Larry's Wedding Tips
The
style chosen for your reception should compliment your
wedding theme. It should reflect the personality of
you and your groom - whether you're casual, elegant,
a connoisseur of food and drink or a party animal.
You
may choose to have your reception immediately following
your ceremony, or if getting married elsewhere or
privately, it may be held when you return. The type
of reception you plan to have will determine what
types of services you decide to contract.
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Even if you have open seating for your reception guests,
you will need to decide who will sit at the Bridal
table (or head table) and who will sit at the Parent's
table.
Here is the traditional seating arrangement that is
generally used:
A GENERAL SEATING PLAN
BRIDAL PARTY HEAD TABLE
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Bride & Groom
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| 1.
Groomsman/Ushers
2. Bridesmaids
3. Best Man
4. Maid or Matron of Honor
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A GENERAL SEATING PLAN PARENTS' TABLE
| 1.
Relatives/Special Guest
2. Father of the Groom
3. Mother of the Bride
4. Clergyman/woman
5. Spouse of Clergy
6. Father of the Bride
7. Mother of the Groom |
You will probably
want to designate one or two tables as Grandparents'
Tables
and they may sit in any order they wish. The
rule of thumb, however, is that
all seating should alternate "boy-girl-boy-girl."
You could use this worksheet to
design your seating chart. Each number refers
to the numbers listed above.
Often in today's weddings, we don't
see a long banquet table used for the parents
table. Usually one or two round tables are
reserved for these people. But the seating
arrangement can still be adapted from the
above diagram. |
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HOW TO HANDLE DANCES AT YOUR RECEPTION:
Dancing at a wedding reception always starts out
with some traditional dances. To make this perfectly
clear to your DJ or band, you will want to establish
a "dance order", beginning with your "first
dance." The traditional dance order, which can
be changed as you desire, is as follows.
1. Bride & Groom
2. Bride's Parents
3. Groom's Parents
4. Bride dances with her father
5. Groom dances with mother-in-law
6. Groom's parents continue dancing together
7. Bride dances with father-in-law
8. Groom dances with his mother
9. Bride's parents continue dancing together
10. Rest of Bridal party joins in
11. Guest join dance
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TYPES OF RECEPTIONS INCLUDE:
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FORMAL SIT-DOWN DINNER OR LUNCH |
BUFFET-STYLE DINNER OR LUNCH |
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COCKTAILS-HORS D'OEUVRES |
CAKE AND PUNCH |
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TYPES OF LOCATIONS INCLUDE:
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RESTAURANT |
COMMUNITY HALL |
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PRIVATE RESIDENCE |
YACHT |
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CHURCH |
HOTEL OR COUNTRY CLUB |
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| San
Diego County is among the most reasonable of
metropolitan areas in which to hold a reception.
You also enjoy the benefit of scenery ranging
from the ocean and bay to the hills and mountains.
Do you envision your reception in a charming
restaurant with a fabulous view? Or, do you
see an enchanting tropical paradise setting?
Perhaps you are looking for the romance of a
bygone era? Whatever your dream vision, there
is a place in San Diego County that will match
that dream.
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Before you start shopping for a reception site,
you should know the following
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STYLE |
LENGTH OF RECEPTION |
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NUMBER OF PEOPLE ATTENDING |
AMOUNT BUDGETED |
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WHERE CEREMONY WILL BE HELD |
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| For
most brides and grooms, the opportunity to make
a wedding special is at the reception. This
event may consume up to 50% of the budget. Your
creativity can come into play as you plan a
unique event at a price that fits your budget.
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Be sure to ask!
Does your facility offer any of these services
or items?
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BAR SERVICE |
FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS |
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CATERING |
HIRED HELP |
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DANCE FLOOR |
LINENS |
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DECORATIONS |
TABLE AND CHAIRS |
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ENTERTAINMENT |
WEDDING CAKE |
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| OR
HAVE LARRY STECKLING, CMP AND THE EVENTS BY LARRY STAFF
HELP YOU TO SELECT A RECEPTION SITE THAT IS
JUST RIGHT FOR YOU! |
