guests don't know what fork to use for what course.

It can be a simple spring picnic in a park or in a large backyard.

An informal wedding reception is also perfect for a beach wedding. I love the idea of handing each guest a prepared basket or bag lunch to enjoy on a beach blanket or at a picnic table. Sandwiches, fried chicken, fresh fruits and veggies are wonderful picnic food.

Hand out bottles of water, soda, and flavored iced teas to the guests. Keep plenty on ice in ice chests. It will be much easier and more convenient than trying to fill cups with ice and pouring drinks. This way, there are no cups to keep track of as they blow all over in the breeze.

You can also keep indoor receptions informal. Use pretty paper plates and serve cold finger foods and fancy sandwiches without the crusts. I have attended several weddings where this was done. All of the guests had a great time and enjoyed the food.

Be sure to have a large variety of dips for fruits, vegetables, chips, and meats. A nice tray of assorted cheeses and crackers will be a nice addition. A tray of cold deviled eggs will be quickly devoured. Large bowls of macaroni salad and potato salad will be polished off quickly.

Don't forget an assortment of pickles, both sweet and dill. Grape and cherry tomatoes are also popular choices at this type of reception.

If you are having an outdoor reception, it is an excellent idea to rent a tent in case of rain, wind, or excessive heat.

You may have questions about wedding reception etiquette. Hopefully, I will answer most of them on this page.

You may be wondering about reception seating and what is appropriate. First you should know that who sits where is your choice. I have been to weddings where the bride and groom sit at their own table. I have been to other weddings where the bride and groom sit with their wedding party. My favorite weddings have been where the bride and groom sit with their parents and other family members.

As long as you have enough tables and chairs for everyone, you do not have to have assigned seating, choosing a place for each individual guest. You can put certain couples together by assigning tables, but let the guests choose their own chairs at the table.

If you do assign seats or tables, make sure that you do not put feuding relatives or friends at the same table, in the hopes of reconciliation. This could backfire on you and ruin your wedding with a big fight or one or both parties leaving and being angry with you. Do not interfere.

By all means, keep ex's apart. Your mom does not want to sit next to your dad's younger, new wife all evening and your dad does not want to make small talk with your mom's handsome and rich new husband. Give divorced relatives their own tables on other sides of the room, if possible.

I have attended plenty of wedding receptions where the guests were free to choose their own tables. Reserve tables and chairs for your parents and special family members up front near the bride and groom, but allow everyone else to sit wherever they want to sit. This works out best for everyone, in my opinion.

Wedding reception etiquette dictates that all of your guests should arrive at the reception prior to the bride and groom. The master of ceremonies should announce you in the following order as you enter:

*The Bride's parents.

*The Groom's parents.

*The Bridesmaids and ushers.

*The Best Man and Maid/Matron of Honor.

*The Flower Girl and Ring Bearer.

*The Bride and Groom.

At this time, it is appropriate for the bride and groom to have their first wedding dance or the meal can be served and the dancing can begin after the Best Man's toast.

I have attended some weddings where the bride and groom begin their first dance as husband and wife right after they arrive. Some of the more memorable first dances have started out with a slow romantic dance, and then something fun and interesting, like a Tango or a Samba.

Some couples have the whole wedding party join the bride and groom on the dance floor for a choreographed dance number such as a song from Grease or Michael Jackson's Thriller.

Wedding reception etiquette allows a receiving line at the reception after the bride and groom arrive, but many couples do this right after the wedding instead of waiting for the reception. Some guests will attend the wedding only and not go to the reception so I feel it is best to have the receiving line right after the ceremony so the bride and groom can greet all of their guests, not just the ones who go to the reception.

The wedding toast is normally given by the Best Man right after the meal has been eaten. After that, if the couple has not already done so, they should have their first dance as husband and wife. Then the Bride and her father dance and the Groom and his mother. After that, everybody should hit the dance floor. If there are other toasts to be given, they can be given in between dances.

Some say that wedding reception etiquette dictates that the Bride and Groom do not open their gifts at the reception. Others say they should. It is up to the Bride and Groom, but you should keep in mind that the guests who are giving you the gifts would love to see you open them. I am always disappointed when the gifts are not opened during the reception and I am delighted when the Bride and Groom love my gifts. My husband and I chose to please our guests and we opened the gifts at our reception.

The wedding reception food you choose will depend on your budget and on the type of reception you choose to have. It will also depend on the kind of help you can get from your family and close friends. Sometimes, they are thrilled to help you out by cooking for such a special occasion as a wedding. Ask them.

Most couples offer chicken or beef to their guests. Others choose to have fancier fare like prime rib or cold salmon. Barbecued beef and chicken are popular with outdoor weddings.

It is not necessary to offer a choice to guests. It is less expensive for you if you do not. If the caterer prepares one dish for everyone, it is cheaper for you. It is courteous, though, to have caterers prepare several vegetarian plates, especially if you know for sure that some of your guests are vegetarians.

Check with several caterers for pricing and menu choices. Taste the food to see if it is good and if it will be worth the cost to you.

If you choose to use a caterer, get everything that the catering company agrees to in writing. If it is not in writing, it was never said, it never happened. Need I say more?

You will need to put down a large deposit so make sure you really like the caterer before you sign the contract and pay them that deposit. You will usually pay so much per guest so the cost of food will greatly influence how big your guest list is. Remember, you do not need to serve something that costs a lot if it tastes great.

A lot of people think beef is best as they do not want to look like tightwads. However, a lot of people these days do not eat much beef because chicken is healthier for you.

The food you serve at your wedding needs to be delicious, yet affordable. Consider catering your own wedding.