From choosing a dress and your bridal party to deciding on where the ceremony will be held, the challenges of planning a wedding are easy to see. Some selections made during the planning process are more crucial than others. For example, designing your reception is key not only for your special day but also to ensure your guests enjoy themselves, too. This guide will help you plan your reception with ease, avoiding a few common mistakes many brides make.
Not Budgeting for Reception
When you first start planning your wedding, you may place more effort and more of your budget into some details rather than others. For example, you may spend a large portion of your total wedding budget on the wedding dress.
In 2017, brides spent an average of $1,509 on their wedding dress. This dress, which you will wear for a few short hours, will use a large portion of your budget, reducing the amount of money you can spend on other parts of your wedding, such as the reception.
It is perfectly acceptable to spend however much you want on your wedding dress. However, if you lack the funds and want to throw a memorable reception, you may need to cut other expenses down. To save money, consider buying a used wedding gown or cutting expenses in another area so you can have the right amount of money leftover in your budget for an amazing reception.
Not Booking Your DJ Early
Most brides will order invitations and flowers early. In addition, you may book the church or other location for the ceremony and your reception venue. While booking these early is recommended, booking your DJ early is also essential.
You may be surprised by how quickly different musicians, bands, and DJs book up. Most experts recommend contacting and booking specific musicians and DJs at least 9 to 12 months before your wedding day.
Never assume a particular musician, band, or disc jockey will have open availability. This assumption could leave you without entertainment, which can affect you and your guest's enjoyment.
Hiring Friends Instead of Professionals
You may have a wide variety of friends and family members who have various hobbies and interests. From photography and singing to videography, decorating, and cooking/baking, dabbling in one of these hobbies or having an interest does not make your friend or family member a professional.
If you or your groom is considering hiring a friend or family member to handle some part of your wedding reception whether to cash in a favor or to save money, you may end up doing more harm than good.
For example, if you have a friend who enjoys taking photos with the expensive camera they just purchased, you may hire them to handle the wedding photography. Remember that you cannot create most moments from your wedding ceremony or reception, so if your photos do not come out as you hoped, you will not have photos to cherish for the many years to come.
Also, most hobbyists do not have all the experience needed to make sure their job is completed without any hitches. If you hire a friend or family member to handle the catering, they may do a great job of planning a menu but struggle through the execution of preparing and serving the actual food during the wedding reception.
There are situations where hiring a friend or family member can be beneficial. If you are close to people who are professional photographers, musicians, caterers, DJs, or even wedding planners and these friends/family members are willing to provide their services at a discount for you, hiring them can be a great decision.
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