50 Tips for Planning Your Wedding Reception

You might think that after planning your ceremony, planning the reception will be a piece of wedding cake. In actuality, organizing the party portion of your event can be a piece of work. Receptions require a lot of organizing, collaboration, and preparation. There are vendors and spaces to book, menu and décor ideas to choose from, seating arrangements to be made, and a whole lot more. Before you embark on the trying task of putting together the latter half of your celebration, consult our go-to guide for tips, tricks, and all the advice that you need.

Here, the ultimate checklist for your wedding reception, put together by our experienced team. We walk you through what to buy, who to talk to, and when to do things, so that you can budget, coordinate, and follow a timeline expertly and efficiently. There are a few things that are givens, like picking a venue, but there are a few things you might not have considered. These include entertaining your guests (with things other than music), hiding set-up operations from your attendees during the cocktail hour, and other must-dos to make your event go as seamlessly (and as enjoyably) as possible for both you and your future spouse and everyone that you've invited.

Click through this all-encompassing slideshow and soak all of the useful information in. We've built this list to answer your pressing questions, and to fill you in on things you may not have even been aware of. Get ready to acquire a ton of important knowledge. 

Once you've got an approximate wedding date, start scouting venues. Know your budget and have a rough guest count in mind, as well as the reception style you prefer—formal seated, buffet, cocktail party, or food stations.

After you figure out what you'll do when, write it all on a timeline and give it to your photographer and reception site manager, so everyone stays on the same clock. Also let the manager know when to expect vendor deliveries (cake, flowers, rentals).

Do a walk-through of your venue as soon as you're able, noting features to highlight—a grand staircase, beautiful chandeliers, or a grove of trees, perhaps—and areas that need to be spruced up or downplayed.

Your immediate "to do" list: Book the venue, hire a caterer, decide on basic décor. Caterers often have several sample menus at different price points to choose from. Be sure to have variety so that the menu appeals to many different tastes. This isn't the time to serve all vegan foods if your guests are largely carnivores. With these major tasks done, you'll be ready to focus on the smaller details. 

Get everything in writing: Make sure you have signed contracts from all your vendors and that you've read the fine print and resolved any questions.

Be sure to order the reception stationery. This includes table (escort) cards, place cards, menus, table numbers, and favor tags. Plan to write out table and place cards after all the RSVPs come in. 

Lighting can make or break an event, but to create the right ambience, you don't necessarily need to hire professionals to cast patterns on the dance floor. You can set the mood simply by flanking an outdoor walkway with dozens of luminaria or setting dining tables with elegant candelabra or clusters of small candles; you might also replace harsh white bulbs in fixtures with more flattering amber ones.

Elegant front-door decorations, which can be as low-key as swags of greenery or lanterns leading toward your venue, serve as a visual welcome whether adorning a building or a tent and ensure that everyone's first glimpse of the party is from its best vantage point.

A few well-placed touches, such as monogrammed cocktail napkins or a palette-friendly favor at each table setting, can go a long way toward making your party look extra-special. Also, be sure to assemble all the reception goods ahead of time including favors, a guest book, cake knife, toasting flutes, and signs. 

A glass vessel of fresh green fruit makes a stunning and unexpected alternative to a traditional floral centerpiece, and one long banquet table may fit a sleekly modern space better than several round ones do.

This is the stuff nightmares are made of, but it doesn't have to be if you start the chart as soon as RSVPs begin arriving. Look for ways that allow you to change things easily at the last minute. These seating cards keep names and table numbers separate, so you can shift guests' assignments without having to rewrite the cards. 

You'll need to choose your florist at least six months ahead of time and reserve your party rentals two months after that.

Especially if you are planning a destination wedding or marrying on a holiday, ask guests to mark their calendars. Ideally, mail out these announcements at least four months before the wedding to ensure the guests you really want to attend the celebration will be able to attend.

Be prepared: Up to 80 to 90 percent of those invited may attend. (The smaller the list, the more yeses you should expect percentage-wise, because you will likely be asking only those closest to you.)

Be sure you have ample room for tables (figure 10 to 15 square feet per person, assuming that the tables are round and seat six to 10 guests); also check that the dance floor is big enough (four to five square feet per guest is about right).

Planning an outdoor reception? You can't count on sunshine, so either reserve a tent or opt for a location with an indoor alternative in the event of inclement weather.

Even if you've decided against an overall wedding planner, you'll want a cool-headed pro on hand to ask guests to be seated for dinner, help organize toasts, and handle any problems. Ask if your venue can provide this service; if not, some independent planners will work for a single day.

Figure out when to do bridal party and family photos. There's nothing worse than missing your entire cocktail hour because you're taking photos. Talk to your photographer about timing.

If possible, designate a separate cocktail area and close the reception space to early arrivals. To create a sense of drama, neither you nor your guests should see the behind-the-scenes machinations and last-minute setup gaffes. Keeping the doors closed will also let your photographer take unhurried shots of the reception décor before the crowd arrives. Also, think about when to open the dance floor. Will it be after dessert is served or between courses? Plan on allowing time for any special dances, too, like the first dance and the father-daughter dance

Stylish tokens needn't be expensive. This bride's stepmother made rose-petal jelly for the favors by filling small canning jars with the treat and then dressing up with floral fabric and twine to keep with the shabby-chic style of the celebration. A kraft paper tag read, "Spread the love," in the shape of Texas, where the wedding took place.

Many venues charge more for after-dark affairs. With an outdoor reception, if you opt for a luncheon event, you'll also cut back on or eliminate costs associated with lighting, such as setup and generators. These over-sized paper pom poms make just as big a statement as twinkling lights.

By seating diners family-style at long tables no wider than 36 inches, you'll shrink the amount of empty space to decorate, cutting down on centerpiece costs. Guests will still have plenty of room and will find conversation easier as well.

Locally available flowers will be most affordable, as are simple arrangements. And, there's no reason why ceremony flowers can't come to the reception. Ask for altar arrangements that will also complement the party site. Alternatively, your florist may be able to refashion them into small gift bouquets for your bridal party.

You'll save on liquor, food, and possibly vendors' fees if you shave 30 minutes or an hour off the party. So it doesn't feel rushed, cut a little from everything (make the cocktail hour a "cocktail 45 minutes") instead of eliminating events. And set a time limit for the reception. Your guests have already spent hours, if not days, at pre-wedding events and at the ceremony itself; they're likely to be tired. Though you may wish the reception would never end, it should last no more than five hours. Also, make it clear that any after-parties you schedule are entirely optional.

If you're filling an empty space, you'll need things like chairs, tables, linens, and dishes; borrow as much as you can from the venue. Also order a photo booth, if that's in the plans. A site with a fee that includes necessities such as linens and furniture may at first appear more expensive than an a la carte venue, but once you factor in rental fees, you may ultimately keep costs down. 

Have your wedding and reception in the same location. You'll spend less on décor, as well as on transportation costs for you and your wedding attendants.

Balloons have long been used to fill party spaces at low cost. For a sophisticated feel, opt for a few large balloons instead of masses of birthday-party-style ones. Those with a diameter of 36 inches have an elegant globe shape.

Young guests will enjoy goodies that are all theirs. Give budding brainiacs a potted succulent pet (they're resilient enough for youngsters to care for) and magnifying glasses to inspect their new green friends. Spark creativity by offering coloring books, crayons, and colored pencils. 

If you love the tradition of following your bridal party into the reception to an upbeat song like "Happy" or "Best Day of My Life," work out the details with your DJ or bandleader. 

If you will be hosting more than 50 people, the traditional meet-and-greet can take an hour or more. For groups of this size, it's more gracious of the newlyweds to thank guests by visiting every table.