Cocktail Party Wedding Receptions

When planning a cocktail party wedding reception, you really want to channel a 1950s/1960s retro vibe. Start planning your cocktail reception by choosing a fab 1950s inspired gown.  A strapless gown with a fitted waist and a flouncy skirt will look feminine and flattering. Tulle and organza are among the best fabrics for this style of wedding dress, and they are often accented with lace or embroidered embellishments. If you want a wedding gown with a sassy edge, choose tea length over the traditional floor length dress. Naturally, pearl bridal jewelry will be the perfect accessory for your retro cocktail party look.

Then there is the food and drink menu to be considered. Classic cocktails like gin and tonics, Manhattans, sloe gin fizzes, and whiskey sours will hit the right note. It’s always nice to have a few cocktails in fancy glasses, so to be sure to add martinis and Champagne cocktails to the bar menu. Put your own personal stamp on the reception with custom coasters and cocktail napkins to dress up the bar.

A wedding reception just wouldn’t be right without great food, and this is where a retro cocktail reception will deviate from the mid-century inspiration. Rather than a seated dinner, serve heavy hors d’oeuvres, which basically means that there will be enough appetizers that your guests will leave feeling satisfied. This is a trend which guests really like, because at most weddings, the appetizers are the most delicious part of the wedding anyway. Feature a wide variety of little bites, both passed and at stations to help your guests feel full (and to soak up the cocktails).

Of course every great party has great music, and the music of the ’50s and ’60s is perfect for a wedding. Hire a big band or a quartet which specializes in standards and swing, and set up a play list heavy on Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, as well as modern crooners like Harry Connick, Jr. and John Pizzarelli. The right music will really establish the mood of your reception, not to mention, get people dancing. With all of the elements in place, you can be sure that your cocktail party wedding reception will be a night to remember.

Distinctive Table Names for Receptions

Your table names can be much more than just a way to indicate to each guest where they should sit during dinner. They can also be a chance to reinforce your wedding theme, express one of your passions, or even just amuse your guests. Why let this opportunity go to waste by using boring old table numbers when you can do so much more?

Theme weddings will always lend themselves to interesting names for the dinner tables. Let’s say that you are having a tropical theme wedding. A great idea for marking the tables would be to label each one with the name of a famous tropical paradise. Your guests can dine at Bora Bora, Tahiti, Fiji, and Hawaii. A couple who is throwing a tropical theme wedding and also loves to surf, for instance, could name each table after their favorite place to catch a wave.

Some brides will plan their wedding around their favorite color. A purple wedding could be graced with tables named lavender, aubergine, lilac, plum, and so forth. Or have a pink wedding with tables named after your favorite pink flowers, such as roses, tulips, peonies, and hydrangeas.  The idea of naming reception tables after flowers would also be lovely for a garden wedding.

Tables can be named after famous people, too. How better to evoke the cool elegance of the Rat Pack than by calling your reception tables Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and so on? When using the name of a person, definitely have their picture on the table number display to make it even more interesting. This would be a very hip idea for a wedding theme, and you could bring it to full fruition by including elements in your wedding like Sinatra music, a martini bar, and small silver flasks for the favors (they also make great groomsmen gifts, by the way).

Nature can always provide sweet wedding ideas. If you are the earthy type, how about using table names such as river, rock, branch, and moss? Or get more specific; a bird loving bride and groom could call their tables warbler, finch, cardinal, bluebird, etc. Another great source of inspiration is literature. Not only would it be a nice personal touch to name your reception tables after your favorite books, but it will be a great conversation starter for your guests at dinner.

Hidden Wedding Expenses

Once you have booked all of your vendors and ordered all of your wedding needs, you may think that you know what your total cost will be. Look out, though, because things are not always as clear as you may think. This is a list of the hidden wedding expenses that every bride and groom should watch out for.

Tips and taxes: Read your contracts very carefully. Do they include gratuities and any sales tax, or are those additional? Gratuities are customary for many vendors, including the caterer or venue’s waitstaff, the band, the limo, the coatcheck, and so forth. If you are paying an additional 15-20% beyond the base estimate, that can really add up quickly.

Overtime: When you book your venue, photographer, and band, the contract will be for a set number of hours. Should you go beyond that block of time, the overtime costs are likely to be substantial. This is why it is important to be realistic when scheduling your vendors. If there is any possibility that you might want them for a little longer than their standard contract time, ask to pay a little more and schedule them for longer. It will likely be much less costly than paying overtime charges after the fact.

Rental delivery and set up fees: If you are having a wedding that involves a lot of rentals, read the fine print of your contract. Very often, the price for your tent or tables includes only renting the item, not the labor involved in actually getting them there and in place. Some rental companies charge hundreds of dollars for delivery and set up, so it is important to find out in advance whether or not your rental agency includes these services in their price.

Personalization: So you found the perfect bridesmaid gifts and they are within your budget, great! But wait, the jewelry store wants how much to engrave their initials on those bracelets? Some stores will charge a hefty fee for engraving, so when you are shopping around for personalized bridesmaid gifts, find out the cost of the engraving and factor that into your gift budget. You will often get the best deal from an online retailer.

As they say, forewarned is forearmed. Knowing about potential hidden or unexpected wedding expenses in advance is the best way to help you plan your budget so that you avoid any unpleasant last minute surprises and fees.

Displaying Table Numbers at Your Reception

If you are planning to have assigned seating at your wedding reception, you will need a way to indicate the number of each table. There are standard ways to display table numbers, which are fine, but perhaps a bit unoriginal. From the classic to the quirky, these are some ideas for displaying the table numbers at your reception.

If your style is very classic, you can make a small variation on the standard table number provided by the wedding venue. An easy way to make it more special is to use your own number cards. An ivory card stock with the number spelled out in a fancy script would be a nice alternative to the basic black and white card. Swap out the plain card holder for a more ornate version with a gold scroll design, and suddenly your table numbers will go from standard to sublime.

Tall table numbers can be nice because they are easy to read from a distance, but they can also detract from the centerpieces and other table décor. For this reason, many brides prefer a numbering system that is low and unobtrusive. This opens up all sorts of decorative options. Picture frames can be a nice display idea, as well as a fun way to add style to your reception tables. Choose frames that complement another element in your wedding, such as your color scheme or the gems in a set of handcrafted bridal jewelry. A pearl bordered frame would be a classic and elegant tie in to bridal jewelry that is handcrafted with pearls, or select crystal rimmed frames for drama and sparkle.

If you want to keep things really streamlined and simple, a folded over tent card can be just right. To keep it from looking like an afterthought, design a tent card with style. Bold colors, interesting fonts, and layered paper will ensure that your table numbers enhance the overall effect of your tablescape. Another idea is to add an accent to each number tent, such as gluing on a shell or starfish for a beach wedding. There are endless possibilities for ways in which you can make your table numbers into a special accent at your reception instead of just a basic necessity.

Adults Only Wedding Receptions

Although children can be a lot of fun at a wedding, there are plenty of couples who decide to have adults only wedding receptions. There can be many reasons why you might choose to go this route, from financial to space to personal preference. These are some of the things to take into consideration when you are deciding whether or not to have kids at your wedding reception.

Generally, the main reason that a bride and groom opt for an adults only reception is not about cost, but about the type of event that they are hoping to have. Time of day is often a factor. For instance, perhaps your vision has always been a black tie wedding, so that the bride can really dress to the nines in a fancy wedding gown with custom bridal jewelry. Black tie wedding ceremonies always start at six in the evening or later, which would make for a very late reception. This is one of the strongest indicators that it is not an appropriate event for children. (Unless you don’t mind having some very grumpy overtired little ones at your reception.)

Sometimes it is less the time of day and more the flavor of the party that would call for an adults only reception. If you are planning to have a swanky cocktail party, maybe children running around under foot does not match up with your vision of a sophisticated and elegant reception. Perhaps you picture yourself hanging out in a cool custom lounge in your hip bridal gown and trendy jewelry; the pitter-patter of little feet might not really match up with this scenario.

Once the decision is made to have an adults only reception for your wedding, there will be a few things to keep in mind. The first one is how to make sure that it is perfectly clear to your guests that the wedding invitation does not extend to their offspring. The tricky part is to achieve this without offending anybody. You should also keep in mind that no matter how tactfully you handle the situation, there will be some guests who are offended anyway, and there may also be some families who will make the choice not to attend a wedding if they cannot bring their children. This is unfortunate, but there is really not much that the bride and groom can do about it, other than be as gracious as possible.

In certain instances, an adults only wedding reception is the perfect answer. This type of reception definitely lends itself to being more formal and more elegant. If that is your style, than an adults only reception may be right for you.

Family Style Wedding Receptions

One of the more popular ideas for a wedding reception is to serve the food family style. At this type of party, all of the food is placed on the table in large platters that are passed around, rather than having a waiter serve each guest an individual plate of food. Family style service can be less stuffy than traditional plated dinners, and yet more gracious than a buffet. Here are some ideas on how to arrange for a family style wedding reception that your guests will love.

Family style catering ties in with the trend favoring fewer long reception tables over many small round ones. The idea is that this type of set-up is more relaxed and convivial, allowing for a welcoming and intimate reception. It is almost like everyone just happened to stop by your house for an impromptu gathering over good food and great conversation. Sort of like what happens at the end of that show “Everyday Italian” on the Food Network, where all of Giada de Laurentiis’ friends and neighbors show up for a casual yet elegant feast in her backyard.

Certainly, there are some occasions when family style service might seem out of place. For instance, if you are planning a black tie wedding, with everyone in their most formal attire and special handmade wedding jewelry, the more traditional plated dinner service would be much more appropriate. Family style service also tends to limit your menu options more than a buffet or food stations, so that is another consideration.

The types of food that work best for family style service are generally the ones that most families like to eat together. Italian is a very popular choice. It is easy to get good Italian food, it is not particularly expensive, and almost everyone likes it. Italian cuisine is also a great idea if you will be having some vegetarians at your wedding. It is quite simple to have one platter with a meat-free pasta, and another with meatballs and sausages for those guests who enjoy meat. Comfort food is another fantastic option for a family style wedding reception. Your guests will be delighted to be served classics like homemade mac and cheese, slices of meatloaf, and bowls of yummy veggies. When you are looking for a way to unite your friends and families into one big happy group, you might just find that family style service at your reception is the perfect answer.

Dividing a Venue into Ceremony and Reception

Your wedding is divided into two distinctive parts: the ceremony and the reception. Each half will have its own unique decorations and character, and this is achieved by the design of the spaces. If you have ever watched a wedding show, you know how important the big reveal is. When the guests arrive at your wedding ceremony, this is the first reveal. The grand entrance of the bride in her long white gown, flowing veil, and stunning bridal jewelry is another big moment. This is followed by the first time that the guests see the reception room, and finally by the newlywed’s big entrance, often made more dramatic by a change to a different bridal gown and set of jewelry.

Each of these moments is a highlight of the wedding, which is why it is important to keep the ceremony and reception feeling separate from one another. If your guests can see the reception space as they are sitting for the ceremony, you will lose much of the impact and drama, no matter how fabulous the decorations are at the reception.

There are a few ways in which you can deal with having your entire event in one room. In many cases, large bolts of fabric can be your best ally. It all depends on the layout of your space. When the guests must pass by the dinner tables on their way to the ceremony seating, pretty fabric can be hung to form a hallway and partition off the reception area from view. When the ceremony has concluded, the fabric panels can be moved to close off the seating for that portion of the wedding, creating the feeling of an entirely different space.

It is common in hotels for one ballroom to be used for the entire wedding. This can work quite well if the hotel has a separate area that you can use for your cocktail hour. Some possibilities include porches, atriums, gardens, or adjacent ballrooms. The guests will leave the room after the service, and the staff will quickly turn it over. In other words, the seating for the ceremony is whisked away and the dinner tables are rushed in to take their place. This works best if your table design is fairly easy to set up, as time will be at a premium. The extra effort will all be worth it when your guests get to be wowed, not once, but twice at your wedding.

Festive Garnishes for Wedding Drinks

Almost any kind of drink, from the most humble to the most elegant can be made more special with the addition of a well-chosen garnish. Let’s say that your wedding reception will be a casual backyard barbeque. For your drinks, serve fresh-squeezed lemonade in large clear glass jugs with spouts. It is common to dress up lemonade with floating slices of fresh lemons; why not go a step further, and add frozen raspberries? The splash of color will look appealing, and the raspberries will make the lemonade even more delicious.

Martinis are popular at evening weddings, and there are some terrific ideas to garnish them. Instead of simply dropping in a few cocktail olives, have the bartender skewer the olives (or olives and pearl onions) on a tiny silver colored pick topped with a sparkling crystal. You can choose a red crystal for a touch of drama, or a clear crystal to tie in with your bridal jewelry. Another fantastic idea is to freeze olive juice into mini cubes, and drop a few into the glasses for your own take on a nicely chilled dirty martini.

Tropical drinks are very popular at weddings, whether they are alcoholic or not. These are some of the most fun types of drinks to garnish. You can use chunks of fresh fruit like pineapple, mango, or strawberries. Sliced kiwi fruit looks wonderful floating on a drink, and though decidedly not a fresh fruit, maraschino cherries are a guilty pleasure that will delight guests of all ages. The mini cocktail umbrellas can be a bit kitschy, but are also very festive and a lot of fun.

There are numerous other garnishes that can be used for a myriad of different wedding drinks. A sugared rim is a tasty treatment for many types of cocktails. Floating fresh flowers are beautiful and old-fashioned for a wedding reception or a bridal shower. You can also add ice cubes in a special shape to work with your wedding theme. And don’t forget about Champagne; though pretty darn fantastic on its own, Champagne also lends itself to some festive garnishes. A ripe strawberry can be dropped into a flute of dry Champagne. Or for a New Year’s Eve wedding, add some sparkle to the glasses by wrapping a silver wire with a few crystals on it around the stem of each flute. It will be like the Champagne wore a set of crystal bridal jewelry to your celebration!

Napkin Accessories for Your Reception

Napkin accessories? That’s right, at your wedding, even the napkins deserve a little adornment. There are numerous different ways to ornament the napkins at the place settings, from expensive to really cheap. The key is to choose a decoration that is not only beautiful, but that ties in with the rest of your wedding décor, as well.

Flowers are one of the most classic choices for napkin accessories at a wedding. A single blossom can be tucked into a neatly folded napkin for a festive surprise when your guests arrive at their seats for dinner. Often, the flower will be the same type that is featured in the centerpieces. However, if your centerpiece flowers do not lend themselves to this application, a classic white or pink rose is always a wonderful choice.

Ribbons are wonderful accents for your reception tables, and there are so many different styles from which to choose. A wide satin ribbon tied into a bow around a napkin says luxury. The napkins can be gently rolled, and secured with the ribbon of your choice. This is also a nice way to add more color to a mostly white table design.

If you want to get into something a bit more unique, consider having napkin rings handcrafted to coordinate with your bridal jewelry. Large faux pearls can be wired into a napkin ring for the bride who has chosen handcrafted freshwater pearl bridal jewelry. For an evening wedding, a ring created from dazzling Swarovski crystals would be a spectacular addition to your reception tables. The crystals can be in an “ab” finish to catch the candlelight, or in a combination of two alternating colors that tie in with the centerpieces.

For a winter wedding, snowflake ornaments can double as napkin adornments and wedding favors. Tie each snowflake to the napkin with a narrow silver satin ribbon, and put a small card on each table that lets your guests know that the ornament is theirs to keep. It is a great way to add style to your reception tables while also giving your guests a wonderful keepsake from your wedding.

The Right Reception Venue

There is a lot that goes into choosing the perfect venue for your wedding. It has to be in the right location, fit the size of your guest list and budget, and match your personal style. These are some of the things that you should keep in mind when searching for that ideal site for your wedding.

Before anything else, you need to have a good idea of the size of your guest list. You always want to pick a place that will accommodate your guests, not try to adapt your guest list to fit into the space. You do not want to have to leave anyone important out of your celebration because you booked a reception venue that is too small.

When you are determining if a particular venue and your guest list are a good match, you need to ask some pointed questions. It is not enough to find out what the fire marshall considers the maximum capacity of a room. You will want to take a walk through with the site coordinator and have her show you where you would fit all of the different elements of your reception, such as the band, the cake, and of course all of the dinner tables.

Having a space that is too large for your guest list is also to be avoided. Perhaps you and your fiance have decided to have a wedding for only your closest family and friends. The bride might be wearing a very simple wedding dress and jewelry, maybe without a veil. This type of small affair would feel intimate in a room designed to seat forty guests. On the other hand, if you put those same forty guests into an enormous ballroom, it would feel lonely and desolate. The right sized space is key to creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Because it will really set the tone for your wedding, the reception venue is key. If you keep those tips in mind, you will find it easier to find the ideal spot. When you find that perfect place, you will be able to have the reception of your dreams.