wedding reception

Every Single Thing You’ll Need For Your Wedding Reception

Things You’ll Need For Your Wedding Reception

Your wedding reception should be a fun part of your wedding day. It is the time when you can celebrate your big day with your family and friends. It’s your special day so you definitely deserve to relax and enjoy! But before you get to the festivities of your wedding reception, make sure that everything has been settled during the preparation. To ensure that you wouldn’t miss anything, here’s a list of every single thing you’ll need for your wedding reception:

1. Catering

Make sure to book your caterer and finalize the menu in advance. If you are meticulous with the food that will be served, conduct food tasting if you must. Discuss your preferred set up with the caterer. Will it be a buffet-style or a sit-down dinner? This will determine the resources that your caterer will need for your reception.

2. Dishes and chargers

Since everyone will be eating during the reception, you’ll be needing a lot of plates and bowls. To make it look more impressive, add chargers or decorative base plates. This will give additional accent to your guests’ tables and will elevate the look of the simple plates from your caterer.

3. Utensils and glassware

You’ll also be needing a lot of utensils – from salad forks to soup spoons and steak knives! It would really depend on your menu so make sure to coordinate with your caterer well. Also, ask them to bring extras in case someone drops their fork. 

To celebrate your special day, there will surely be a lot of toasting. So make sure that you also have wine or champagne glasses. Also prepare glasses for alcoholic beverages. Ask your caterer to take care of all these.  

4. Tables and chairs

Choose among a variety of options for your tables and chairs. From round tables to long banquet tables, you can choose one style or be creative and mix various types. Your wedding budget and style will help you determine your choice of tables and chairs. Don’t forget the table linens and chair covers/sashes!

5. Seating chart

To ensure that you’ll be able to accommodate all your guests during your reception, prepare a seating chart. You can prepare this as soon as the response for your RSVPs have come in.

6. Signages and place cards

Aside from the seating chart, signages and place cards will also be useful to guide your guests to their seats. Signages will make it easier for them to navigate within the reception venue. Place cards will ensure that every guest will have their own seat and that the VIP guests will get the best seat.

7. Floral arrangements and other decors

Weddings, even during receptions, wouldn’t be complete without floral arrangements. Your decorator will look at your seating chart or floor plan to identify and recommend where the best part is to decorate flowers. You’ll also need floral arrangements and centerpieces for your tables. The choice of flowers and other decors should go well with your wedding motif.

8. Bouquet and garter

If you’re planning to have a bouquet and garter toss, this should also be included on your list of items that you need for your reception. It would be better to have a separate bouquet for the bouquet toss as you would want to keep the bridal bouquet as a remembrance of this special day.

9. Wedding cake

Of course, you shouldn’t forget about the traditional cake slicing ceremony!

10. Lights and sounds system

Good lighting can transform your wedding reception venue into an impressive one! It will set the mood – you can use bright lights during dinner and turn on the party lights during the after party. It’s not just the lighting that can make your wedding reception impressive. A good sound system should go along with your lighting. Hire a good lights and sounds system supplier so you wouldn’t have any technical problems during your program.

11. Dance floor

Everyone loves dancing – especially if they’ve already had a glass or two of some alcohol. Your guests would also want to enjoy your big day with you so a dance floor is a must!

12. DJ/Band

Pump up the energy of the crowd by hiring a DJ or a band. You can also ask them to play your favorite wedding playlist to set the mood.

13. Bar

Most of your guests are adults who definitely love to drink so having a bar with free flowing drinks can be a good idea. This can be your treat for them for celebrating this day with you.

14. Favors

Another way of saying thank you to your guests is by giving our wedding favors. You can also include a thank you card and include a handwritten note to make your wedding favor more personalized. You can check out Utah Announcements for customized wedding thank you cards.

Don’t stress out too much on the preparation of your wedding reception. If you’ve hired a wedding planner and organizer, let them do the work. Leave them all the worrying. Your wedding is a big day for you. Relax and focus on how you can prepare yourself for the wedding – physically, mentally, and emotionally. 

Don’t wait until the last minute before you focus on yourself. Believe me – there will be too much that will go on during the wedding preparation. With all the things that will be on your mind at the same time, you shouldn’t forget to think about what’s really important – taking care of yourself and preparing yourself for your and your greatest love’s journey to forever.