5 Tips To Select The Best Wedding Reception Location

Being disc jockeys, we get the opportunity to evaluate many reception facilities while having little or no bias to "sell" one location over another. Most Brides and Grooms know where they will be holding the ceremony before they decide where to have the reception, so we have compiled five observations that can help you when selecting your venue.

Distance - If people have to drive a long way to get from the ceremony to the reception, some will get distracted or decide to do something else. Try to keep the reception within a 15 to 30 minute drive of your ceremony. If it is not possible to get a reception hall close to your ceremony, make a caravan. Have the Bride and Groom lead the parade, and people will follow you to your reception.

Time ? Time is just like the distance issue. If your reception is several hours after the ceremony, people will get busy doing other things and not show up for the reception. Try to start the reception within an hour or two of the ceremony. If you don't want to start your wedding dance at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, have a Meet and Greet mixer before your reception. Serve some punch and get people to mingle. This will be one of the few times that both families will be together. Encourage family members to share stories about your childhoods.

Size - People like their personal space, and they have most likely spent an hour packed into a church for your ceremony. If you let them spread out, they will enjoy themselves more. Make sure your reception hall has plenty of room for your guests. The people renting the location might tell you it holds 200 people, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will hold 200 people comfortably! Make sure to visit the venue before booking.

Climate Control - Having a summer wedding? Is your reception hall air conditioned? If people sweat while just sitting, they won't dance. On the flip side, if they are cold they won't dance either (who wants to dance in a parka?). Also make sure you know who has control of the thermostat so the temperature can be adjusted if needed. Chances are your reception will be warm and stuffy while all the guest are there, but as they trickle out during the night the room will begin to cool down.

Smoking - This is a hot button issue, but if your reception hall is non-smoking, you can fully expect smoker's to leave your reception for 15-30 minutes every hour. If enough of them leave the reception area, you may find a large percentage of your guest just hanging out in the smoking area. This can be a big problem if you have many smokers in your wedding party. You don't have to allow smoking, but it is something you should consider, especially if anyone has any health problems like asthma or allergies that could be triggered by smoke. If you decide not to allow smoking in the reception area, how close is the nearest place for a smoker to go? Is it close enough that you will be able to get needed wedding party members during events like the bouquet toss or garter auction?

Facility coordinators will no doubt bring up several other factors for you to consider when you interview them for your booking, but these are often missed items, especially if they don't favor the potential venue. If you keep the overall picture in mind and work with your wedding planner or event coordinator on the decorating ideas, you will no doubt have an enjoyable and memorable wedding reception.

About the Authors: Tim & Tammy Smith operate By Request DJ & Karaoke Company, located in Fargo, North Dakota. They have been providing entertainment for wedding receptions since 1994 and belong to several professional disc jockey organizations.

This article may be reprinted without permission providing all URLs are live links only minor editorial changes are made. Please send an email to byrequest@byrequest.dj with the name (and url if the resource is on the web) of the publication.

---

Love on the Internet

People are looking for life-long relationships in the most peculiar... Read More

Marriage Advice: Seven Marriage Myths You Can?t Afford to Ignore

If you're like most people, you probably entered into marriage... Read More

Guide to a Growing Trend: The Green or Ecological Wedding

Does it seem like the phrases "ecology" and "wedding" could... Read More

Wedding Flowers and Arrangements?Best Advice from the Experts

Now that you are planning your wedding, you've got to... Read More

Celtic Diamond Rings ? A Combination of History And Romance

The symbolism of Celtic Diamond Rings is relevant to all... Read More

Wedding Dresses - How to Buy Dreamy Wedding Gowns Online

Wedding dresses are literally the icing on the cake on... Read More

Fifteen Fabulous Favors

The possibilities are endless when it comes to creating (or... Read More

Get Wedding Gifts Youll Enjoy -- Creating Your Wedding Registry

Receiving wedding gifts is a whole lot more fun when... Read More

Understanding Celtic Wedding Rings

Thousands of years ago, the Celts, a group of independent... Read More

And the Bride Didnt Wear White

While through history brides have agonized over what to wear... Read More

Do We Still Need Wedding Traditions?

Traditionally at weddings the speechs are made after the wedding... Read More

The Perfect Wedding Budget

Creating a wedding budget is one of the first things... Read More

Todays Wedding Is Brought To You In Association With ...

With the cost of today's weddings spiraling to astronomical levels,... Read More

Finding the Perfect Bridesmaid Gift

The bridesmaid gift is essential to the planning of a... Read More

Las Vegas Wedding Receptions

Las Vegas wedding receptions are where people tend to go... Read More

Why Hire A Wedding Designer?

As couples begin thinking about their wedding, they are often... Read More

Wedding Flowers: How It Emulates Your Personality

Your wedding day, what is presumed to be the happiest... Read More

Discount Wedding Dresses ? Elegance and Style that Won?t Blow Your Budget!

If you're planning your wedding day then you'll be all... Read More

2005 Mother Of Bride Dress

A 2005 mother of bride dress tends to have a... Read More

Mens Wedding Bands ? A Whole World Of Choice

Mens wedding bands are an emerging phenomenon. Whilst women have... Read More

Gatlinburg Honeymoon Packages

Gatlinburg in Tennessee is the city with streets of art... Read More

Why You Should Buy that Wedding Gift from the Gift Registry - OR, the Wedding Gifts from Hell!

When you come to choose a wedding gift it's no... Read More

Weddings Abroad ? Does Paradise Come At A Price?

For some couples, jetting off to their dream location would... Read More

Here Comes the Bride

As we hear the music begin to play the Bridal... Read More

Make Sure You Do: Before You Say ?I Do?

Tina Turner asked an important question in the title of... Read More

Attracting Marital Fulfillment, Its Not To Late To Start Right Now

As a personal and professional development coach, I have listened... Read More

Wedding Anniversary Symbols

Most people are aware that significant wedding anniversaries such as... Read More

Wedding Invitations?Today?s Etiquette and Wording

The look of the wedding invitations you send will not... Read More

Wedding and Bridal Jewelry

So your not one of those fabulous actresses or models... Read More

A Summer Wedding

THE sunshine had come out to ensure the wedding of... Read More

Helping The Control Freak Plan The Wedding

My daughter and fiancé have finally set the "big day"... Read More

Creating A Prenuptial Agreement

Embarking upon a marriage is a wonderful time in life... Read More

Jewish Wedding Traditions - The Wedding Day in a Nutshell

Many of the Jewish wedding traditions are derived from ancient... Read More