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Tips for planning your reception

Below are some important tips for booking and planning your reception. This is likely to be your largest expense, so this is one place you should focus your research. Don't forget the standard questions you should ask all vendors.

1. More than any other part of your wedding, booking your reception is a negotiation. Reception providers want to fill their schedule and to do so they make certain allowances. Don't go into the negotiation expecting something for nothing and understand that a peak period makes negotiating much harder. But if you go into the negotiation with with the willingness to alter your requirements to help them fulfill their goal there is often room for some give and take. Also keep in mind that these negotiations are about much more than price. It is during this period you will iron out as many details as possible that will be entered into the contract. Below we'll go through some important terms of the booking process, and how they can affect your bottom line.
2. The room charge. This is typically a standard charge for a four hour block, with additional options for extra time. In my experience, the room charge is what a reception house may be able to give ground on. Find out if the room charge is included in the total before gratuities are added.
3. The dinner. This is simply choosing from a menu in most cases. Most establishments will prepare special items at your request and the chef's discretion. This is typically not a bargaining area. In rare cases you may be able to sample some of the items.
4. The bar. There are several ways in which payment for your bar bill can be handled. A 'no host' bar means guests would pay for whatever they order. With an 'open hosted' bar guests can order whatever they want and it is added to your bill. You can also create just about any combination of the two. For instance, beer and wine can be hosted, with mixed drinks the responsibility of the guest. A popular option is to start with a full hosted cocktail hour then switch to wine and beer only the rest of the event. In any event, it is a good idea to set a limit to your hosted bar, when you reach it, the staff will notify you and you can decide what to do then. If you know your guests like to party, ask what fun bar options there are. With a winter wedding a 'shot luge' is a popular addition. The bar prices are typically not something to negotiate. Larger parties, however, may be able to negotiate a better price on some wines.
5. Hors d' Oeuvres - A cocktail hour with hors d' oeuvres is an excellent idea for the period between the ceremony and reception, when you are getting your pictures taken. If this is a strain on the budget, consider taking all the pictures that don't have the bride and groom together before the ceremony. This can limit your spend here, or make the cocktail hour unnecesarry.
6. Seating Arrangements- Let the provider do this. They know best how to set up their room. Be prepared to tell them any requests you have such as a head table and let them do the floor plan. Then you can add names to the tables.
7. Set up - If your party will need to arrive early to add personal touches, find out when the earliest you are allowed to do this will be. Let the provider know about all vendors for your event and when they will be arriving.
8. Guarantee Number and Date. On the guarantee date , usually 2-3 days prior to the event, you will be asked to provide a guaranteed number of guests. This will be least number of guests for which you will be charged. Many people will try to fudge this number, but you must be careful. If more than your guarantee number show up, the food may not be an issue, but the number of seats available probably will be. I recommend you give an honest number, and if a few don't show up, arrange to have something wrapped up for them. Don't expect them to wrap up an entire leftover buffet. This presents either liability problems, or storage problems.