Wedding reception recommendations are always welcome!

February 24, 2006 5:19 PM

We're looking at our first reception hall tomorrow for our upcoming wedding. Given that this is our first foray into these types of affairs what are some important questions you asked, or wished you had asked prior to scoping out locations?

Some more specifics:
Our wedding is still over a year and half away but we're trying to get a good head start so that the stress levels are much lower when we get closer to the date. We've already decided on approx. 100 guests at the reception.

We are not having a traditional ceremony. We will most likely head off to Europe to have a private ceremony in a location of our choosing. The "reception" is really just a party we're going to throw once we return.

We'd like an open bar and a catered dinner. We're going to have an early dinner so that we can open attendance afterwards so more people can attend.

I have just ordered this book, but unfortunately it will not arrive by tomorrow morning (and we really like this place that we're going to look at).

Any assistance and/or recommendations would be appreciated.

posted by purephase to human relations (7 comments total)

Ask when you have to be out at the end of the party? And congrats!
posted by Taken Outtacontext at 5:43 PM on February 24, 2006

Hi! Got married recently (May 2005) We asked how early we could have the room because we did a lot of the decorating ourselves (white christmas lights, special cloth hangings on the windows) and we wanted to get that done as early as possible (we did have a traditional wedding).

We have smokers in our family and our location was a cute hall in a pretty camping/hiking park, so we asked about where it was and was not OK for our guests to smoke. (We were surprised to find out it was OK as long as they stayed within a certain area near the building.)

We asked about location insurance...I didn't even know we had to have it but apparently we did. The location manager was really nice and gave us a hint that we could get it from AAA a lot cheaper than from the location, which we did.

We wanted dancing at our reception so we asked if they had a dance floor available to rent to us, and what tables/chairs they had for us. It turned out their floor was fine but the tables and chairs were dingy so we rented those from our catering company.

That's all I can think of for now...good luck! It's really good you're starting early.
posted by rio at 5:47 PM on February 24, 2006

What rio said:
Ask how early you can have the room so you can come do decorating early, and if you leave your stuff till the next day to pick up.

We only got to have our room until midnight of our wedding. So my mom and her friends were in a mad rush, immediately after the reception, to pack up everything we wanted to keep.
posted by delladlux at 5:57 PM on February 24, 2006

The more they provide, the less you have to worry about. If you don't care terribly about having special colored napkins or superduper centerpieces, try to find a place that is all inclusive. It eliminates so much stress. Also, make sure that there's some kind of "reception manager," one point person who handles everything and who will actually be there during the event to make sure it all goes right.

All I did at my reception was show up, party and leave with the presents. It was perfect.
posted by jrossi4r at 6:30 PM on February 24, 2006

If the reception hall offers the same services that you're getting from the caterer, they might charge you a fee for it, like for cutting and serving a cake you got from another baker. Ask them if there will be any penalty fees for services you get from other vendors, instead of from them.

Also, this is more for the caterer than the hall, since you're doing them separately, but one thing to watch out for: The caterers will probably show you the current menu, and then you'll sign a contract to spend a minimum of X dollars, figuring 100 guests at a the (current) price per plate. Then you'll agree to pick the actual menu a couple of months before the wedding.

The problem is, since weddings are planned so far ahead, that in another fifteen months, when it comes time to pick the menu, all the prices for food and drinks will have risen (in our case by as much as 20-25%). Then you're over a barrel: You've bugeted for a certain price, you've already signed a contract, and now it's going to cost you hundreds of dollars more than you planned. Not fun.

So try to lock them into a price now. If they won't do that, then have them cap the maximum amount that their prices can go up (say, like the rate of inflation, approx 3%).
posted by Gamblor at 7:49 PM on February 24, 2006

Ask if you can bring in outside caterers or booze. Most places don't carry champagne or wedding cakes, not to mention you can save a fortune by bringing your own. Then find out the corkage fee and negotiate. If you bring in food it will have to be stored and served, do you need wait staff and refrigeration or will the venue provide it for a fee or included? Will they allow outside caterers and will they charge? If there's a cake will you need to rent silverware and plates or will they provide them? Ditto on wine glasses and champagne glasses (generally not covered). Will there be another party on the premises that night (you don't want a 21st birthday!). Ask about music- live or speaker facilities and dance floors if you want them. And ask about a "clean up" fee, if they charge one I recommend walking away. And don't forget simple stuff like bathrooms, cloakrooms, noise curfews, closing hours, parking, when you can get in to decorate, what is included in the room rental as far as chairs, staff, tables etc.
posted by fshgrl at 11:46 PM on February 24, 2006 [1 favorite]

Ask about flow if you're having more than just dinner. Some locations will have a separate area for cocktails, others will segment off part of the room. See how much space is given to the cocktail hour and whether it is sufficient and equal in style to the main party space.

Ask about "plus plus plus" when you start pricing the venue. Figure out the level of liquor, the range of catering options, whether tablecloths and seat covers and candles and flowers are included or separate purchases, the tax and gratuity and tip-outs, and the slippage amount on the guarantee (usually 1 or 2%, so you can have 98 people show instead of 100 and not pay a surcharge).

And then everything mentioned above: coat rooms, parking, sound systems, when your time with the space starts and ends, the dance floor, and so on.

And remember: you're throwing a party. Don't get overwhelmed or needlessly aggravated by anything involved with it.
posted by werty at 9:44 AM on February 25, 2006