After all the to-do of planning a wedding — with venues, caterers, and the all-important guest list to contend with — you may think that you’re on easy street when it comes to your wedding reception. After all, it’ll be the time to unwind, to kick back and kick off the celebration of your new union with your closest friends and family. But that’ll be the case only if you take the care and attention to book the right venue and hire the right people — people that can help you throw the party of your dreams.

Ultimately, planning a wedding reception is a test in organization. There’s the all-important venue to screen and select, countless vendors to vet, price and integrate, and flowers, seating arrangements and the big question of what to serve and what kind of entertainment would be best. And because it all directly follows the ceremony, it’ll be the punctuating statement of everyone’s time together. So when you’re thinking about how to plan a wedding reception, it’s important to consider, well, everything. Some like to assemble checklists, folders, or digital albums, but whatever you do, you’ll need to budget, organize, and stick to a strict timeline as your date approaches.

All that said, before you can do anything, you need to set a date. It doesn’t have to be exact, but you won’t be able to find a venue, invite guests or hire vendors until you have a date, or an approximate one. Sometimes it can help to be flexible within a few days or up to a week or two since venues frequently book months or even years in advance, and the better idea you have of when you want to get hitched is going to make planning your reception, and your wedding, far easier.

Once you’ve chosen an appropriate date, it’s time to pick a venue. In addition to the obvious location question, it’s important to also consider budget and to have a rough guest count in mind. You might be able to afford that stunning venue, but if it means your guests will have to forego entertainment, drinks, or cuisine, you may be jeopardizing the wedding reception experience for everyone and tarnishing the big day itself. And don’t forget to make sure that your venue matches your desired reception style. If you’re going from sandals and sun dresses on the green to a stuffy and formal dinner, you might be better off planning a cocktail party or a casual buffet, or even food stations to encourage maximum comingling.

With the venue settled, you’ll want to stay organized and on top of it all as you bring in each new piece. Write everything down in your planner, phone, or computer, and make sure you share all important dates, times, and expectations with all your vendors, wedding party members and your reception site manager. Not only will each need to know when to show up or make their delivery, but if there’s a problem with a chosen date or time, they can alert you before it becomes an issue. For these reasons and more we suggest opting for a cloud-based calendar that can be shared and updated from anywhere, such as Google Calendar.

As things start to fall into place, and as soon as you’re able, do a complete walkthrough of your venue, including all locations, where certain points of emphasis will be and what you may need to work around or minimize as you look to highlight the features that appeal to you and creatively downplay what might not be working. While organizing and assessing the venue, you’ll also want to identify your caterer, hire a photographer, and finalize your desired ornamentation and decor. Because there are so many options, juggling various vendors and organizing payments, many venues offer an all-in-one service, which can help save time, money and the headache of integrating each different piece, so be sure to ask your venue if they have trusted vendors to help you pull it all off. 

With the vendors and venue cleared, and as everyone starts to coordinate their work together, you’ll want to next turn your attention to your guests. While it’s your big day, the reception is more a celebratory party for all in attendance, so it’s prudent to consider the entertainment, cuisine, and drinks that they would enjoy. At the same time, we all know there’s not a one-size-fits-all approach to any of this, so don’t forget to provide alternatives to the food and drink you’re serving so your guests don’t feel left out.

As the day approaches, don’t forget your paper goods. First and foremost, you’ll need reception stationary, which includes table cards, place cards, table numbers, menus, and any tags and other bits. And all that comes after you’ve sent out your save the date cards and your official invitations. Once the RSVPs start to come in, you can then write out all your table and place cards and start to finalize your seating list. Make sure to keep table numbers and names separate, so when you get cancellations or additions down the line — and trust us, they’ll happen — you can quickly change assignments without the tediousness of rewriting dozens or hundreds of cards. Keep in mind that most invites will attend — something like 90 percent in our experience — and smaller weddings tend to have higher attendance since only the closest family and friends will have been invited.

Now that the indoors are mostly settled, you can get started on the outdoors. As the day shifts to night and guests make their way from the ceremony to the reception area, pathways and lighting can add drama to the evening, and even the smallest details, like small gifts to placed at your guests’ assigned seating can be an unexpected special touch.

What could go wrong? How to plan for wedding reception eventualities.

While you definitely won’t want to spend all your time planning for absolutely everything that can go wrong — it’s a great way to put a majority of your efforts towards all the wrong stuff — but you do want to consider very real possibilities that could throw a wrench into your reception plans. For example, if you’re getting married in the middle of summer on a hot, sunny day, you may want to consider an indoor reception to follow that bright and sunny ceremony, and to provide adequate shade both before and after the ceremony. 

But if for any reason you feel that you’re losing control of the process as you attempt to plan your big day and the after party, you may want to leave most of the planning and execution to the experts. By working with a reputable local venue that comes with preexisting relationships and all the vendors you’ll need to properly mark this momentous occasion, you’ll be able to concentrate on enjoying your day, not planning the details of somebody else’s.

If you’re looking for the peace-of-mind of an elegant Las Vegas wedding miles from the gimmick of The Strip, contact us at Occasions4.us. Get married at one of five fabulous venues (Aliante Golf Club, Primm Valley Golf Club, Spanish Trails Country Club, The Legacy Golf Club and Wildhorse Golf Club) in Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, or Primm, and let our team of planners, caterers, photographers and more design a tasteful and elegant wedding package for you and your partner. Book your wedding today with Occasions4.us.