Of course, you can assume that a wedding reception is just like any other party and not worry about specifically wedding-related details. However, in the vast majority of cases, when the bride and groom decide to organize a wedding reception, they want it to be a special and unique event. That is why it is a good idea to make a list of pre-wedding tasks and check off everything that has already been taken care of.
Wedding date
An event as momentous as a wedding and the reception that follows must be planned well in advance. Only then is there a chance of preparing everything calmly and on time. You will find many advice articles, such as this one: Wedding planning and it is worth reading them, because a wedding reception is a major logistical undertaking. Moreover, a wedding involves certain formalities both at the church and at the Civil Registry Office, and they cannot be expedited. Therefore, setting the wedding date for “in two weeks” is completely unrealistic, even if it were to be only a wedding ceremony without a reception.
Wedding venue
Booking the wedding venue is the first step the bride and groom should take. Although it may seem that restaurants, clubs, and wedding halls are plentiful, finding the perfect venue is actually not easy, especially if you plan to invite more than one hundred people. The best-located venues—with good access but away from the main road, accommodation, space for a children’s corner, and an exit to a garden—must be booked at least a year in advance. The venue’s appearance determines the possibilities for decorating it, which is also worth considering when making the reservation. Not every venue can be decorated according to the wedding’s theme.
Music
Regardless of how much the world has progressed, one thing has not changed—people dance at weddings. The question of choosing the music remains, and it is not easy at all, especially when several generations are celebrating together. In the past, a band would traditionally play for the newlyweds and their guests. Today, we can hire a live band or a DJ. Who will be better? A DJ, or even two taking turns, does not need as many breaks as a band. Playing music from recordings, they can provide uninterrupted entertainment until morning. On the other hand, a live band gives a wedding an unparalleled atmosphere, even if it sings slightly out of tune. Disco polo, music suitable both for dancing and for all occasions, usually reigns at weddings. But it is not a mandatory choice of repertoire. Much depends on the individual preferences of the bride and groom. After all, it is their reception.
Photographer and videographer
Photos and videos from a wedding reception bring the most joy years later. If we do not want them for ourselves, we should think of our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. For them, they may be a real treasure. Since a wedding film usually lasts several hours, it is worth considering creating a wedding report or video clip. You will find many such offers and ideas online, for example on wesele.com.pl. A video clip is a shortened version of what happened throughout the night, created using the latest video-editing techniques. It is truly worthwhile.
Menu
A wedding reception is invariably associated with a large amount of food. It is not entirely clear why, because few people eat as much at night as is served at an average wedding reception. Nevertheless, it is understood that if alcohol is served, food must be available—and not only in the form of a cold buffet. It is customary for the first dish at a wedding to be tripe soup or bigos, part of our Polish tradition. However, there is nothing to prevent breaking with tradition and serving another hot dish, even a very exotic one. Much depends on the theme chosen for the wedding. Besides, in times when every other person is on a diet, it is worth ensuring a variety of meals. A wedding menu should include vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free dishes—if not hot, then at least in the form of cold snacks.
Guests
A wedding reception will be successful only if the guests attend. To make that happen, it is worth notifying them of the planned celebration well in advance. Save the date has become popular, meaning that guests may be informed even a year or two before the planned event. Of course, at such an early stage, you can provide only the date—and that is precisely the point: guests can enter it in their calendars. The remaining details are given when the wedding invitation is presented. Good etiquette dictates doing this no later than three months before the wedding. However, the guest list must be prepared much earlier. Such information will be needed, among other things, when booking the venue, planning the menu or catering, ordering the cake, and so on.