A Banquet fit for a bride.
There are a number of easy steps to creating the reception you
really want for your wedding. At first the task of organising
everything seems daunting but when it is broken down it is
relatively easy and with careful planning and timing it will be
mostly stress free.
First decide what you would like to do for the wedding. Would
you like a sit down meal or a buffet, hot or cold? When you have
decided this then you will need to sit down and arrange your
guest list and check your budget.
If you opt for a hot sit down meal you will need to consider a
suitable venue. Some venues only allow you to order from their
own menu and might have limitations on how many guests you are
able to have, this is where good research is important. When you
have decided on the venue and are confident they will allow all
of your guests and have a suitable menu ask for a taster, or at
least to view examples of the food that will be offered.
If you have found a venue willing to allow you to prepare your
own menu and use their facilities make sure that they have what
you need, do they have enough plates cutlery and glasses? Who
will be cleaning up and will there be extra charges for storage
etc. You also need to devise a suitable menu and calculate how
much this will cost and allocate helpers to prepare the food,
store ingredients in the run up and be available at the venue on
the morning of the wedding to make all the preparations and
might have to stay behind to be ready to greet the guests with
food and drinks.
Opting for a buffet style menu is ever increasing in popularity
because of the convenience of being able to prepare a cold menu,
again you will need to decide if you want to find a venue that
will already provide a buffet for your guests or take care of
the catering yourself.
There are many advantages of creating your own menu and
allocating members of the family and friends to help make the
preparations for the wedding. You will have a broader selection
of foods available, you are not tied to one set menu and the
whole family can be involved as well as helping reducing the
costs for the reception.
Timing is crucial, remember to get quotes and look around, each
venue will have different arrangements and operating styles that
may infringe upon your dream reception. If you are buying the
food yourself you will need ample storage and a host of helpers,
remember that you will not be able to help with the preparations
unless the wedding itself is very late in the afternoon or
evening as you will be far too busy preparing yourself for the
ceremony.
Allowing yourself time and planning before hand will enable you
to have the maximum amount of enjoyment from the experience, and
will also allow for any unforeseen circumstances. Remember this
is your wedding and your childhood dream; you will want
everything to be just as you want it to be.