More and more couples are choosing to say their “I do’s” away from home and then return to include the rest of their family and friends in the celebration of their recent vows. Destination weddings with hometown receptions should be the fun part to plan with the couple as they are already married and now is the time to celebrate with loved ones. While there is no longer the ceremony portion of the wedding to plan, there are still plenty of factors to take into account with the couple while planning.

First, sit down with the couple and, as with any reception, have them select the theme, where and when. You may be surprised at how many couples still want the expensive and glamorous party even though many would assume this plan was a way to save on costs. Will they have a formal wedding reception or a casual get-together instead, such as a party in a park or dinner at a restaurant?

A couple may assume that having a backyard-BBQ theme in a park will be a no-brainer to plan, but there are liquor licenses to obtain, food to bring in, keep fresh and transport, staffing considerations, specific open hours, noise regulations, etc. to take into consideration. As with any planning process, make sure you are managing your client’s expectations from the beginning.

Regardless of the kind of reception the couple chooses to have, the elements of a wedding reception still need to be planned:

• What kind of food will be served to the guests? Will they do a whole meal or just appetizers or desserts? Should they hire a caterer? If they choose not to hire a professional caterer, both you and the couple will possibly run into more issues than not.
• What drinks will be served? Of course, there does not need to be alcoholic drinks, but some sort of refreshments for the guests. If the couple does want alcohol, but wants to save on cost, suggest doing a signature cocktail and one kind of beer, then the rest can be soda and water. Also, if there will be toasting, consider offering champagne, sparkling wine, or sparkling juice.
• Who doesn’t love wedding cake? Does the couple want a traditional wedding cake, dessert station or sweets table? If it is going to be an outdoor reception, depending on the venue, take into consideration the time of year for weather, bugs and melting of the frosting.
• Will there be entertainment at the reception? If the couple is going a more casual route, again depending on the venue, make sure to find out about any noise regulations before booking in case they would like it to go later but can only have music playing until 9 PM.

Aside from the above items, there are still all of the usual questions to ask about from vendors including details about timing of the event.  You may find that the couple is more relaxed planning this type of celebration than a couple who hasn’t already gotten married; or maybe it will be the opposite. No matter what they decide to do, whether it be a backyard BBQ or elegant evening, do your best to still make the reception feel like a celebration of two people who were just married. This is not only for the couple, but for the guests who were not there in-person to witness the vows when the ceremony took place. You, as the wedding planner, are responsible for tying together two separate events that are part of the same occasion.

This is a guest post from Christine Bochniak.

photo credit: Autumn Burke

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