A garden makes for a beautiful venue for a summer wedding and it is worth being creative with the way in which you plan your garden wedding reception to help you make the most of it.  Gardens can lend themselves to a number of potential wedding themes or use them to create a stylish and memorable backdrop to your wedding day.

Your first consideration needs to be the venue itself.  Private and public gardens are all available for weddings or just for a reception site, the tricky part for you is knowing whether or not a potential site is big enough to accommodate your guests, tables, chairs and any entertainment you want put on.  Finding garden venues which regularly host wedding receptions will give you some idea as to the numbers that can be accommodated and the size you will need to enable all your plans!

Next you will need to think about having a marquee or whether you will chance the weather and have an open air reception.  A combination of both is the ideal scenario and you could have your wedding breakfast out in the open air and use the marquee as a retreat when the cooler evening sets in.  Marquee’s are a cost effective alternative to a traditional bricks and mortar venue and can give you the best of both worlds should find a beautiful garden venue.

Location will be another key factor in your decision making.  As with any reception venue it shouldn’t be located too far from your ceremony venue and should be easily accessible for your guests, particularly any who are elderly or disabled.  A location which is difficult to find could see you short on many of your wedding guests when you arrive at the reception!

You will also need to consider other practicalities, such as bathroom facilities, electric, water and noise from other sources.  Think about where to site your marquee (if having one), where your caterers will set up and serve the food from, where your evening entertainment will be and how you will arrange your tables, chairs and other furniture.

You may also be able to have your wedding ceremony at a garden venue which can save you time and money by having both your ceremony and reception in one location.  However, with your venue set up for the ceremony, you will need somewhere for you and your guests to retreat to so that the reception can be set up ready for the wedding breakfast.  It is therefore important that you find a venue which is large enough to be ’separated’ into various areas where you and your guests can go as each element of the wedding day is being set up.

A garden wedding reception is a wonderful way to celebrate your wedding but you will need to think carefully about the logistics and practicalities of any venue before making a final decision.  There are many garden venues available that regularly play host to weddings or you could take a leap of faith and choose a site that has never played to host to such an occasion. 

One final consideration is the time of year of your wedding.  One particular feature of gardens is the foliage – plants and flowers which grown in it.  Find out how the garden will look on your wedding day – will it be in full bloom, and awash with color or will the flowering season be over and the plants be looking decidedly past their best?  Formal flower gardens will work best for a late spring and summer wedding; whilst tree lined parks create a wonderful backdrop for fall and winter weddings.

Your wedding reception will be the biggest party you will ever organize and host so it can be useful to pick up as many wedding reception tips as you can as your progress with your wedding planning.  A good source of tips and advice is from real brides – they have been there and done it, so they can offer you up some tried and tested tips which could make a big difference to your day.

Here are a few real brides tips to help you with your wedding reception planning:

‘Don’t loose sight of the budget and spend money on silly things’ – The golden rule of wedding planning! Your budget will dictate everything so keep it in check and avoid the temptation to overspend on little details for your wedding reception that you don’t really need.

‘Don’t get caught up in the details, people are there to see you married and have a good day.  Make sure you have a good time and everyone else will’ – In essence, spending all your time worrying about whether or not the ribbon on the wedding favors is the right shade of blue rather than finding some fab entertainment or fantastic catering could leave you and your guests a little disappointed.

‘We saved money on most things by making sure that we shopped around to products and services that give us the best value’ – always shop around and get quotes for everything before making any final decisions.  It will help your budget and you can find yourself with many more options than you thought possible.

‘Get family members to help you make things like favors and stationery’ – not only will this save you money, but it will also add the unique and personal touch to your reception.

‘Look for favors that can double up as place settings’ – have your guests names printed onto your wedding favors or include them on some pretty tags.  Doubling up on things like wedding favors and place cards will save you money and time.

‘Use the internet, I was never off it.  I found lots of bargains, offers and tips on websites that saved me money and gave me lots of ideas’ – the internet has revolutionized our lives and our weddings!  Use it wherever possible for supplies, decorations, favors etc.

‘Hold the speeches before the meal so the men can relax and enjoy their food’ – wedding speeches can be nerve racking for those who have to give them, so give them a break and get them over with sooner rather than later!

For other tips and advice from real brides check out your bridal magazines and sign up with online wedding forums where you can chat with other brides-to-be, brides who have just got married and many other wedding professionals.  They can be a fantastic source of tips, ideas and useful resources, so make the most of them.

Although we wouldn’t like to admit it, sometimes we just cannot afford to have everything we want! And in these difficult economic times, couples everywhere busy with their wedding planning are having to scale back their ideas.  Having a cheap wedding reception is usually top of the list as this party is the most expensive part of any wedding.

But how can you create a cheap reception without compromising on your own dreams and one the level of hospitality you give your guests?  What is comes down to is being creative, shopping around and learning the fine art of negotiation!

Firstly you will need to find your reception venue and a package you can afford.  Having set a realistic sum within your wedding budget for the venue itself you need to set about arranging appointments at various locations.  One way in which you can save yourself a fortune on venue hire is to have your wedding reception at home in your garden or that of your parents.

If you, your parents or someone you know has enough space to erect a marquee, or if you trust the weather, to simply have the entire party outdoors, then ask them if you can hold your wedding reception there.  Two things though – they may not want hundreds of people using the facilities of there home, so you will need to arrange bathroom facilities on site.  Also consider your catering – how will you make and heat all the food needed to feed everyone?  More on that later.

A marquee is a cheap solution to hiring a bricks and mortar venue, but you can think outside of the box and look for other unusual venues such as barns, halls, and municipal buildings, all of which will cost you less than hiring formal function rooms at hotels or country clubs.

Catering a wedding reception can be very expensive. However, if you have your wedding late on in the day you need only pay out for food once and supply one meal for all your daytime and evening guests.  Consider a buffet which is often much cheaper to lay on than a formal sit down three course dinner.  Or go for classy sophistication and have a later afternoon cocktail party with simple canapés and champagne.  You could also cater the reception yourself or ask your guests to each bring along a dish for a buffet.  Coordinate it so you don’t get two or more of any dish and so you get enough food to go around – you could be surprised at what turns up!

You will need tables and chairs, glassware, crockery and cutlery, as well as table linens and napkins.  If you are having a marquee then you will probably get all of this within the package.  Some catering companies will add in crockery, cutlery, glassware and table linens into their packages and most venues will have all of this in place too.  Your other option is to find a hire company and negotiate a price for hiring everything.  A props firm is a good idea as you can also get your room and table decorations from them too.

Save money by making your own reception centerpieces.  A tall pillar candle in a glass vase with some pebbles in the bottom, is a simple and inexpensive centerpiece. Or beg, borrow or steal some decorative vases, dishes, bowls or plates to use.  Use garden flowers or even your wedding favors as centerpiece decorations.  Have mini cakes or cupcakes instead of a formal wedding cake and hand these out as wedding favors too.

Finally, save money on your drinks bill by using sparkling wine or Cava instead of champagne for the toasts and have a pay bar in the evening.  You could even dispense with the champagne altogether and simple have everyone’s glasses refilled with whatever drink they prefer for the toasts.

Finding perfect wedding reception sites can be as troublesome as finding your perfect wedding dress!  You may have an idea in mind, but can you find it?  Reception sites are wide ranging these days, so finding the right one can really come down to whichever steals your heart.

Typically, reception sites will be hotels, restaurants, function rooms and halls.  But there are also other more abstract and unusual sites to consider.  How about some of these:

• Parks
• Gardens
• Zoos
• Fun fairs
• Museums
• Ranches
• Vineyards
• Farmyards
• Barns
• Country clubs
• Country houses
• Private homes or gardens
• Sports venues
• Beaches

Much really depends upon your budget and the style and theme of wedding you want.  The time of year of your wedding is another crucial factor. Outdoor weddings are popular for warmer summer months, with parks, beaches and gardens being favorite venues; whilst ranches, barns and country houses play host to weddings all year round. 

Consider how a certain type of venue would fit with your wedding, and in particular your wedding theme (if having one) and the look and feel you want for your day.  If you want a traditional and formal wedding, then a country house, club or ballroom would probably be more suited to you; whilst a relaxed, casual wedding would fit better with a beach location or garden.

Try to visit several different types of wedding reception site and get a feel for the atmosphere that could be created and how it would fit with your wedding.  If a particularly perfect venue is out of your price range, then think about how you could recreate it elsewhere.  Perhaps a large marquee in a park or garden would provide the perfect blank canvas for you to work with.

There are several other considerations for wedding reception sites.  The most important of which is accessibility.  Can your guests find it easily, particularly those from out of town and what about elderly or disabled guests?  Does the venue have all the facilities you require?  What about catering, furniture and car parking?  The perfect venue may not seem so perfect when you take into account all the additional expenditure required to create your prefect wedding reception.

Whilst there is a case for letting your heart rule your head – it is your wedding day after all – you do need to keep some perspective.  Try to visit any potential venues at different times of the day to get an idea of what the light is like and any views.  A beautifully light venue could look very different in the late afternoon and your wonderful reception could be plunged into gloomy darkness.

All wedding reception sites need to be considered on their merits and terms of how they fit with your wedding wish list and budget.  I am firmly of the belief though that you will know when you have found the right one, from the minute you walk through the door!

Your wedding reception will be the biggest party you will ever organize and one of the most expensive, so it is important you approach wedding reception planning properly.  Many of the details and elements you will consider during your wedding planning will be for your reception, including table centerpieces, wedding favors and the catering. 

After deciding on your wedding date, the style of your wedding and your guest list, it is time to consider the format of your wedding reception.  You may want to have a wedding theme, which will help you to design the entire look and feel of the day; you should also choose your wedding colors at this point.  From here you can begin thinking about the smaller details such as catering, your wedding cake and how you will decorate your reception venue.

Of course, all of this is elementary if you do not have a venue in which to hold your wedding reception.  So after choosing your theme and color scheme it is time to start looking at venues.  Take your time and visit as many as you can, however do not delay n your final decision as the best venues will be booked up early and you could end up disappointed.

Be sure to check that any potential venue can accommodate the number of guests you intend to invite, is not too far away from your ceremony venue and most importantly is affordable!  Also question whether the venue will fit with you wedding theme if you are having one and ask to see the room where your reception will be held.

Next you will need to think about the catering.  Your venue may be providing this for you or you may have to source external caterers to meet your needs.  Whichever it is, arrange to meet with them to discuss menus and to have tasting sessions.  You should also enquire about table linens, crockery, cutlery and glassware.  If you don’t like what is on offer then again you will need to source these externally.

Put together a scrapbook or designers mood board to help you coordinate your color scheme and details such as your centerpieces, table settings, wedding cake design and wedding favors.  Doing this can help you to see how colors and designs will fit together and give you a clear plan to work to when setting up the room.  Your next task is to think about your centerpieces which you may have made for you by your florist or you may want to make them yourself.  Finally you will need to coordinate your favors to match your finished scheme.

Aside from all the fancy details you will also need to think about the layout of the room and where your guests will be seated.  Check the furniture that is in the reception room already and enquire whether this is what will be available to you, also ask if they will arrange the room for you.  At the same time you should also be giving some thought to whether or not you want live musicians playing during the wedding breakfast as you will need to accommodate them somewhere within the room.  Put together a seating plan which shows the layout of the room and where each guest will be seated.

Towards the end of your wedding planning you will need to confirm final numbers with your caterers and reception venue.  Now you can work with these vendors to plan your schedule for the day as not having a clear schedule could lead you to be charged staff overtime charges and other expenses for running on longer than expected.

The day before your wedding you will need to set up the room ready for the next day.  Some venues will be happy to allow you access, whilst others will do the setting up for you in part or in whole.  Make sure you arrange with them from the beginning when it will be possible to gain access to set up the reception.  Most brides will want to oversee this at the very least so make sure you can.

Adding in those finishing touches which will make your guests go ‘wow’ are what every bride desires for her wedding day.  It is adding in those unique wedding ideas that make your wedding personal and fabulous!  Here are 25 ideas for adding wow to your wedding day:

1. Creative Invitations – make your wedding invitations as imaginative as possible, there are the first look your guests will get as to the style and theme of your wedding day so build up their excitement with something different and unique. 

2. Rock n Roll Wedding Favors – Avril Lavigne and Deryck Whibley gave personalized guitar picks for their wedding favors.  So if sugared almonds are not your cup of tea then check out the favor stores for some fab and funky picks which can be personalized with your names and wedding date.

3. Posh Venues – be the top of high society with a posh venue for your reception.  Look out for grand country houses, top class hotels and country clubs.

4. Light Fantastic – add some unique lighting touches with elegant candelabras and crystal chandeliers hung over each table.  Twinkling candle light and glistening crystals instantly transform drab and boring into fabulous and dazzling in seconds!

5. Take Them to Wonderland – how about themeing your wedding ala Alice in Wonderland?  Use ideas such as the Mad Hatters Tea Party with weird and wonderful props such as giant tea cups? Or playing croquet on the lawn with the Queen of Hearts?

6. Sparkling Toast – make your wedding toast one to remember by floating crystallized rose petals in each glass.  All you need to do is brush rose petals with whisked egg white and then with caster sugar.

7. Add Some Sparkle – scatter table crystals around your reception tables for some added sparkle.  When the light catches them you will be rewarded with twinkling rainbows around the room.

8. Bridal Fashionista – if there is one thing that will definitely add wow on your wedding day, then it is you!  When you make your grand entrance at the ceremony venue make sure it is in a truly amazing wedding dress.

9. Glamorous Canapés – don’t serve your canapés on a table or on boring trays.  Hire in some ‘Ice Angels’ to serve mini trays of ice cream cones in a range of different flavors.

10. A Well Dressed Reception – make your reception decorations ones to remember.  Visit fabric stores and end of line outlets for some beautiful organza fabric which can be used to smarten up chairs and as overlays on your tables.  Narrow strips can also be used as napkin ties.

With the largest portion of your wedding budget being spent on your wedding reception it is worth making sure your wedding venue can meet all of your needs.  After all your wedding will be the biggest party you will ever organize so you should make sure you ask all the right questions before you book any venue.

1. Are they available on your wedding date?  It might sound obvious but some many couples don’t ask first off and are then disappointed later on when their date is not available.

2. How easy is it to find? You will be expecting a lot of guests both in the daytime and the evening, so make sure everyone can find the venue or your could end up celebrating alone!

3. Are they licensed for wedding ceremonies? If you like the idea of getting married at the same venue ask if they have a license for conducting weddings.

4. Are there any other weddings on the same day? Worth asking if you don’t want to share the spotlight.

5. How many people can they accommodate? Numbers are all important and if they cannot accommodate all your guests you may need to look elsewhere.  Also ask about car parking, if limited you need to let your guests know.

6. Can you use candles and throw confetti? If candles are an important part of your reception décor find out if you can light them and ask about their policy on confetti, which can be very messy!

7. What packages do they offer? Ask about packages and choose one to suit your wedding and budget.

8. Can you get ready at the venue? If you want to dress for the wedding at the venue ask if there is a dressing room you can use.

9. Can we decorate the day before? If you want to set up and decorate the venue the day before the wedding ask if you can gain access.

10. Do they provide decorations? Find out if they provide any decorations you can use for the reception.

11. Can you have breakfast the following day? If you are staying over ask if breakfast is provided and what the terms are.

12. Do they offer overnight accommodation? If so how many rooms are available and what is the price.

13. When is the check out time?

14. Can you securely store your wedding gifts? You will need somewhere to put your gifts whilst the party is going on, so find out if there is somewhere secure to put them and if you will need extra insurance.

15. Do they offer catering? If they have in house catering are you obliged to use them and also ask if you can bring in your own caterers if needs be.

16. Can you see the menus? Arrange to meet with the in house caterers to review the menus and have tasting sessions.

17. Confirm the prices.  It pays to double check all the details and the prices quoted.

18. Can they provide you with a cake stand and knife?

19. How late can they serve alcohol? Find out what their licensing conditions are.

20. When must the reception end? Ask what time the evening party must end. Some venues can shut down earlier than you may want and the lights suddenly going up will come as a bit of a shock!

Your wedding reception venue will be one of the most expensive elements of your wedding budget so it is important that you make the right choice.  You may have several potential venues local to you but there are several considerations you need to make before you book one for you wedding day.

First and foremost you need to make sure you allocate a realistic sum to your wedding budget for your reception venue.  Remember this sum will usually only cover the hiring of the room and may not include extras such as furniture, cutlery, crockery, staff and decorations. Basically you will need to assign a figure for someone unlocking a door!  Make a few phonecalls to local venues to find out what they offer and how much they charge, this can then help you to set a sum within your budget which should prove sufficient when the time comes to make a booking.

Reception venues will often offer up certain packages which can be tailored to your needs.  These packages typically include the room hire, staff, furniture and linens.  Extras could include catering, if the venue is a hotel or restaurant, crockery, cutlery, glassware, table decorations, sound system and perhaps a separate room for your evening party.  Large venues often have a designated wedding coordinator who will organize every element of your reception for you according to your wishes.  Smaller venues such as halls or public buildings are unlikely to have such a person available to you so you will need to organize everything yourselves.

When you go to view potential venues you both should attend.  Make an appointment and ask for any brochures etc to be sent to you prior to the appointment.  When you attend the appointment there are some key questions you need to ask:

• Is your wedding date available
• How many people can be accommodated within the function room/area
• Is there a larger room available for the evening party – important if you are inviting more guests to the evening do
• What is included in the price
• Can you provide your own caterers
• Can you provide your own drink
• Is a bar available
• Is there sufficient car parking available
• How far is it from your ceremony venue (if held at a separate location)
• How far are the restrooms from the function suite
• What are the payment terms
• What extras are included or charged separately
• What if you run overtime
• Is staff included in the price and if so how many
• Are there any other weddings/functions booked for your wedding day
• Can you get any discounts/extras/freebies – for instance can you get a discount for booking the hotel up with your guests

Take your time and don’t feel under any obligation to make a booking there and then.  Some venues may try to get you to sign on the dotted line as quickly as possible but you should take the time to discuss the merits and shortfalls of each venue between yourselves before making a final decision.  It is worth arranging a second appointment for those venues that you like the most before you make a final booking.

When it comes to booking a venue make sure a proper contract is drawn up which lists the obligations and responsibilities of both parties and make sure that any quote given to you includes all the extras and any charges applied for things like damage or running overtime.  It is usual to pay a deposit at the time of booking to secure the date and facilities so make sure you have your credit card with you!

Whilst you may find yourself otherwise occupied on your wedding day with endless photo calls and meeting and greeting, your guests on the other hand may find themselves kicking their heels waiting around for you both to return so the party can get started.  So rather than let your guests die with boredom, here are a few wedding ideas for great ways to entertain your guests when your not around!

If you are having a summer wedding then chances are you will hold some if not all of your wedding outdoors.  An outdoor wedding presents a wealth of great opportunities for keeping your guests entertained whilst you are otherwise engaged!  Garden games are one of the best ideas for your wedding and are great for keeping children busy too!  Look out for giant connect 4 or Jenga or for the more adventurous hire in a bouncy castle.  If you want to really let your hair down then set up a giant Twister mat, although you may not want to attempt it in your dress!

If your budget will stretch then why not hire in some dodgems and fun fair stalls or even a carousel.  This can be a great way to keep your guests busy throughout the wedding day and let them relive their childhood at the same time!  It will also make for some wonderful photographs for your wedding album!

At the end of the day why not give your guests some Chinese lanterns to release.  These are lit from the bottom and will float up into the sky creating a wonderful scene of floating torches.  If you prefer you could ask your guests to release balloons during the daytime with personal messages attached.  Another variation of this for a beach wedding is to throw bottles with messages stuffed inside into the sea.

For those with a big budget, a firework display is a wonderful way to end your wedding day with a bang!

For those who are holding an indoor reception there are a number of different ways to entertain your guests aside from the traditional wedding disco that is!   Hire in a magician to wander around the reception tables and wow your guests with some magic tricks.  Or treat your guests to drinks with the rich and famous by hiring in some look-alikes to mingle with your guests!

Setting up a casino is a popular way to entertain wedding guests.  Hire in some roulette, poker and Blackjack tables so your guests can try their luck.  Have chips made with your names and wedding date on them as wedding favors and make sure your guests come away with more than they started with!

Other ideas include holding a quiz after the wedding breakfast where you ask your guests questions about you and your hubby.  The one who gets the most answers right wins a prize!  It is also important to consider any children who may be invited.  Try hiring in a face painter or put together some creative activity packs to keep them amused whilst the boring bits of the wedding are going on!

Your wedding reception will be one of the biggest parties you will ever organize and one of the trickiest tasks you will need to complete will be organizing the seating plan.  You may be thinking ‘why do I need a seating plan?’ well, without one, your guests will simply all file into the reception room and mill around wondering where to sit and who with.

A seating plan will give you greater control over who sits were and with whom so as to avoid any potential conflicts between people who do not get on and also with the aim of creating a happy wedding atmosphere by sitting people together who you are sure do or will get on.  Giving your guests some guidance on where to sit will also speed things up and you will get everyone seated and ready eat in no time at all.

Seating plans are particularly important for a large formal wedding and even if you are not having a sit down meal, you may still have tables set out so a seating plan is still a useful tool for a buffet style reception.  If your wedding is small and intimate then you may find that a seating plan is not necessary and in that case it can be wise to intimate to your guests that it is a ’sit anywhere’ event.

Traditionally, the reception venue will be laid out with a long table at one end of the room, known as the top table, with several smaller square or round tables laid out to one side of the top table.  The aim with the arrangement of the smaller tables is for your guests to be able to see the bride and groom from wherever they are sitting.  Now of course, some of your guests will have their backs to you but make sure there is sufficient space between the tables so they can turn their chairs to you when the speeches and toasts commence.

The tables nearest to the top table are traditionally reserved for the families of the bride and groom and all other guests are then fitted on the remaining tables.  The top table will consist of you and your husband in the center, your mother and father on either side, the groom’s father and mother to one end and the best man and chief bridesmaid to the other end.  There are many variations of the top table, particularly to accommodate parents who are divorced and remarried.  The one constant is that you should both sit in the center and you can organize everyone else in a way that works best for you.

When working out who will sit where it is a good idea to write the names of each guest on pieces of card, followed by a larger card with the table numbers on.  You can then arrange each guest around a table in a configuration which works well for you.  There are some considerations though:

• Try to sit people of the same age together
• Avoid placing singles on tables of couples, try to put at least two single people together on a table but avoid any matchmaking!
• Keep couples and those with children together
• Try to sit people together whom you think will get on together well

You aim is to try to achieve lively tables where everyone can engage with each other in a friendly and cheerful manner.  Once you have worked out where everyone will sit you can go ahead and have a seating plan board made to display at the entrance to the reception room.