The Care and Feeding of Reception Guests

Receptions are meant for guests as a way of appreciating their care, love, and support to the marriage couple. You should ensure that the guests are comfortable at all times and any of their needs appropriately addressed.

For starters, the venue of the reception should be chosen carefully considering the type of guests invited. Bars and places where alcohol is served may not be very accommodative to guests with strict religious norms. The season of the year should also be considered due to changes in weather. No one would like to host in an open place, only for the ceremony to be disrupted by rains. If you choose to use enclosed buildings, a number of banquets or reception halls should be compared to select the best. It will be good to ensure the hall easily accommodates all guests without crowding. Enough space will be essential for people to walk around and socialize or dance. Facilities such as bathrooms should be easily accessible to the guests and clearly marked according to gender to avoid embarrassing encounters.

It should be remembered that the host is fully responsible for all costs incurred in the reception. Therefore, inviting guests to a bar or restaurant and having them pay for their meals and drinks is against wedding reception etiquette.

When feeding the guests, the host should ensure that the meals available are in tandem with the time of the day, temperature and taste of the guests. In a morning reception, people may prefer hot beverages and pastry while others may opt for breakfast meat. A variety of foods should be available to carter for each guest. In an afternoon reception, light appetizers can be served in small portions since the guests have had breakfast and will have dinner later. Cakes can be served and for drinks, wine or light cocktails will do well. For dinner receptions though, one may spend more due to large amounts of food consumed. Some guests may prefer big plates of food or serving in several courses. Avoid meals that require constant refrigeration or heating.

Buffet service is one of the common ways of serving food in receptions. It can help people who are not sure what to serve their guests. The guest can line up for service or food trolleys may be pushed around tables by waiters. Care should be taken since people may decide to serve larger portions of their favorite foods as they are expensive in most cases. Station a caterer behind the foods to help serve portions to the guests. Filler foods such as biscuits can also be placed on the tables so that guests can start with them and therefore reduce the amount of main meals.

Crackers, sweats and fruits will also keep the guests’ mouths busy while dancing or after taking hard drinks such as alcohol. The wedding cake is of cause the crowning in reception feeding. Ensure that the cake is beautifully decorated and mouthwatering. Tiered cakes can be made for large number of guests to ensure all get enough portions.