First the Engagement, Now the Wedding: Planning Tips for a Great Event
We’re just going to come right out and say it: we’re in prime engagement season. From Thanksgiving weekend to Valentine’s Day, “the question” is popped all over the country.
If you’re one of the lucky couples who’ve just gotten engaged, congratulations. Here’s wishing you and your loved one years of happiness together.
Many couples move right from the engagement into wedding planning. As caterers and professional event planners, we’ve seen our share of wedding craziness over the years. And we’re not the only ones. From the movies to TV shows to real life, it seems that bad behavior and poor choices affect many celebrations.
This collection of crazy stories from other wedding caterers covers almost all the shocking things that can happen at a wedding: drunk guests, physical and verbal fights, accusations of infidelity, and more. We can assure you we’ve seen such behavior, too. While it’s certain that your wedding will be calmer and tamer, creating a successful event starts now. To help you ensure your guests have a great time, here are five of our top planning tips.
5 Wedding Planning Tips
#1: Trust your Master of Ceremonies to manage the right flow.
The Master of Ceremony (MC) keeps the wedding reception flowing. Whether you’re planning to hire a professional, are relying on your band leader, or will look to a maid of honor or best man, this person will be the one who tells people when to stand up, sit down, applaud, or toast. He or she will introduce you as you walk in, lead the first dance, and more. Without a designated MC, chaos can come creeping into your event.
#2: Keep the food coming.
Many guests will enjoy your reception with a drink in hand. From the cocktail reception to the last call at the bar, guests can view a wedding as an invitation to imbibe. To head off too much drinking, keep the food flowing. Serve appetizers during the cocktail reception and ensure that the first course is delivered promptly.
#3: Let the music set the tone.
Plan to use music to shape your event. Your guests will respond to the vibe your band or DJ sets, and a professional will know how to read your crowd.
#4: Aim for “just right.”
From room temperature to food temperature to event length, you should be looking to deliver “just right” for your guests to keep everyone in a happy frame of mind.
#5: Leave time for a last meeting at your venue.
This final walk-through serves as a check-in for little details that might help your reception go smoothly. Remember, we’re professionals, and we’ve seen everything. If there are guests who should be kept separate—for any reason—we can help you delicately manage your seating plans, for instance.
Your reception is a celebration of your new marriage and the next chapter of your life together. Let our expertise help you put together the evening of your dreams.
Since 1959, Catering with Elegance has combined beautiful venues, mouthwatering food, and top-notch service to transform events into treasured memories. We offer full-service catering and event management at two beautiful west suburban locations as well as off-site service for weddings, celebrations, and corporate events.